House Creek students create out of this world projects
Fri, 2016-04-01 05:00
News Staff
By JENNIFER FARNUM
Special to Leader-Press
House Creek Elementary students are searching the galaxy far, far away exploring unknown planets and learning of worlds bigger than themselves.
Third grade students at House Creek Elementary showcased their star-studded projects for their fellow students having built either a model of the solar system or a model of the sun, Earth and moon. Students created the projects at home to promote parental involvement.
Students were expected to identify the models limitations, including size, properties, and materials as part of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in science. They connected with the history of science in the renaming of Pluto as a dwarf planet and carried on great debates with their parents. Students had to identify the planets in Earth’s solar system and their position in relation to the sun. Students who created the sun, Earth and moon models had to demonstrate the relationship of the three including orbits and positions.
When asked what was learned by doing this project and what their favorite part was, student Bridgette Simpson said she learned more than just the order, size, and color of the planets.
“My favorite part was spending time making it with my mom,” Simpson said.
Student Christian Diaz was surprised to learn how the sun was actually classified by scientists.
“I learned that the sun is a star and the Earth is a planet that orbits around it, and the moon goes around the Earth,” Diaz said. “My favorite part was mixing the black and white paint to color the moon.”
Student Mackenzie Cooper was surprised to learn the unique differences between the planets.
“The order of all the planets and the climates on all of the planets are different. The planets farther from the Sun are colder and the planets closer to the sun are hotter. Earth is just right,” she said adding that her favorite part was “painting the planets because I got to get my hands dirty rolling them around in the paint.”
Student Ayriel Boutin learned how the Earth orbits the sun, how the Moon orbits the Earth, and what sizes they are.
“My favorite part was when we painted the planets and put the orbits around them,” he said.
Ailene Rodarte learned the order of the planets and how hot and cold they are. But, he most enjoyed it being a family project.
“My favorite part was working with my parents doing something fun and learning.”
Student Joseph Peck enjoyed learning the distance that all the planets are from the sun.
“I also learned Jupiter and Neptune have a huge spot on them that is a giant storm,” he said. “My favorite was attaching all the planets so that they could orbit around the sun.”