Family Science Night

What a blast! My block mates and I helped put on a Family Science Night at Rio Vista Elementary Monday Night (2/27). From aluminum boats, to paper airplanes, to Oobleck, students were doing science, and their families were right there with them.

Nancy and I ran the Penny Drop station, focusing on surface tension. Students (and parents) tried to see how many drops of water they could get on one side of a penny, without the water spilling over the edge. Some students got into the 20's, other's got into the 40's and beyond. It was fun getting to see these "mini scientists" approaching the experiment with such focus and determination.

Even though the weather wasn't in our favor (cold and wet), we had a great turnout. Our station was slammed the ENTIRE time. :)

Science Corners

Have you ever heard of science corners? I hadn't, until today. What a great idea!

As a teacher, you can set up a science corner in a designated area of your classroom. Students know that when science is happening, this is where it's at. Some ideas to keep in mind:

 

• Seasonal changes: When the seasons change, change up the items in the science corner to reflect that. For example: in the fall, bring in acorns, pine cones, leaves, etc. 
• Unit-related materials: As your science unit changes, make sure the science corner incorporates the new content. 
• Class collection: Encourage students to bring in items they found in nature that interested them. Not only will this encourage students to really look at nature, but it will allow them to bring their experiences to the classroom. This will further translate into other subjects as well. 

Sublimation

This morning I learned about sublimation. For those of you whom aren't familiar with sublimation, sublimation is the process of the transition a substance from the solid state to the gas state, without becoming a liquid in the process.


Take water for instance. If heated, it turns into a gas. If cooled, water turns into a solid (ice). If ice is heated, it turns back into a liquid, and if heated some more, back into a gas. Imagine ice changing right into a gas. Skipping the liquid state altogether. That's sublimation. It's fascinating.

Owl Pellets

Today in EDEL 436 we got to dissect owl pellets. I've seen owl pellets before, but have never dissected one. To tell you the truth, they grossed me out. That was, until today. Although I didn't plan on partaking in the dissection, I was all in once my teacher, Kim, told us that the first group to find a skull won a prize. Our group was one of the winning groups. :)

After dissecting an owl pellet for myself, I was intrigued. So intrigued, in fact, that I took one to go. We'll see if my husband shares my new-found enthusiasm for owl pellets.

Thanks, Kim, for making science fun. Your passion for science has made me a lot more adventurous, and a lot less timid when it comes to touching "science." I hope to bring the same passion to my classroom.

Facilitate Research and Experimentation

After this week's readings from Science Stories, it is even more evident how important it is for the teacher to facilitate learning. Ch. 7 gave an example of a seed lesson where the teacher told 3rd grade students to draw the inside of a Lima bean seed and label it. Instead of providing whole-group direct instruction on the parts of a Lima bean, the teacher provided students with resources (text and online) where they could research the information for themselves.

Later in the lesson, students were able to decide where they wanted to put their Lima bean seedlings for optimal growth. The teacher provided some ideas of where they could leave their seedlings (i.e. in the coat closet, by the window, etc.), but ultimately it was up to the students.

Students need the opportunity to research, experiment, think critically and discover for themselves. When these children are released into the "real world" they're on their own. It's our job, as educators, to set them up for success today!

Droopy Diapers

Today in class (EDEL 436) we did an experiment to see how much liquid a baby diaper would hold before leaking. Pretty gross, but interesting. Our diaper held well over 2 cups of water. 

The absorbent pad of a diaper contains a hydrophilic (water-loving) polymer. The polymeric particles act as tiny sponges.

Rocks: Wet vs. Dry

This may seem ridiculously simple, but what stood out to me the most in a recent reading was that rocks look different when they are wet versus when they are dry. This is something that I remember from my childhood. I was always fascinated with how a plain, insignificant rock could be transformed into a beautiful gem-like object just by adding water. And, on the flip side, a beautiful rock plucked from a stream, when dry, could lose its appeal.

When working with young children, it’s important for us to help them discover things about their world around them.  Help them look at things they never looked at before. One way we can do that is through touch, but not just with their hands. I particularly like the idea of students feeling things with their feet. It may sound weird, but grass, for example, feels so much different between your toes, than it does between your fingers. The same is true with sand. When we teach, it’s important for us to remember to engage all of our students’ senses, especially for our tactile learners.