The G5 students have gradually settled in their new “continent” of new teachers, new friends, new classrooms, new rules, and new topics to study.

This month for science, we are focusing on geology. We have already covered a lot of ground (get it?) by learning what the Earth is made of, why earthquakes occur, how volcanoes erupt, and how different surfaces and shapes on Earth are formed by either chemical reaction or mechanical reaction.

We enjoyed a quick experiment to demonstrate one type of mechanical reaction: abrasion.

We added some muscle reaction to a jar of salt (sand) and broken chalk (rocks) and shook it hard for a full three minutes to achieve our goal of shorter, smaller, rounded pieces of chalk. This showed us how, over time, little pieces of rock or sand can wear down and change the shape of their surrounding landscapes. We witnessed before our eyes the power and uniqueness of nature.

The earth is always on the move and so are we. G5’s gonna rock this school year!