Natural Disasters

I learned that natural disasters can be avoided.  Natural hazards exist all over the world.  They don't become disasters until people and property are affected by them.  By learning more about our world, we can be more prepared to avoid the losses and high costs of natural disasters.  By not doing so, we are being irresponsible with lives and money. 

To help my students understand the need for proper community planning and the complexity of seeing disasters before they happen, I have them play a game called Stop Disasters:

http://www.stopdisastersgame.org/en/home.html

The students love the game and don't realize they are learning while they are playing.  It makes you want to learn more about the situations so you can improve at the game.  I am afraid there is a disconnect between the students and the victims in the game because they seem like a small part of the scenario and the students tend to focus more on winning than on connecting with the humanitarian part of the disaster.  In order to bridge this disconnect and bring the humanitarian part to the game, it could be coupled with a relief effort like those described by my colleagues in there blog posts. 

Locally in central PA, we have all been affected by recent flooding.  My students' journal entries all reflected a commonality in having flooded basements.  I know of some who are beginning to have black mold problems.  My idea is to have the kids research flood clean up kits and seek donations to put together kits and information packets to help educate our community about the need to clean out and clean up their flooded basements.

Reference:

Stop Disasters: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. (n/a). Retrieved from http://www.stopdisastersgame.org/en/home.html

Week 3 Blog Post-Ask a Scientist Reflection

Well, I am really disappointed with the Ask A Scientist site.  My blog post is three weeks late and I still have not gotten a reply from the site.  I think the site is a neat idea, but where have all the scientists gone?

Living World Week 1

I have no training in Web 2.0, so I am looking forward to creating this project.  I am slightly intimidated by it.  I would like to learn how to create a web page and link stuff to it like in Google Pages.  I would like to eventually create my own a teacher page and use it in class.  My school requires us to use homework pages to communicate with parents and students but never trained us in what we can do with them.  I know how to upload my assignments but not how to attach the actual work.  Prezi looks neat, too.  I am not sure which one I will use for the endangered species project.

Solar System Exploration: Planets

Week 6 Physical Science Concept Links

Solar System Exploration: Planets This is a great interective teaching tool that would work well with a webquest.

http://nineplanets.org/tour/  Awesome interactive tour!!

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/saturn/moons.htm  Great information on planets and moons of the solar system.  (Has many distractions for kids.) Has a make a solar system feature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16zeA-c-3vw  Video on origins of solar systems. 20 min.

Heat as Energy

            In this experiment my young laboratory assistant, Rylie, and I investigated heat transfer and insulators.  Heat can be transferred three ways.  Conduction is the passing of heat energy from molecule to molecule (Tillery, Engel, and Ross, 2008).  Convection is the movement of heat from one area to another by the movement of molecules.  Radiation is the movement of energy through space (Tillery, et al, 2008).  An insulator is a material that slows the transfer of heat energy.  Materials whose molecules are farther apart make better insulators than those whose molecules are closer together (Tillery, et al, 2008).            The materials we chose for our insulators were heavy duty aluminum foil, a latex glove, cotton cloth, and paper towel.  We thought the best insulator would be the foil because it is used to keep food warm.  To test our hypothesis we filled each of four identical mugs with one cup of hot tap water.  We let the tap open for several minutes to make sure the water was as hot as it could be.  We quickly covered each mug and secured the material with a rubber band.  We let the mugs spaced evenly apart on the quartz countertop and set a timer for 30 minutes.  When the timer rang, we uncovered each of the mugs and placed the thermometer in mug #1.  It took quite a few seconds for the thermometer to stop rising.  Meanwhile the other three mugs sat uncovered waiting to be measured.  The temperature of the water in each mug was measured and recorded:

Mug #	1	2	3	4
Material	Aluminum foil	Latex glove	Cotton cloth	Paper towel
Temperature (*C)	42	38	39	41

            Our hypothesis was correct; the foil was the best insulator.  Aluminum molecules are far apart and take longer to heat up (Tillery, et al, 2008).  We were surprised that the paper towel came in second, followed by the cotton cloth.  The paper towel was thicker and had more air spaces to slow heat transfer.  The latex glove was the least effective insulator.  We thought it would make a better insulator than the thin cotton cloth because latex is rubbery.  However, the glove is waterproof which means the molecules must be very close together.  We decided stuffing our shirts with napkins would keep us warm if we got too cold at Rylie’s soccer game this weekend.  It would be a good idea to keep foil in an emergency kit in the car in winter.  It could be used to reflect radiant body heat and keep us warm if we got stranded in the cold.  We also noticed the countertop under the mugs was warm to the touch, indicating that heat was conducted through the bottom of the mugs and into the stone.

