21st-Century Learning Tools

There are many education resources that can be utilized by both teachers and students. When searching for online resources that can be used to teach students about the three states of matter, I found several excellent websites.

Many textbook publishing companies also have educational websites designed for elementary students. The Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company has an excellent website, www.harcourtschool.com. The states of matter link, http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/states_of_matter/, shows animated models of how the particles are positioned in a solid, liquid and gas.

Scholastic is another publishing company that has great online resources. Through this website, www.scholastic.com, students can research different concepts in science or other content areas. They have a “student activities” tab that includes links to numerous online activities and interactive resources. After selecting this link, students can search for the subject and content area of their choice. Many concepts have links to “Study Jams” which include animated videos, songs with lyrics, vocabulary reviews, and quizzes. The link for their activities on the states of matter can be found at: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/studyjams/matter_states/.

There are also websites available that teachers can use as guided lessons with their students. Andrew Rader Studios has several online science resources through www.chem4kids.com. Students can use the links on this website, http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_intro.html, to gather basic chemistry information. Most of this information includes detailed descriptions and diagrams designed specifically for elementary students.

The website http://science.pppst.com/ includes links to free presentations in PowerPoint format and also has links to other websites with interactive activities for students. The PowerPoint presentation on the states of matter, http://science.pppst.com/matter.html, could easily be utilized by individual students provided they have access to a computer and the Internet. The links to the interactive activities make for a great reinforcement of just about any concept in science.

These are just a few of the many websites that can be used by both teachers and students for educational purposes. Feel free to share any of your favorites sites to add to this list.

Exploring Heat Transfer

I recently conducted an experiment exploring heat transfer. The purpose of this experiment was to identify materials that act as better insulators than others. Four identical ceramic mugs were used.

The four materials to be tested were a cotton wash cloth, aluminum foil, wax paper, and plastic wrap. I chose these variables because each one was a completely different material than the others. My original prediction was that the cotton wash cloth would provide the best insulation and the tin foil would provide the least.


An equal amount of water measuring 120 degrees Fahrenheit was poured into each much and a rubber band was used to attach each material securely.

After thirty minutes, each cover was removed and the temperatures of water were recorded.

The cotton wash cloth worked the best with the water measuring 103 degrees Fahrenheit. The mugs covered with aluminum foil and wax paper both measured 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The plastic wrap provided the least insulation with a temperature of 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since these results were so close, I decided to conduct the experiment a second time. I decided to wait forty-five minutes before removing the covers to see how much the outcome would change. The cotton wash cloth still provided the best insulation with the water measuring a temperature of 98 degrees Fahrenheit. The aluminum foil and wax paper did not yield the same results after waiting the additional time. The aluminum foil measured 97 degrees and the wax paper measured 96 degrees Fahrenheit. With the water temperature measuring 94 degree Fahrenheit, the plastic wrap again provided the least amount of insulation.

If I was to repeat this experiment, I would choose different materials to test. I would test a piece of wool against the cotton wash cloth too determine which one provides the best insulation. My prediction is that the wool would provide better insulation than the cotton wash cloth. Another idea would be to cut equal size squares of four different materials to place on top of each mug. Four materials that would be great to test are cardboard, Styrofoam, plastic, and rubber. My prediction for this test is that the rubber will provide the best insulation and the cardboard will provide the least. Do you agree or disagree with these predictions? Why do you feel this way?

Guided Inquiry Lesson: Pendulum

I recently conducted a guided inquiry lesson to determine whether a lighter or heavier pendulum would come to rest more quickly. A basic experiment was set up to gather enough data in order to draw an accurate conclusion.

To build the base of the pendulum, two identical quart containers were used. Both containers were filled with water to ensure they would be stable enough for conducting this experiment. The containers were placed ten inches apart, and a twelve-inch wooden ruler was attached to the top of them using duct tape. A string was attached at the midpoint of the ruler with an excess of ten inches for attaching a weight. Three different size washers were used as weights and consisted of the following masses: 1.1g, 8.2g, and 16.4g.

To ensure accurate results, each washer was tested three times.

When testing each washer, they were attached to the string and placed on top of a small box that was 7 ¾ inches in height.

The box was slowed moved away until the washer fell off, due to the force of gravity, and the pendulum was in motion. The pendulum with the 1.1g washer remained in motion for an average of three minutes and thirteen seconds. When using the 8.2g washer, the pendulum remained in motion even longer with an average of four minutes and fifty-one seconds. The 16.4g washer caused the pendulum to remain in motion the longest with an average of six minutes and thirty-nine seconds. Based on these results, it can be concluded that a lighter pendulum will come to rest more quickly than a heavier pendulum. These were the results I expected.

