Whatever the shape, size, or name.... tell us about it!
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A chance for those who teach science to share ideas... Iron Chef style!
This blog is no longer being maintained. Check out the new adventure at Science Matters.
Keep in Touch!
If you'd like notification when the site has been updated in any way, please send an email to adventures.in.science@gmail.com. You'll receive, at most, one email per day letting you know what's happened and where. If nothing's happened, you won't get an email that day. Fair enough?
How It Works:
Every week (typically on Thursday) I post a new mystery object.
If you have a science lesson that uses the object (in any capacity), please post it as a comment. It could be a lab, it could be an intro activity, it could be an assessment. It could be a multi-day experience, it could be a five minute zinger.
When you post, please make sure you do your best to give credit to the source of your idea.
How To Post:
At the bottom of the original post, you'll find the word 'Comments' (usually preceded by a number). Click on 'Comments' and you will be taken to a page where you can read what everyone else has had to say, as well as add your own suggestion.
Questions?
Email me at adventures.in.science@gmail.com
If you have a science lesson that uses the object (in any capacity), please post it as a comment. It could be a lab, it could be an intro activity, it could be an assessment. It could be a multi-day experience, it could be a five minute zinger.
When you post, please make sure you do your best to give credit to the source of your idea.
How To Post:
At the bottom of the original post, you'll find the word 'Comments' (usually preceded by a number). Click on 'Comments' and you will be taken to a page where you can read what everyone else has had to say, as well as add your own suggestion.
Questions?
Email me at adventures.in.science@gmail.com
How this came to be:
Before taking time off from teaching to spend with my son, I taught 6th grade earth science, 7th grade life science, 8th grade physical science, and a 4th grade hands-on lab (actually, I taught 3 of those courses at a time...). In a mere four years in the science classroom, I accumulated boxes and boxes and boxes filled with binders, books, and assembled activities.
Now that I am at home with my son, I feel the need to put all those materials to good use, in order to justify the time I spent gathering it all and the physical space they now take up in my house (not to mention the work required to move them from one residence to another).
I was going to be an "Independent Science Education Consultant" - a title I thought I made up, but it seems that it isn't entirely unheard of! My name's out there... at least in this region of upstate New York I now call home... but no hits yet. If you're reading this and you're interested in my services... email me... PLEASE! I'll travel!
I was going to write a book. Turns out, most of the great things I do in my classroom have been borrowed (or stolen) from great teachers and aren't actually mine to publish!
I recently learned the San Francisco Exploratorium holds an Iron Science Teacher competition for local science teachers and those who attend their Summer Institutes. So cool, but I don't live in San Fran and even if I could afford to spend several weeks in California, I don't think the young boy would look so favorably on the idea.
So here I am, creating my own virtual version. It's not live, it's not a competition, but it should result in a great community of sharing and some fantastic ideas for us all to share. Please consider participating!
Now that I am at home with my son, I feel the need to put all those materials to good use, in order to justify the time I spent gathering it all and the physical space they now take up in my house (not to mention the work required to move them from one residence to another).
I was going to be an "Independent Science Education Consultant" - a title I thought I made up, but it seems that it isn't entirely unheard of! My name's out there... at least in this region of upstate New York I now call home... but no hits yet. If you're reading this and you're interested in my services... email me... PLEASE! I'll travel!
I was going to write a book. Turns out, most of the great things I do in my classroom have been borrowed (or stolen) from great teachers and aren't actually mine to publish!
I recently learned the San Francisco Exploratorium holds an Iron Science Teacher competition for local science teachers and those who attend their Summer Institutes. So cool, but I don't live in San Fran and even if I could afford to spend several weeks in California, I don't think the young boy would look so favorably on the idea.
So here I am, creating my own virtual version. It's not live, it's not a competition, but it should result in a great community of sharing and some fantastic ideas for us all to share. Please consider participating!
Blog Archive
6 comments:
Dichotomous Keys
I gather about 10-12 different shapes of pasta and create sets that include one piece of each shape in a resealable bag. Give a set to each student/group of students and have them create a dichotomous key to identify the pieces. They can be reused for years to come.
I teach fifth grade science now, but I have done this with younger and older groups.
I give each group of three students a bag containing about 20z of spaghetti noodles (a bundle with a diameter slightly larger than a quarter.) I also include 30 mini-marshmallows and four large flat-bottomed gum drops.
The object of the exercise is to build the tallest tower that will stand unassisted for fifteen seconds. Groups have 20 minutes to complete the structure.
The rules
1. This is to be done in absolute silence. Group members may communicate by using gestures or sketching on scratch paper, but talking (or grunting) costs the group by reducing the final recorded height by 1/2" for each infraction.
2. The groups may request additional marshmallows and spaghetti, if needed, but they may only have FOUR gum drops.
3. The groups meet for five minutes to discuss strategy before beginning the challenge.
4. Following the challenge, each student fills out an individual evaluation of the process and they group dynamics. Each group fills out an evaluation of their design strategy, analyzing what was effective and what did not work well.
Sometimes I use this as part of the unit on forces, and sometimes as a "Super Science Tuesday" activity.
Every Halloween I give the students a labeled skeleton and pasta. They have to "build" their skeleton with the pasta on black paper. I teach K and they do this with their 4th grade reading buddies. They are so focused and they look great! I got this idea off the internet and I cannot give credit to its creator. Sorry.
Sandyfay said...
Classification of Pasta
I like to do several practice activities related to classification. If students are divided into groups, and each group is given a bag full of assorted pasta (color, size, and shape) they can sort, group and classify the pasta. Each group can then prenset what they did and their reasoning for doing it. The class can then vote on the best method used.
I do a lesson related to defense mechanisms and camouflage during our insect unit. I use one bag of the colored spiral pasta (green, orange, and tan) and find a good open space in our schoolyard. I spread the pasta in a grassy area and then split the class into two teams for a relay-type race. The first round they are allowed to pick any color pasta they can find. We use three different bowls that match the pasta colors to sort the ones they found. For the second round, students are instructed that the green ones are better than the other ones. The students must find 1 green pasta piece or 2 of the other colors before they can come back to the line. We sort the pasta after this round as well. For the last round, students must find only green pasta pieces. After the activity we discuss how camouflage is beneficial to caterpillars and other animals. I also have the kids brainstorm other defenses used by insects and we spend time searching the garden to find examples of them. During a lesson on carrying capacity and competition, I refer back to this lesson and the panic the kids felt when they worried there wouldn't be enough "food" left for all of them.
This lesson is available online at my website at http://sciencespot.net/Media/adinsdefense.pdf .
No science here--Christmas ornament
Macaroni angel
Each student needs 1 wooden bead (head), 1 fat macaroni (rotini?)(body), 1 bow tie macaroni (wings), one wagon wheel macaroni (halo), 2 small macaroni (arms), hot glue, and silver or gold spray paint.
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