In Science this week we did a lab activity to determine how camels can walk across sand without sinking. First we classified the camel we would be studying.
Camels are native to the deserts of Asia and North America. Two kinds of desert camels are dromedaries and bactrians. Dromedaries have one hump and Bactrians have two humps. Camels are the only animals that can carry heavy loads from place to place in the desert because they can go for long periods without eating or drinking water.
Did you know that a camel's hump doesn't carry water, as some believe. Their humps are filled with fat, which is a built-in food supply.
From our lab we determined that camels can carry heavy loads and still walk easily on soft sand where trucks would get stuck. A camel's feet are large, so the weight on them is spread out. The students enjoyed this lab activity.
In Math we finished the unit Putting Together and Taking Apart. We started a new unit called Shapes, Halves, and Symmetry. In this unit we will be investigating geometry and fractions. We will investigate relationships among shapes and put shapes together to build other shapes. We will also investigate rectangular arrays and symmetry.We sorted and identified shapes by various attributes.
You can help your child at home by looking for opportunities to talk about shapes, fractions, and symmetry.
- Look for different shapes in the environment. Where do you see rectangles and squares?
- Look for arrays in floor tiles, calendars, and window panes.
- Look for designs that are symmetrical.
- Look for patterns in fabric, wallpaper, flags, or other places that are half one color and half another. How can your child tell that the patterns are half and half?
Thank you for all your help and support. Have fun exploring these ideas with your child.
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