We are so lucky to have a dedicated technology specialist at the school. Ms. Gallagher came to show us how to use a new program called Read and Write. This Google Chrome extension is packed with tools to help us use the internet and technology efficiently. The cool thing is, you can use it at home with your school account. Check out the video below for some helpful hints.

The current events seem to be about natural disasters lately! Today, we learned about a volcano that erupted about 40 miles south of the Philippine capital of Manilla. About 82,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes. Many people are now homeless, but many people still haven't evacuated for fear of leaving behind their farm and livestock. Unfortunately, the volcano, Taal, still shows a lot of activity and could erupt for weeks or months to come. The people are in need of food, water, shelter, and our good thoughts!

What happens if you mix cooking oil, water, food coloring, and Alka Seltzer? We know cooking oil and water have different densities; water sinks to the bottom and oil floats on top. The food coloring mixes with the water. The Alka Seltzer produces a chemical reaction releasing carbon dioxide. The gas makes bubbles of colored water dance up into the cooking oil like a lava lamp. Check it out!

Today we learned all about the wildfires happening in Australia from our reporter of the week. It's scary stuff and it feels close to home since Colorado is wildfire territory in the summer.  Right now, the stats are not looking good. There are 18 million acres on fire, 1,588 home destroyed, 28 people killed, and 5 firefighters killed. Australia is home to some pretty unique animals too, so scientists are keeping a close watch on animal populations. Fire causes include drought, thunderstorms, wind, and global warming. Our thoughts go out to everyone in Australia!

Do you know what a Mobius strip is? We didn't either until we were enlightened by our scientist this week. A Mobius strip is a surface with only one side and one boundary.  Imagine a circle where you can run your finger endlessly from inside to outside without ever taking your finger off. To make a Mobius: cut a strip of paper, roll it into a cirlce, but twist one side before glueing the ends together. Mobius loops are used for roller coasters (for maximum fun) and conveyer belts (so all surfaces wear evenly!