While I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to use it in this context, I'd love to have you head on over and say hello. We'll see how it goes from there!
Monday, May 6, 2013
While I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to use it in this context, I'd love to have you head on over and say hello. We'll see how it goes from there!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
I'm Baaack...
Well.... it's been awhile since I've been in this space. But, while I've been gone, I've been hatching all sorts of plans for all things Science Matters.
The blog itself is going through some updating and reformatting.
You'll soon be able to find me on Facebook and Pinterest. Boy, oh, boy do I have ideas for putting Pinterest to work!
Of course you'll continue to find ideas and instructions for hands-on science activities. The pace will be slower than it once was - even if I could find the time to write 5 posts a week, I'd run out of things to share much more quickly than I'd like. It was a good way to work through large stacks of ideas at the start, but it's time to adjust.
I'm also hoping to share the 'paperwork' that goes with some of the ideas I share here. That one's still on the "Need to get to it" list, but I'm hoping it'll move to the "In progress" list soon!
I've got some other ideas I'm tossing around and I'll be seeking input from you as time goes along to see if others are interested in joining me in some projects.
And I've got plans for some give-aways too!
I know it's likely a hard time to relaunch, as the school year is winding down and summer is just around the corner. But, if I don't do it now, when I'm excited and ready to jump it, it may get pushed to the bottom of the list. I hope you'll check in periodically during the summer (you wouldn't want to miss out on the previously mentioned give-aways) and you'll be back for good once your planning for the next school year kicks into gear.
I'd like to thank everyone who's stuck around while I've been away and officially welcome those of you who have arrived during my absence. I hope you like what you see and can put it to good use, in your home, classroom, scout meeting or wherever. Enjoy and be sure to subscribe to the emails or sign up for RSS feed. Now that we're back in business, you won't want to miss anything!
The blog itself is going through some updating and reformatting.
You'll soon be able to find me on Facebook and Pinterest. Boy, oh, boy do I have ideas for putting Pinterest to work!
Of course you'll continue to find ideas and instructions for hands-on science activities. The pace will be slower than it once was - even if I could find the time to write 5 posts a week, I'd run out of things to share much more quickly than I'd like. It was a good way to work through large stacks of ideas at the start, but it's time to adjust.
I'm also hoping to share the 'paperwork' that goes with some of the ideas I share here. That one's still on the "Need to get to it" list, but I'm hoping it'll move to the "In progress" list soon!
I've got some other ideas I'm tossing around and I'll be seeking input from you as time goes along to see if others are interested in joining me in some projects.
And I've got plans for some give-aways too!
I know it's likely a hard time to relaunch, as the school year is winding down and summer is just around the corner. But, if I don't do it now, when I'm excited and ready to jump it, it may get pushed to the bottom of the list. I hope you'll check in periodically during the summer (you wouldn't want to miss out on the previously mentioned give-aways) and you'll be back for good once your planning for the next school year kicks into gear.
I'd like to thank everyone who's stuck around while I've been away and officially welcome those of you who have arrived during my absence. I hope you like what you see and can put it to good use, in your home, classroom, scout meeting or wherever. Enjoy and be sure to subscribe to the emails or sign up for RSS feed. Now that we're back in business, you won't want to miss anything!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Favorite Website: Access Excellence
Originally posted on March 19, 2010
There's another great collection of life science activities found at Access Exellence. I have spent most of my time going through the Fellows Collection (1994, 1995, 1996), but the rest of the site is worth looking at as well. As with all my favorites, some individual activities will be featured in their own posts.
The activities found in this section of the website have been submitted by high school teachers participating in the Access Excellence program. As such, the activities were designed for high school students. However, many of these activities are very easily adaptable (or usable as is) for lower grade students.
There's another great collection of life science activities found at Access Exellence. I have spent most of my time going through the Fellows Collection (1994, 1995, 1996), but the rest of the site is worth looking at as well. As with all my favorites, some individual activities will be featured in their own posts.
The activities found in this section of the website have been submitted by high school teachers participating in the Access Excellence program. As such, the activities were designed for high school students. However, many of these activities are very easily adaptable (or usable as is) for lower grade students.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Inertia: Knock the Penny Out
Originally posted on March 18, 2010
Make a stack of 5 or 6 pennies. Use another penny to try to knock the bottom penny out, while keeping the rest of the stack in tact.
Go a step farther and make your stack of pennies on a piece of paper. Trace a circle around the pennies. Now, try to keep the stack of pennies in the circle after you knock the bottome one out.
Make a stack of 5 or 6 pennies. Use another penny to try to knock the bottom penny out, while keeping the rest of the stack in tact.
