Microscopes: What is That?

An introduction to microscopes…. Set up a series of microscopes, each already focused on a common, household item. Students proceed around the room to look at each substance – the microscopes should already be focused and students do not need to touch anything other than looking through the eyepiece. They should sketch what they see in each microscope and hypothesize about what the substance is.

Some items you might want to use:
-Salt
-Sugar
-Flour
-Cornstarch
-Thread
-Hair
-Dust
-Newspaper

This is a good opportunity for students to learn how to look through the microscope and practice drawing what they see.

Natural Resources: Over Harvesting

Set up this activity to help students understand that sometimes humans take more natural resources than nature can produce.


Put students in groups of 2 or 3. You'll need 152 pretzel sticks for each group. The pretzel sticks represent trees/lumber

Within each group, you'll need someone to be the protector of the trees - he or she will 'plant' more trees each round. You'll also need someone to be the lumberjack, who 'cuts down' trees each round. If you have a third member of the group, he or she can record the data each round; if there are only two group memebrs, they can both record as the scenario plays out.

Begin with a 'forest' (pile) of 120 trees. Additionally, the protector will have a supply of 32 more trees

During each round, the following will happen...
- The protectors will 'plant' 4 trees from their source.
- The lumberjacks will double the number of trees they are 'cutting down' each round, starting with 1.
- The recorder records how many trees are left at the end of the round.


After explaining the scenario, but before beginning the actual process, ask students to guess how many rounds it will take before there are no natural resources left.

What can we do to protect our natural resources from over-harvesting?
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Here's a table you can set up to help your students record their data:

Natural Resources + Trees Added - Trees Consumed = Trees remaining

The first two rows of data should look like this:

120 + 4 - 1 = 123
123 + 4 - 2 = 125


You could also use Goldfish crackers for the activity - replace the lumberjacks with fishermen and you're all set!

It's....

...a piece of petrified wood. I picked mine up* at the Painted Desert/Petrified forest when there on vacation.


*I purchased mine at a gift store within the national park, I did not pluck it from the park. That would be highly disrespectful and illegal.

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What Is It? is a feature you can add to your classroom. Once a month, or thereabouts, put out something new and ask students to try to identify it. If they figure it out correctly, give them extra credit, a prize, a high five or bragging rights!

Fortune Telling Fish

When you hold a fortune telling fish in your hand, it immediately curls up.



Why???
After allowing your students to 'play' wish their fish for a few minutes, challenge them to figure out how they work. It's a great way to jump start the school year and have the students carrying out the scientific method (without even thinking about it!).

Fortune Telling Fish can be found at novelty stores (they're really expensive there - don't get them there unless you only need one or two or you are in dire need of one NOW), through Oriental Trading Company or here.


PS Everyone's first guess is that they work because of the heat in your hand.... that's not it! See if you can figure it out! If you're really stumped, send me a message and I'll give you a clue.

What Is It?

Consider adding a What Is It? feature to your classroom. Once a month, or thereabouts, put out something new and ask students to try to identify it. I will try to share some ideas for this feature with you periodically. Unfortunately, the virtual version of this game isn't perfect - you can't pick up the object to get a feel for its mass, density and to examine it from all angles. But hopefully I will give you some ideas for objects you can present to your students.
First up...


Look for an answer on Monday!

Atoms: Atom Models

For a couple of years, I have assigned Mr. Niven's Atom Project to my students. I have typed up my own instructions (as some of his statements wouldn't make sense to my students), but required the same elements as Mr. Niven. I've greatly enjoyed the resulting projects and appreciate the "able to hang from the ceiling" requirement. Getting them to hang is a bit of a chore, but once they're up, they're enjoyable to look at and they don't take up precious space on lab tables or elsewhere.

Once the projects have been turned in, I like to have students take turns sharing the information they found. To keep other students paying attention, I have them take notes of the highlights. Then, after everyone has presented, they are given a brief quiz ("This element is the most abundant in the universe.") during which they can use their notes. For students who have paid attention, it should be an easy way to boost their grade.

FYI The models pictured here were created by my students. And, with regard to the second model, it did have the appropriate number of electrons... they started to fall off while being stored.

Plants: Dissect a Seed

So simple, but brings the textbook picture to life…
Soak dried beans (from the grocery store) in water overnight.

Provide each student with a seed. They can identify and remove the seed coat.

Then, split the seed open and identify the cotyledon (seed leaf) and stored food (the bulk of the seed).