Hello parents,
Today we completed an experiment to see the effect of the sun on water. In the morning we put some water in 2 cups, took the starting temperature of both and then put one in the shade and one in the sunny window. Both cups of water started out at 18 degrees. At the end of the afternoon, the water that had been in the shade was still at 18 degrees, whereas the water that had been sitting in the sun had come up to 21 degrees! Our prediction that the water would warm up was correct. Our prediction that the shady water would become colder didn't come true.
This experiment led to an interesting discussion about the temperature of lakes that we might swim in. Many children said that they have gone swimming in lakes in the summer and that the water was warm. One scientist said he'd gone swimming in a lake in the fall, and the water was freezing. We talked about how the only heater for a lake is the sun.
Here's where it gets tricky: How come the air and water feels SO cold in the winter, even when it's really sunny out?
We ran out of time, so I asked the scientists to bring this question home to you to think about it some more, and we'll share our findings tomorrow.
Oh, also, you may remember that we did not have the use of our field for most of last year. After all the hard work and time that went into redoing the field, we want to make sure we take care of it so that it stays nice and grassy. To this end, we'd like to remind students and families to please stay off the very wet areas so that we don't damage the roots. I'm very much looking forward to a time when we can wear one pair of shoes to school and stay in them all day, however that time has not yet come. For now, it is still important to have outdoor shoes or boots and indoor/gym shoes. This way we can keep the mud off our carpet.
Thanks for your help!