Grade 5 Topics

Grade 5

Workshops

Description

CT Standards

Good Vibrations

This workshop introduces students to the physics of sound transmission and creation. Through hands-on experiments with tuning forks, concepts like vibration, frequency, sound waves, and the transmission of sound waves through a liquid, solid and gas will be addressed. Students will use simple musical instruments to produce different notes, and they will build their own panpipes to take home.

5.1

Laser Light

The fundamental scientific concepts necessary for a good understanding of laser light will be presented. The class will then be introduced to the laser. In a series of interactive demonstrations, the students will explore the laser’s beam, discovering its unique properties. The students will learn how to make the beam visible, and will have fun manipulating the beam’s path by using reflection. To demonstrate the practical applications of lasers the children will get an exciting look at how holograms are made. Students will also learn how LED’s work and take their very own home.

5.1; 5.2; 5.4

Optical Illusions

Students will be exposed to a wide variety of optical illusions like the mirror mirage and various other classic illusions. Periscopes will be introduced and after an instructional demonstration on the science and design behind the periscope, the students will construct their own to take home.

5.2

Space…the Final Frontier

Students will use simple materials to quickly learn their way around the skies. A scale model of the planets will demonstrate the different relative sizes of the planets in our galaxy. A comet will be created before their very eyes. They will get the opportunity to see what happens when meteorites strike the earth or other planets. A demonstration will uncover how stars can actually produce the raw material that is the basis of all life on earth. Finally, they will build and take home a Mad Science Shuttle.

5.3

Mad Science Machines

This workshop will give students a chance to discover that simple machines can make our life much easier. Volunteers will get to build a giant lever and see how it works. Pulley systems will show how pulleys allow us to lift objects with less effort. Finally, students will apply their newfound mechanical knowledge by building their very own machine.

5.4