This experiment could easily be modified by changing the length of the string before attaching the washer. Also, a pendulum could easily be built using different materials. Before I use this lesson with my third grade students, I need to ensure they fully understand why the only variable that should be changed is the size and mass of the washer. I think my students would really enjoy designing and building their own pendulums. This would be a great lesson to teach them about Newton's second law. Plus students would be able to understand how friction from the air eventually causes the pendulum to come to a rest.

Structured Inquiry Lesson

I recently conducted a structured inquiry lesson with a group of seven students who are about to enter the fifth grade. The main objective of this lesson was for my students to compare the density of an ice cube with water, vinegar, and isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.






There was an equal amount of each liquid provided and students had to safely identify which liquid was in each container. By using their sense of smell, students were able to correctly identify each liquid.










Students then recorded their predictions as to whether an ice cube would sink or float in each liquid.










Students soon discovered that the ice floated in both the water and vinegar. I decided to use food coloring when making the ice cubes to enhance the visual aspects of this lesson.










Students then discovered that the ice cube sank in the isopropyl alcohol and recorded each result. They were also required to write out three statements that compared the density of an ice cube to each of the liquids.









To extend this lesson even further, I asked my students if they could think of a way to make an ice cube float in the middle of a liquid. By mixing water and isopropyl alcohol together, they were able to achieve the desired results.





I was very pleased with the overall success of this structured inquiry lesson. My students really seemed to enjoy themselves as they were engaged in the inquiry process. Below are a few examples of the completed work submitted by my students.

Global Warming: What Will Happen if the Polar Ice Caps Melt?

Global warming has been an issue of great discussion over the past several years. In recent years, it seems that more and more people are becoming concerned with the effects global warming may have on our world. Not only could global warming cause the polar ice caps to melt, it could also be responsible for future droughts which would have a negative impact on agriculture and food production around the world.

Since icebergs are floating, they have already displaced all the water they are going to which means they will not raise sea levels. Ice on land is a different story and may pose serious problems in the future for places like Greenland. In 1996, 22 cu. mi. of Greenland’s ice melted away and this number rose to 53 cu. mi. in 2006 (Kluger, 2006). Since Greenland is an island, if this ice was to completely melt, sea levels would dramatically rise. Rises in sea levels like this could easily cause many coastal regions to be swallowed up. Even though this would only be a small percentage of the world’s land, it could still be millions of square miles.

I am not completely sure whether global warming is a natural or man-made occurrence but either way it is still an issue of great importance. Many people feel that we need to reduce emissions from burning fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. Personally, I think that is a step in the right direction. With our world’s population constantly growing, more and more fossil fuels are being burned. Hopefully, modern advances in technology will continue to develop ways that will decrease our need for fossil fuels.

Please share other thoughts or comments you have relating to global warming and what will happen if the polar ice caps melt.

References:

Kluger, J. (2006, March 26). Global warming heats up. Time. Retrieved July 18, 2010 from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1176980-6,00.html.

STEM Strategies Lesson Plan

The STEM strategies lesson that I planned involved students having to collect, categorize, weigh and analyze solid waste. My students will collect waste for a week around the school, and then will work in groups sorting and analyzing the garbage with respect to recyclable and non-recyclable items. After students have collected trash for a week, they will be placed into groups of four or five and each group will have one specific type of trash to analyze. Students will first predict the total weight of the trash they are analyzing and will then use a scale to accurately determine the mass. Each group will record their data on a chart posted on the wall and each student will use this data to create a circle graph to accurately represent the collected data. I will also have my students write a paragraph suggesting ways to reduce the amount of waste that goes to a landfill.

I found the 5 E’s strategy very helpful when planning this lesson. One of my main goals was to plan a lesson that would ensure my students remained actively engaged. I feel my students would really enjoy being able to explore their surroundings as they collect and analyze their trash. For part of this learning process, I will have my students explain why certain items are recyclable and why others are not. To elaborate and extend on this lesson, I feel it would be beneficial to have my students brainstorm ways to reduce the amount of solid waste in our country. If I were to implement this lesson, I would stress the importance of safety. All students will be required to wear protective gloves when collecting and sorting their trash. I will use informal questioning and observation to evaluate my students throughout this lesson and their circle graphs and paragraphs will be collected and recorded for a grade.

The Importance of Science and Technology

The effective use of science and technology are a necessary components in today's classrooms. Through this blog, I am hoping to collaborate with other teachers providing a wealth of resources that can be used to promote academic success in all science classrooms. Being a 4th and 5th grade science teacher, I have found that my students respond really well when I incorporate educational music in my lessons. In December 2008, and friend and I starting creating our educational music videos to share with other teachers. Our first video, on the scientific method, proved to be a great success for us and can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZaCy5Z87FA. We are currently in the process of expanded our online connections through other web sites that are readily available for educators to utilize.