PaytonKonekScienceMethods

 week 13:    1.) This week in the lab, we started by discussing modifications to our activity last week, where we tested the properties of different items in order to make it more friendly for second graders. Some of our group suggestions included simplifying the units of measurement, using objects that second graders have more experience with, and making the worksheet easier to fill out. Next, we had to create a model to represent density. Our group made a particle model. Finally, we had the choice between two questions so that we could create an experiment to find the answer to. Our group tested whether the particles dispersed faster in warmer or cooler water. I thought that this activity aligned really well with the list of ideas that we thought 2nd graders should be able to do. One thing on the list was creating or carrying out your own investigation. That is exactly what this activity was. We were given very little direction as to how we should find the answer to our...

Week 12:   1.) This week in the lab, we discussed how to be an effective teacher in terms of science education. One particular part of our discussion that stuck out to me was when we talked about ensuring that students know how to test their hypothesis or find the answers to their questions rather than focusing on the memorization of content. In an activity, we used observation in order to identify the properties of different objects. Some of the objects that our groups tested were clay, an eraser, a marble, a straw, chalk, foil, a cork, and a pipe cleaner. My group identified the weight, volume, length, and ability of these objects to float. I was very surprised that the chalk didn't float during our experiment. However, when we broke it into smaller pieces, it did take longer to sink. I was also intrigued by the results of the foil in terms of its ability to float. When the foil was flat, it floated. But it sank when we squished it into a ball. Finally, we discussed ways to ...

  1.) This week in the lab, we practiced creating hypotheses, making observations, and then drawing conclusions based on our observations. In order to do this, we rotated between six stations that contained different experiments. I started with the baking soda and vinegar experiment, where we mixed baking soda and vinegar and observed the reaction that occurred. We noticed that the contents in the bag began to make noise and fizz and then cooled down in temperature. Then we did the M&M experiment, where we put M&M's in the water and watched what happened. I thought that the colors would separate from the M&M and then mix together; instead, they separated and stayed separate. In the next station, we took a pop out of a cooler, wiped it off, and watched what happened. We expected condensation to appear on the can, but nothing happened. Next, we tested what surface plungers stuck to the best. We found that it stuck better to solid surfaces without holes. In the melted ice ...