Using data is an important part of an engineer's work.  Second graders are organizing their data so that it is easier to see how each object they tested compares with all the others.

Can you figure out which object I am talking about?

Which object floats and is flexible?  

It can't be the lego board, because even though it floats on top of the water, it doesn't bend, which means it's rigid.  It must be the pipe cleaner, because it floats on the water and it bends, meaning its flexible!

Beyond texture and flexibility, second graders are also looking at solids' abilities to be attracted to a magnet and how they sink or float in water.  Second graders are continuing to collect data on these exciting properties of materials!

Second graders are REALLY successful at identifying the properties regarding light transmission, color, and shape.  So now they're on to the big leagues, learning new properties of materials.

In fact, they're designing the tests to determine the texture and flexibility of a solid.  We discussed using our senses--in particular our hands!  Not all solids are bumpy or flexible.  Some are smooth or rough, and others are rigid.  

Through one last sorting activity, second graders are learning that solids have many different properties!  

Q:  Are all solids hard?
A:  No, because a pillow is a solid and it's soft.

Q:  Are all solids opaque?
A:  No, because glass is transparent.

Q:  Are all solids absorbent?
A:  No, because my table is waterproof.

So even though solids have different properties, they still share one thing in common--their shape doesn't change when you place it in different containers!

Keep up the great work second grade!