Tag Archives: STEM

The Play Dough Way to Learn about Core Sampling

I gave him a rectangle of property. Each play dough color represents a type of soil or rock. Where should he build a house? Where should he dig a well? He must use "core sampling" to determine the answers.

My son is taking an online Geology class this winter/spring. Recently, his class talked about core sampling, and I was intrigued by the concept. This week we replicated core sampling with play dough, and it gave us a lot to talk about. What we can learn from what is under the surface of the earth, simply by taking a sample of one spot?

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STEM Challenge: Build a Bedroom Model with LEGO Bricks

My son has struggled with area and perimeter so we decided to make it hands on. I gave RaisinĀ a challenge this morning: find the area and perimeter of his bedroom. Further, I asked him to build a bedroom model to go along with his answer.
Then, I gave him a measuring tape and graphing paper and told him he could use LEGO bricks if he wanted. He was delighted to get to work in making a bedroom model, and was especially excited once I mentioned LEGO bricks!
I gave Raisin a challenge this morning: find the area and perimeter of his bedroom by making a model. He was delighted to get to work in making a bedroom model once I mentioned LEGO bricks. Continue reading →