Building Our Own Seismograph

4HR is building seismographs that are affordable, accurate, and sensitive for countries that can't afford fancy computer seismographs. Our first step to collect information that will help us design accurate and sensitive machines.

What is a Seismograph?

Finding out:

Handout

PowerScienceKnowledge

PBS Kids

Simple Seismograph creation

UC Berkeley professor explains

What could be more accurate? What could be more sensitive?

What did we find out about seismographs? What are they made of?
Connects to base ten number system, in that the Richter scale works in powers of ten - Jamie
Steady and stable - Zaaviar
The paper would go around a wheel, with an axle in the middle. - Sarah
Wood plank needs to be smooth. Paper needs to be tight. - Connor
Platform: use cardboard. - Emily
Ink: when the paper keeps on moving, the writing instrument keeps writing. - Mason
The height of the weight and the weight of the weight. If the weight is super heavy, it wouldn't show small movements because it is held down. If it is lighter, it would show the smaller movements. - Sean
Vertical metal rod and steel wire. - Victoria
Platform: use cereal boxes, put something heavy in it. - Carmen
Platform: wood, because you can drill into it. - Amaan
Platform: tile. - Sean
Ball and pencil hung from rod. - Carol
Inverted pendulum seismometer: pencil suspended on a metal rod, adjusted to change the pendulum, so it can be more accurate. When the ground shakes, the pencil shakes, drawing on the paper. Wavelengths converted on the Richter Scale: lines on the paper. - ZY
You need a weight to make it stable. - Miguel
Measures how big the Earth's movement. - Elin
These seismographs connect to pendulums, except they don't move and stay in the same spot. It picks up the vibration of the surface, which causes the pencil or pen to move. - Caimi

Finding inspiration

4HR is beginning our journey as Realistic Fiction authors. The first step is to find ideas that make us passionate about writing. Ideas that we are called to write! Today we are looking at how other authors, like Kate DiCamillo, get their ideas and organize (or don't organize their ideas!).

Let's watch this video where Kate DiCamillo is honest about mistakes, rejection, and where she gets her ideas. In your writer's notebook, write down 3 - 2 - 1

3 Thoughts or ideas
2 Questions (for Kate DiCamillo or authors)
1 Piece of advice for you as an author

Finding our Values

4HR is exploring beliefs, values, cultures, and traditions in our current Social Studies unit. We began by exploring what 4HR values. We found out that we really value:

Understanding     Learning    Respect     Care     Listening     Collaboration     Fun & Enjoyment

Next we looked at ourselves. We arranged these statements in order from most important to least important, and analyzed our responses to determine our individual values.

I try to understand what other people are feeling.

I am as important as everyone else.

Everyone else is equal to me but different from me.

I know what is fair and not fair. I try to do the right thing.

I look after the environment and don’t waste things.

I try to help others and not fight with them.

I have my own ideas but can alter them when I realize they were wrong.

I want to learn more about the world.

I think I can change things in the world.

What would your responses be?

Kindness Fair

Today 4HR shared our projects about Kindness. We could respond to one of these three quotes from our class read aloud Wonder by R. J. Palacio.

How do we know we have been kind?

What is it to be kind, anyway?

Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary.

We had so many different responses: skits, essays, posters, presentations, books, and flip books.

What did we learn about kindness from the book Wonder and our opportunities to respond? Go to our individual blog to read our blog post reflections!

Grade 4 Camp Presentation

Grade 4 will be going on Camp from January 13th - 14th. Please look through these slides to find out more information about what we will be doing!

Tuning in to Forces and Motion

Question: How could you move a ping pong ball one meter without using your hands?

Today 4HR delved into science. We designed, hypothesised, constructed, revised, tweaked, and tested our constructions. 

Key vocabulary we used were: weight, speed, momentum, gravity, slant, ramp, roll, bounce, incline, decline, launching, touch, friction, push, pull, hit, stretch, elastic, and rubbery.

Watch these videos to find out the thinking behind our constructions.

Learning about our Intelligences

4HR has been learning about What Kind of Smart Are You? First Ms. Shand came in and taught us about the different kinds of smarts. We learned that there are 8 kinds!

Our next step is to investigate more into one kind of smart. That way we can share our knowledge with others! We are going to use the MISO model to help us find out more.

M - media, like books, movies, magazines, newspapers

I - interviews with an expert

S - surveys

O - observations

Using information from these four sources, 4HR will report back on what we learn about our smarts, during our Grade 4 performance!