Well that was a year to remember! We persevered in the classroom and learned how to go on school online! This book is a celebration of our year together in fourth grade. Everyone will receive a copy with progress reports on June 5th, however, if you would like another copy you can order one in the link below. Grandparents love photos books :)

Today we witnessed food coloring magic!  Our scientist asked us what would happen if we combined food coloring and oil, then poured the mixture into water.  We had a lot of thoughts and we couldn't quite remember which liquids were more dense, but we didn't expect to see fireworks!  Food coloring forms bubbles in the oil.  Oil is less dense, so it floats on the water.  Food coloring then sinks through the oil and creates a beautiful masterpiece as it mixes with the water!

Today our scientist showed us how to make a sugar snake. All you need are some simple household ingredients: a bowl, sand or dirt to fill the bowl, 4T sugar, 1T baking soda, lighter fluid, and a lighter (more details on the procedure in the video below). As baking soda heats up, it releases carbon dioxide (this is what makes your baked goods rise and spread). The increased pressure from the gas causes the burning sugar (now black from caramelization) to grow and form a snake. So cool! Try this at home with an adult.

Today our reporter shared some interesting facts about the Sumatran Tiger.  Sadly, they are highly endangered as there are only 400 of this species left in the world.  The tiger's habitat has been reduced by 75% due to deforestation of the rain forest. Fun facts: They live primarily in Bali. Sumatran tigers are especially interesting because no two tigers have the same pattern of stripes.

Our reporter this week shared an interesting article about a popular video game, Bendy and the Ink Machine.  This game is set in the 1920s and on the surface appears to be a "survival horror" game, where gamers play through chapters or bone chilling content.  However, as you work through the layers of the game, the characters and plot reveal a much deeper meaning that mirrors the writers' experiences.  Turns out, designing video games is a lot harder than you might think and mirrors the harsh reality of real life.