Go a step farther and make your stack of pennies on a piece of paper. Trace a circle around the pennies. Now, try to keep the stack of pennies in the circle after you knock the bottome one out.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Cellular Respiration in Yeast
Originally posted on March 17, 2010
Place some yeast, sugar, and warm water in a flask (or bottle with small neck). Quickly place a balloon over the flask opening and allow it to sit for the class period (or longer).
At the end of the period, you will find the balloon has inflated. It is filled with carbon dioxide released during cellular respiration.
You can prove that it’s carbon dioxide and not oxygen: light a wood splint or popsicle stick on fire and then blow it out so that it’s just glowing. Release the contents of the balloon onto the glowing splint. If it’s oxygen, the splint will return to burning; if it’s carbon dioxide, it will go out.
A note about my pictures... In the picture of the initial set-up, the bottle only has a little water in it. It wasn't enough - the yeast respirated, but the carbon dioxide they emitted took up the remaining space in the bottle and didn't make it to the balloon. I redid the experiment, filling the bottle much fuller, which resulted in an inflated balloon; but I didn't retake the set-up picture.
Place some yeast, sugar, and warm water in a flask (or bottle with small neck). Quickly place a balloon over the flask opening and allow it to sit for the class period (or longer).
At the end of the period, you will find the balloon has inflated. It is filled with carbon dioxide released during cellular respiration.
You can prove that it’s carbon dioxide and not oxygen: light a wood splint or popsicle stick on fire and then blow it out so that it’s just glowing. Release the contents of the balloon onto the glowing splint. If it’s oxygen, the splint will return to burning; if it’s carbon dioxide, it will go out.
A note about my pictures... In the picture of the initial set-up, the bottle only has a little water in it. It wasn't enough - the yeast respirated, but the carbon dioxide they emitted took up the remaining space in the bottle and didn't make it to the balloon. I redid the experiment, filling the bottle much fuller, which resulted in an inflated balloon; but I didn't retake the set-up picture.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Earthquakes & Plate Tectonics: Plot Earthquake Data
Originally posted on March 16, 2010
Use the US Geologic Society website to print out a copy of the most recent earthquakes. Provide students with a world map with lines of latitude and longitude clearly marked. Have students plot the points at which the earthquakes occurred. Compare the plotted data to a map of the tectonic plates. If enough data points are plotted, you will see an outline of the tectonic plates form, as most earthquakes occur along those faults.
If you wish, to get more data plotted more quickly: print out the world map on overhead transparencies for each student. Have each student plot several points on their transparency. Then stack the transparencies on top of one another to create a single map.
Use the US Geologic Society website to print out a copy of the most recent earthquakes. Provide students with a world map with lines of latitude and longitude clearly marked. Have students plot the points at which the earthquakes occurred. Compare the plotted data to a map of the tectonic plates. If enough data points are plotted, you will see an outline of the tectonic plates form, as most earthquakes occur along those faults.
If you wish, to get more data plotted more quickly: print out the world map on overhead transparencies for each student. Have each student plot several points on their transparency. Then stack the transparencies on top of one another to create a single map.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
States of Matter: Bouncy Balls
Originally posted on March 15, 2010
Empty a large, clear container (large pretzel or snack mix jugs). Fill part way with rubber bouncy balls. Use to demonstrate states of matter as follows:
Solids: barely shake the container, just enough to cause the balls to jiggle, but keep them in their place. The atoms/molecules in a solid possess kinetic energy, but not enough to remove any individual atoms/molecules from the group.
Liquids: shake the container a little harder, so the entire “clump” moves together. The atoms/molecules in a liquid posses more kinetic energy than those in a solid. Liquids can change shapes, but the atoms/molecules stay “attached” to one another.
Gas: shake the container even harder, so that the balls begin to bounce around the container, independent of one another. The atoms/molecules in a gas possess a large amount of kinetic energy. They will bounce around to fill the space they have available.
If you don't have a large container, or enough balls for a large container, you can make a smaller version (as seen above). It's probably not quite as effective as a demonstration as the larger version, but it works.
Empty a large, clear container (large pretzel or snack mix jugs). Fill part way with rubber bouncy balls. Use to demonstrate states of matter as follows:
Solids: barely shake the container, just enough to cause the balls to jiggle, but keep them in their place. The atoms/molecules in a solid possess kinetic energy, but not enough to remove any individual atoms/molecules from the group.
Liquids: shake the container a little harder, so the entire “clump” moves together. The atoms/molecules in a liquid posses more kinetic energy than those in a solid. Liquids can change shapes, but the atoms/molecules stay “attached” to one another.
Gas: shake the container even harder, so that the balls begin to bounce around the container, independent of one another. The atoms/molecules in a gas possess a large amount of kinetic energy. They will bounce around to fill the space they have available.
If you don't have a large container, or enough balls for a large container, you can make a smaller version (as seen above). It's probably not quite as effective as a demonstration as the larger version, but it works.
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