Lab in Action

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

LABRATS Celebrate!





The LABRATS Robotics & Engineering team has made Redd School history! This dynamic team won the top Champions Award in the Qualifier matches back in Dec. We were thrilled to be able to move on to the Lone Star Championship games held this past weekend here in Houston. Our goal? - to best our own top score and have fun!

We accomplished both. But, as testimony to the work ethic and teamwork that this group of students has excelled in, they brought home 3 more trophies!! AND, finished 5th in their robot game out of 62 teams! High score 345. An unprecedented record for one season. 
Team Spirit Award, 3rd Place Innovative Solutions (research project), 
3rd Place Champions Award

A special assembly honored their achievement on Monday morning at school. And yes, that's me in the chicken costume. I had told the kids that if we finished in the top 3rd of the 62 teams, I would dress up in the chicken outfit (graciously given to me by former team member Alex P at the end of last year).


Thanks to all of you who have offered support and good wishes all year!!! This season of First Lego League competition is over...we're already talking about next year :D




Follow this link to see a movie from the competition!


Video credit: Fred Morales Design


Friday, February 8, 2013

What's the Weather TODAY???

If you look at the calendar, we SHOULD be having "winter". However, we seem to be setting records for unusually warm temperatures this year. Scary to think of what summer might bring!

I heard Mrs. G's 1st Graders were studying the water cycle so I thought I'd pop in to find out what these young experts could tell me about what's going on in the atmosphere.

An explanation of the types of clouds and what they can tell us.

I was impressed by their new knowledge and decided to "test" them by doing some first-hand observations. So, we went outside...luckily, we had a nice sky to look at!

What kinds of clouds are these ??

Of course, it's always a good idea to check with a reliable source. A NOAA cloud chart is a handy tool to carry on these outdoor excursions.

Was your answer right?

And it's always fun to find cloud shapes - can you see the camel??

Great job Mrs. G's class!! Keep looking up at the sky :)

On the way back to the lab, I stopped by Ms. Crow's room to see what her and the boys were up to.
As usual, the room was rocking...literally ! They were anxious to show off the sedimentary rocks they had just made as part of their geology studies. 







They had also studied minerals and later enjoyed observing the crystallization process as they made their own rock candy.



















A potential future geologist in the class?? 
Well done 4th grade :)


  Who'll be in the news next time??? Check back soon!