Ice Floe Experiment.

Monday (21/06/2010)
a) Experiment
• 2 trays were prepared. 6 kids filled in water into bowls for each tray. Thus, altogether each tray consists of 6 bowls of water.
• Then, 4 other kids put in ice cubes into each tray. Observation: Ice cube melted slowly. We touched the water. It got cooler. I poured some warm water into a bowl. I then added into Tray B. Observation: The ice cube became smaller in a faster speed. Eventually, it disappeared. However, Tray B’s ice cubes are still available.

b) Global Warming.
• Looking at some pictures in an encyclopedia, we saw how some Polar Bears struggle through the ocean, looking for ice floes to float on or to rest upon. It is sad to see how the big pieces of ice floes have melted into smaller pieces which can’t even carry the weight of a Polar Bear. Although Polar Bears are good swimmers but they would eventually be tired and these ice floes are important places for them to climb upon and rest or eat their preys.
• Some preferred to hunt the humans’ garbage living in Antarctica. Thus, their white fur has become grayish and blackish. What a pity!
Teacher: So, what is Global Warming?
Kids: The Earth is sick. People throw rubbish everywhere! We must recycle! There are not enough trees. Is that the reason why you turn off the electrical items always, teacher?
• Why is the Earth getting hotter compared to the Dinosaur age? Mostly because of the emission of gas such as CO2.
• We did a simple Role Play: I was the Earth screaming and feeling very hot!
Foo Soon was the factory producing all the consumer products. He then produces CO2. Luckily, trees (Qian Joe) are able to absorb this poisonous gas. Some choppers chopped the trees. The Earth got hotter again. A kind man (Chun Kit) planted many trees. All the kids stood up to act as trees. The Erath is happy again and the Polar Bears will be safer.

c) Video Clips: Polar Bears and Global Warming.
• We saw how they swam through the warmer ocean, how they became tired and thinner.
• We also saw how other animals are affected namely: penguins and harp seals.
• Besides that, we watched another video clip from National Geographic about Polar Bears habit. The kids linked what they have learnt earlier to this clip. They just loved it. This video clip is also to assist some students to learn briefly what they have missed during their absence for School Holidays. This will give them a better idea.

d) What’s next?
• We recapped again on our first day Brainstorming lesson on Animal Kingdom. We are going to end the theme with a project. We can’t learn about other animals but we are going to do our Board game activity similar to Snake and ladder. The kids said after that, we can create our own story for a mini Role-Play. So, more things to learn!