Jan. 25th: Kitchen Science

Drawing a Scientific Gal

Before starting a science experiment, classroom guidance must be given. One way to set the guidelines is to have your students create a scientific guy or gal. Students will draw a guy or girl on a piece of poster board and then label what should be done with the guy or gal’s body parts with behavior. For example, with hands you would write that they should only touch materials when told. This activity allows students to have input and be apart of creating the classroom rules.

Floating M

Taco Bell Data Sheet

After setting the classroom rules for science, some simple experiments to do are The Doughnut Hole Mystery, the Floating M, Abe and Taco Bell, Microwave Marshmallows, and making Oobleck. The Doughnut Hole Mystery connects science with Social Studies. The overall lesson is figuring out the ingredients and then guessing where they come from. This can also lead to a home and school connection because students may become curious of where other products/objects come from. Also, this activity can benefit ELL because they can recognize objects and with your help you can help them understand what the object really is, which will help expand their vocabulary/speech. For the Floating M experiment, the main focus is teaching about hypothesis. The Abe and Taco Bell experiment incorporates a lot of different lessons. This project requires pennies, Taco Bell hot sauce packets, water, paper and towels. With the pennies, students can research the year of their pennies, guess where the penny has been, how they are made, and learn about Abe Lincoln. For the real experiment the students will also have to make a data sheet. In the data sheet the pennies, hot sauce, rating of how dirty the penny is, and ingredients are listed. The data sheet shows the students the before and after info so that they can see how their hypothesis relates and can form a conclusion. After the experiment, you can have students list what ingredients they eat and if they are found at their house. From that they can keep track of what they eat and learn about the health aspects of it.

The Microwave Marshmellows is just another fun experiment to do that allows students to make hypothesis.

Oobleck

Last, making Oobleck incorporates a number of lessons. As the students are making the Oobleck have them write down describing words and teach them about adjectives. You can also use Dr. Seuss’s book Bartholomew and the Oobleck to read before to give them an idea about Oobleck. Once the Oobleck is made, a lesson on states of matter can be taught. All of these experiments can teach more than what they are primarily meant to teach. They reach across the curriculum and also to all different types of learners.

Jan. 18th: Bubble-ology

To start off class we observed a two-liter bottle filled with an unknown substance and made predictions of what we thought it was. The substance was a liquid, clear, and had some bubbles floating around. Next, we had to place our hands in the substance and “pull”. With much hesitation, we put our hands down into the bottles and discovered something. After “pulling”, cubes that were jell-o like were pulled out. From this experiment we compared it to teaching science and how you never know what to expect, but must be willing to try.

  Another experiment we tried out to use in our future classrooms was bubble-ology. Bubble-ology is made up of different stations that involve different tasks of creating and learning about bubbles. The stations were: bubble library, natural bubbles, bubbles eating bubbles, bubble stands, Bernoulli and bubbles, measuring bubbles, geometric bubbles, giant bubbles, and dancing bubbles. Not only did these experiments teach science, but also social studies, math, and art connections. To take notes of the stations, we made flipbooks. To make a flipbook, you fold a piece of paper hot dog style and then make nine cuts so that you have ten flaps. On each flap you write each station and then on the inside you describe what you did and/or draw a picture. The flipbook is a fun way for students to take notes and easy to do.

One last experiment we tried out involved us going outside to collect snow. After forming groups we headed outside to scoop up some snow into plastic cups. Then, we placed a piece of masking tape on the outside of the cup where the snow leveled off. On the piece of tape we also wrote the names of everyone in our group. Next, we took a second piece of tape and placed it where we thought the snow would melt to. This experiment allows the student to get up and move by going outside. Then they get to make observations and predictions. This is a simple experiment that can lead to further investigation of precipitation, evaporation, and such.

A fun project that you can do with your students to get to know them is to create Me bags/boxes. To make a Me bag/box, you collect objects that represent yourself and then you share with the class. These objects tell a lot about the student and can help them feel more comfortable in the classroom. Plus the students also learn quite a bit about their fellow classmates.

In conclusion, all of these experiments and techniques can be used easily in the classroom and across the curriculum. They incorporate different techniques that help manage your classroom while teaching multiple subjects and learning about your students.