            One challenge we experienced was efficiently measuring the temperature with only one thermometer.  Error could have been introduced because the experiment was not well controlled.  Not only was the covering material varied; but, time became a variable as well.  Ensuring an accurate thermometer reading caused an increased time for the remaining three mugs.   Additional cooling may have happened while the mugs were waiting to be measured.  Having four thermometers would allow us to control the experiment and eliminate the error.  Thermo-meters should be in place when the mugs are filled so accurate readings can be taken at exactly 30 minutes.  All four mugs should be filled and thermometers must be read at exactly the same time, making lab assistants necessary, also.  Recording temperature readings every five minutes would be best because the data could be graphed to show the rate of heat loss.  Another challenge we experienced was due to a malfunction of the thermometer.  The glass tube was not fixed to the calibrated strip so it moved freely in the brackets.  We had to tape it fast, but we were not sure we had it at the correct location.  We figured it would work as long it stayed at the same spot for all four measurements.

A Pendulum Conundrum

  The question we chose to investigate in this guided inquiry activity is “Which pendulum will come to rest more quickly—a lighter pendulum or heavier pendulum?” (Sylvan Live, 2011.)  My ten year old daughter was very interested in participating in this experiment.  I thought it would be a great opportunity to spend some quality time and enrich her science skills at the same time.  In a guided inquiry activity the student is given the question and designs an experiment to test it (Banchi and Bell, 2008.)  Rylie chose from the list of questions and we designed the initial experiment together and carried out the activity following the scientific method.  Our time together was much like a 5Es lesson (Hammerman, 2006.)  Rylie even used some steps of the engineering design process (TEACH Engineering, n.d.) to improve upon our initial procedure during her explorations.

            Our hypothesis is the lighter pendulum will come to rest faster than a heavier pendulum because the heavier pendulum will have more momentum and will swing longer than the lighter one.   The materials we used are large, medium, and small washers, small paper clip, string, and an iPod stop watch. 

            Our procedure is very simple.  First, we placed the large washer on the string and folded the string at the halfway point.  This ensures the length of the pendulum would always be roughly the same.  I held the pendulum at the very end of the string at a fixed point on the counter and controlled the stopwatch.  Pulling the washer to the edge of the cabinet, Rylie put the washer in motion.  We measured the swing time until the pendulum came to rest.  Upon carrying out the first trial we came across a few problems and, like every good engineer, my daughter came up with some ideas.  We realized holding the pendulum was not working.  We also pulled the pendulum back too far to finish in a reasonable amount of time.  So, Rylie used a plastic pointer finger to hold the pendulum in place.  She taped it to the counter and suspended the pendulum from it and we started over with a shorter period.  Since it was still taking more than ten minutes to come to rest, we shortened the length of the pendulum to about one foot. This worked well so we recorded three trials.  Next, we placed the other two washers on a paper clip and hung them on the pendulum and repeated our procedure for three more trials.  We recorded our data in Figure 1.

Figure 1.

Number of washers	Trial 1 Time (sec)	Trial 2 Time (sec)	Trial 3 Time (sec)	Average time (sec)
1	3:12.5	3:13.4	3:13.3	3:13.1
3	3:39.7	3:36.1	3:39.1	3:38.3

            Rylie concluded our hypothesis was correct.  The lighter pendulum came to rest slightly faster than the heavier one, but only by about twenty-five hundredths of a second.  In her ten year old wisdom, Rylie could not be convinced there really was no difference in the times for both pendula to come to rest.  We found it very difficult to judge when to stop the timer because it seemed as though the pendula would keep swinging ever so slightly in perpetual motion.  It seems the mass did not affect the period as long as the height from which it was dropped and the length of the string were kept the same.  Since there was no difference in the period, there was no difference in the time it took both pendula to come to rest.  The momentum that was gained on each down swing was lost with each up swing.  So, momentum was not really a factor at all.  Carrying out this experiment helped to eliminate the misconception that momentum affects the swing time of a pendulum.  It gave me more accurate knowledge of how a pendulum works by being dependent on the acceleration due to gravity and the height of the initial drop.  This activity definitely exposed my weakness in understanding physics.  I still can’t really understand why both pendula stopped at the same time.  The main reason I am pursuing a degree in teaching science K-8 is to strengthen that weakness so I am more equipped to teach to the changing science standards for my grade. 

            This guided inquiry activity strengthened Rylie’s engineering and inquiry skills as it would strengthen my seventh graders’ skills.  This same activity is used by the eighth grade science teachers in my building, so I would not use it with my students.  I could tie in motion and Newton’s laws by exploring with my students how a centrifuge works.  A centrifuge makes use of centripetal force by spinning components suspended in a solution.  The test tube is positioned in the centrifuge on an angle approaching horizontal.  The machine exerts centripetal force on the test tube and its components.  Since the contents of the tube are floating in suspension and not attached they will experience the equal and opposite force to the one holding the tube in place.  The resulting “outward tug is called a centrifugal force” but is really Newton’s third law in action (Tillery, Enger, and Ross, 2008.)  Biologists use centrifuges frequently to separate cells and their components by mass.  When cells are broken open and spun very fast in a centrifuge, the heavier parts are forced to the bottom of the tube, while the lighter parts stay closer to the top.  The cell parts can be extracted from their respective layers and studied.

