21st Century Topics and Tools

I chose to research all about awakening student’s interest and motivation in science.  The link I found to be beneficial and possibly worthwhile is Van Andel Institute (www.vai.org).  This site showed lots of ways for your school to motivate the students and the teachers.  It also showed the ways they were implementing and the ways they could help you.  Some of the ways they suggested were:  Out of school time cohort program, science on Saturdays, classroom science investigations, and partners for sustainable innovation.

All of the tools they offer expose students to a world of science and possibly open up a career for them in the future.  The students will become more aware of what science can do for them and what science has done so far.  They are hands on fun ways to get students motivated in science and makes science learning fun.

I found the classroom science investigations to be beneficial and I am presenting it to the elementary school and high school here in my town.  In this program the teacher identifies the area of focus and the staff at VAI develops curriculum for the teacher’s classroom and instructional assessment.  The teacher can come to a 2 ½ day session and VAI will also come to your school to make classroom visits and model the concepts and methods.  I think this is a great way to help both students and teachers.

If using VAI, I can pick any physical science activity and they will help me prepare a way to teach and assess the activity.  I would pick magnetic because I teach Pre-K.  I would call them up and ask for help to come up with fun ways to teach magnetic to my students.

Some complications I might encounter is that that they are located in Michigan and we are in Georgia.  I wonder if they would come here and how much it would cost.  I also wonder if phone call help from them would be an option.

http://www.biztools4schools.org/motivate_students_to_study_and_enter_science_and_math_careers

http://www.middleweb.com/StdntMotv.html

http://www.students2science.org/

http://www.vai.org/education/academy.aspx?gclid=CP27kKfo9awCFY1W7AodC2WjRQ

The Heat Is On

I was to conduct an experiment using hot water and four items I thought to be good insulators.  I chose to use a washcloth folded in half, a paper towel folded into a square, tin foil, and a plastic bag.  I first placed some water on the stove to get it hot.  Then, I added ½ cup of water to each cup.  Next, I attached each material I was testing to the top of the cup held on by a rubber band.  I then placed ½ cup of water into a separate cup to check the starting water temperature.  I predicted that the tin foil would be the best insulator. (See picture below of set up) I based my prediction upon that tin foil was used to keep food items hot after removing from the oven.  I also thought that it would be the best because it did not have large air spaces in it.  I believed that the tin foil was loose less heat than the other materials I tested, but I was wrong.

           

After the experiment was set up I began a time span of 30 minutes.  The beginning temperature was 147 degrees Fahrenheit.   Once my 30 minutes was up, I placed a thermometer into the cup but not removing the material on top.  I tried to keep as much heat in before measuring the temperature change.  I tested each cup one at a time.  After recording my data I concluded that my prediction was wrong.  The tin foil was not the best insulator, but the wash cloth folded in half was the best insulator.  (See table for all results).

Material on top of cup	Starting Temperature (in degrees Farenheit)	Ending Temperature (in degrees Farenheit)	Total change in temperature (in degrees Farenheit)
Tin Foil	147	94	53
Wash Cloth (folded in half)	147	101	46
Plastic Ziploc Bag	147	89	58
Paper Towel (folded into a square)	147	99	48

I believe the type of heat transfer was conduction because the energy was transferred from one molecule to the next.  We were testing insulators to see what was able to keep the most heat in.

I did come up with some questions I will test in the future.  The wash cloth I tested was thick and had a high thread count.  I want to test the different thread counts to see if the cotton is a good conductor of heat.  I want to know if the lowest thread count will still be a good conductor or does the thread count even matter.  I also want to test the different paper towels.  The paper towel I tested was Viva and it was a thick and absorbent.  I want to check and see if the quality of the paper towel will affect whether it is a good insulator.

Some other items I would like to test would be hot chocolate, Cheez Wiz melted cheese, oatmeal, and peas.  I would also like to check these items in different cups such as a plastic cup, ceramic cup, a Tervis cup, and a styrofoam cup.  I would like to know if the cups would play a huge role in the experiement.

This experiment would be hard for me to set up in a Pre-K class.  We are using hot materials and the students do not understand heat and temperature.  They know when they feel bad they sometimes have a temperature.  I have tried to come up with a way to implement this into my class, but have had no luck.  I am open for sugestions though :)

If I taught this to my Pre-K students I would like them to learn that temperature is used to measure hot and cold.  I would show this by me using a thermometer with different substances.  I would talk about how a thermometer worked.  then, maybe I can come up with an experiment for them to do based on temperature.  The substances I will use will relate to their daily lives such as outside temperature and temperature of milk.

Guided Inquiry Lesson with Marbles and Momentum

I first created the launching pad.  I connected four paper towel tubes together with tape.  Then, I attached it to the top of a chair.  The students are to place the marble at the top of the chair into the paper towel holder.  The marble will travel down the tubes and out the bottom onto the surface that is being tested. I set up a recording station along the side of the platform for the surfaces.  I labeled a 5,10,15,20, and 25.  I color coded the different areas for the students who could not read all the numbers. The students will which number the marble came to rest in (or use the colored spaces).  I then made a platform to place the different surface on.  I made picture cards with the type of flooring, so they could associate which floor was which. I made a barrier after 25 in order to stop the marbles from going past that point (if any did).  I conducted the experiment and was amazed at the results.  I did not predict the outcomes correctly when creating this lesson. I am glad I was involved in this guided inquiry lesson, because it helped he realize some thoughts I had that were wrong.  It also prepared me for teaching the lesson, and I saw some things I might need to change before I teach the lesson.

Melting Icebergs Experiment

I do not have much prior knowledge about this topic.  I have heard about he greenhouse effect and how it is affecting our ice caps but I had no idea it could be this bad and this quick. 
A.  What happens if the polar ice caps melt?
I believe that the low lying areas will be flooded.  If 75% of our global fresh water is stored in glaciers and the glaciers melt then the water will have to go somewhere.  The low lying areas around the world will be affected the worst I feel.
B.  What other questions do you have about this Science Inquiry Experience?
I was curious how I might teach this lesson to my Pre-K students.  This lesson seems to take a while to complete and explain and with a four year old you do not have that much time with their attention span.
If or when this happens will scientists be able to warn the people of the world in time to save them?

STEM and 5 E's Strategy

Each time I plan a lesson, I try to incorporate all of these strategies.  It is sometimes hard to enage 22 four year olds all the time though.  I usually break themn into smaller groups. As I planned this lesson, I tried to find a way to catch their attention.  I did this by setting up a laboratory on my table.  This had the kids asking questions and they were curious.  We then read the book, Mouse Paint, and as we read I checked for understanding by asking questions.  As I read, I explained why the colors did what they did in the book.  Then, it was time for them to be scientists.  They had their own test tubes and stirring rods, and goggles (like little scientists).  Next, we went back through the book and did exactly what the mice did using food coloring and water.  They had to predict what color it would make when lixed together.  We connected it to the colors we already knew, spelled the color words, and then a speaker came in to talk to us about his job.  He is a painter and talked about the importance of his job.  Last, I questioned each child to see if they new what colors when mixed together would make what colors they made.  I do plan to implement this lesson because I think my students will love it.  I also tied in more standards than just science.  I used language and literacy, arts, science, and social studies all in this one lesson.