Activity 8

1.       Work with any of the Chemistry Simulations (PhET) and/or develop a demonstration (do a web search, there are many demos out there) to create your own Teaching ideas.  The criteria for this is as follows:

a.       Must identify and meet three (3) next generation science education standards within the K-2 grade band. 

 

 

 Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.

Repetition in different context is necessary to build familiarity.

Communicate information or design ideas and/or solutions with others in oral and/or written forms using models, drawing, writing, or numbers that provide detail about scientific ideas, practices, and/or design ideas. 

 

b.      Must be original work

 

       First I will have the students will predict what they think will happen if the objects are put together.  Will they mix, not mix, change, not change?  Then actually put the items together and see what happens. 

Materials that will be needed: cooking oil, water food coloring, dish washing liquid, milk

c.       Must be scientifically accurate and appropriate for the directed grade level.

       2nd grade

d.      Must have an accompanying worksheet with at least 7-10 questions related to each activity/simulation.  Answering these questions should be related to meeting the science standards identified.

Worksheet 1                                                                                Name:

What will happen if we put both items together in a cup.

1.        Oil and water

2.       Water and food coloring

3.       Dish soap and water

4.       Oil and dish soap

5.       Dish soap and food coloring

6.       Water and milk

7.       Milk and oil

 

 

 

 

Explain how water molecules are attracted to each other and why some things mix and why other don’t.  Also explain how the low density is why oil floats above the water. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.       How do you feel your understand of science, and chemistry in particular, has changed due to your experiences in this class?

-I haven’t had a science class for a long time I forgot how much chemistry is in our lives.  I didn’t realize how many things that we use every day have so many chemicals in them.  I am very glad that this class was so hands on.  I feel like I got more out of this class by having it this way instead of reading out of a textbook.  I actually had the opportunity to see how different things work and why such as the water experiment in Activity 1. 

 

3.       What was the most challenging concept covered and why?

-I thought the most challenging concept in this course was Activity 4.  The activity was kind of confusing which made activity 4 challenging for me.  Building the atom was very useful but figuring out how to make them stable took me a little while.   

 

 

4.       How could you facilitate future learning to your students who might also find learning about science and chemistry challenging?

-I can defiantly understand someone who thinks the science is challenging because I am one of those people.  I feel that I would have students be hands on like we had the opportunity in this course.  I think that letting students experiment and experience different things is a great way for students to learn.  It is more interesting to them and they are getting more out of it.  Also showing the students how science is such a huge part of our lives and why would make the students interesting in science more because it will actually mean something to them.   

 

5.       As you think about your future in education, give three ways you think you’ll be able to implement the skills you’ve learned in this class (it doesn’t necessarily have to be chemistry content based).

-In my future in education I will use a hands on way of teaching.  I remember when I was in elementary school I would learn so much more during activities than just having the teacher talk to us and being an educator I think it is so important to make sure the students is getting as much out of the lesson as possible.

-Another thing that I will use would be in teaching will be to show the students how many things affect us in our lives.  I feel like the activity we did where we had to find a picture of a household object and what chemical was in it was a great idea.  It teaches us that the things we use every day are more than just a product.  I think that showing students different things like this is very beneficial.

-Having students use a game or activity to learn about a subject is also a very good teaching technique.  An example of that that we did in class would be when we use a game to build an atom.  This grabs the student’s attention because it is an activity but it is also teaching the student something at the same time.