            Guided inquiry experiences are a challenge in my classroom due to class size and time.  I have around thirty students and only forty minutes per class.  Seventh graders tend to need a lot of guidance during the inquiry process.  It is nearly impossible for me to assist everyone who needs help.  As a result, these activities are very stressful and always take longer than the time allotted.  Students who need help become distracted and off task when I cannot assist them immediately.  When all goes well, students gain valuable experience in problem solving and inquiry skills.  Both of which help prepare them for the work force.

References

Banchi, H., & Bell, R. (2008). The many levels of inquiry. Science & Children, 46(2), 26–29.

Hammerman, E. (2006.) Becoming a better science teacher. [Exerpt.] Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Retrieved March 9, 2011, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/56611/CRS-CW-4889693/articles/Hammerman_81-87.pdf/56611/CRS-CW-4889693/articles/Hammerman_81-87.pdf

Sylvan Live. (2011.) Week 2: Focusing on the E in STEM. Retrieved March 13, 2011, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4889693

TEACH Engineering. (No date.) The engineering design process. Retrieved March 9, 2011      from http://www.teachengineering.org/engrdesignprocess.php

Tillery, B. W., Enger, E. D., & Ross, F. C. (2008). Integrated science (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, p. 46.

Conservation of Momentum ........................

Conservation of Momentum ........................

TeachEngineering.org - Free resources for K-12

TeachEngineering.org - Free resources for K-12

Week 6 Lesson Reflection

OK, so I have succumbed to the hazards of the blog.  For a while, I could go automatically into my blog. Then one day I tried to link in to post this reflection and there was no automatic log-in.  So when I tried to log-in, I could not remember my log-in info.  I tried everything I could think of without success.  Turns out the email address was incorrectly autofilled.  By dumb luck I hit it right today, and voila! I am back in--a little late, but in none the less.  I have missed the blogging experience and my reflection is very late. 

My structured inquiry lesson went very well.  The students inquired into how to use our microscopes and all 140 of them are now accomplished yet budding microbiologists.  We have investigated color newspaper photos, prepared slides of insect parts, etc., letter e's, cheek cells and onion skin cells.  Now, the stack of lab papers I have to grade is ridiculous and it is mid marking period time but my grades are far from up to date.  It is also Transition Point 2 time and my eportfolio is not up to date, either.  Week 8 is going to be a very challenging week!

Richard Littlemore | Heartland Institute Tricked Video Subject in "Unstoppable Solar Cycles"

Richard Littlemore Heartland Institute Tricked Video Subject in "Unstoppable Solar Cycles"

Climate Cover-Up

Climate Cover-Up

Pictures: Volcano Lightning Electrifies Japan Eruption

Pictures: Volcano Lightning Electrifies Japan Eruption

YouTube - Unstoppable Solar Cycles

YouTube - Unstoppable Solar Cycles

Question 9

What happens if polar ice caps melt?  It follows logically that sea levels will rise and coastlines will change.  Other properties of ocean waters will change also.  Like salinity-more fresh water will dilute the salt in the ocean which might disrupt the homeostasis of the organisms that live there.  However, a decrease in salinity might mean an increase in the freezing point of sea water, which could be beneficial in slowing the rise of sea-levels.

What other questions do I have about this Scientific Inquiry Experience?  What if the changing cycles of the sun are to blame for the warming effects here on Earth?  Are polar ice caps on Mars shrinking as well?  If so, is it right to enforce costly emissions reduction measures on populations that will likely experience extreme hardship in order to try to prevent the inevitable?

STEM Lesson Reflection

STEM Lesson Reflection

I found the 5 E's to be very helpful in my planning because it made the lesson development easy. This lesson format is very different from how I normally plan. My plans are usually much less formal because submitting them to administration has not been a requirement for tenured teachers until now. One logistical issue is building time into the lesson each day for observation while still covering needed content. The investigation will be time consuming.

Overwhelmed!!!

1-15-2011  ///  I was overwhelmed with the number of resources this week and had a lot of trouble getting through them to find the information I needed to do my discussion post. So it is Saturday and I have not written my post yet.  I have approached it at least 4 times this week .With the stress of getting mid-terms ready and preparing for the end of the marking period, which was Friday, I found it difficult to get through my coursework. When I sat down to it I could not keep my eyes open and could not read anything.

This morning, I found a great video at PBS to use when we are defining life in 7th grade life science.  It defines life through the investigation of life on mars and the Phoenix project.  I will use it in conjunction with a journal entry and target questions. I think my students will find it interesting and it should promote more inquiry focused learning in my classroom.

Aurora Borealis timelapse HD - Tromsø

Aurora Borealis

Evolution - Science Comedian Brian Malow

MrsStrasbaughsblog

MrsStrasbaughsblog: I love snow!! My family is planning a snowmobiling trip to Potter County this weekend. Can't wait!!!