The Wired Classroom

New Links to New Learning Author Visit and Eggs-periments Videoconferences with Amy E. Sklansky

St. Louis author, Amy E. Sklansky, has written five picture books, including the nonfiction picture book, Where Do Chicks Come From? This book, part of the well-respected Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science series, explains what happens inside an egg from fertilization through hatching.  Using visuals in a highly interactive videoconference session, Amy outlines various stages of writing the book — research, revisions, artist’s sketches, etc. Student questions are encouraged. The 45-minute program for K-2, but can be geared toward an older audience… please limit the number of participating students to no more than 30 children.

For first and second grade classes, Amy will also lead several hands-on eggs-periments while teachers do the same in their own classrooms with their own eggs.  Amy and her class(es) will crack open an egg and identify its parts. Then Amy will incorporate terms from the scientific method, such as hypothesis, prediction, experiment, and data, as she and the classroom teachers lead students in two hands-on experiments exploring the properties of eggs. First, students will compare the properties of a ball and an egg before rolling them across a flat surface to test their hypothesis regarding the way an egg will roll.  Second, students will pile several heavy books or other objects on top of two or three eggs to test their hypothesis regarding the strength of an egg.

Kindergarten students will participate in the same lesson, though without the eggs-periment onsite in their classroom. Amy will perform those tasks and engage the students with questions and conversation as she demonstrates the eggs-periment.

First and second grade classrooms should have the following on-hand during the videoconference: 6 eggs, 1 large bowl, 1 round rubber ball, and a few heavy books.

Cost:  New Links to New Learning members, $135 | nonmembers, $175
Dates:  October 7, January 13, May 12 | 3 site limit/ videoconference
Times:  Kindergarten v/c starts @ 9:30 | 1st-2nd grade v/c starts @ 10:45 CT
Registration:  http://www2.csd.org/newlinks/reservationform.html