Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #9 (Sound and Light)

SINGING WINE GLASS/DANCING FORK/AMAZING FORK 

Scientific Principles:

  • Sound Waves: a wave of compression and rarefaction, by which sound is propagated in an elastic medium such as air

1.) What was the point of this activity?

Sound waves create vibrations and can be heard as long as it travels through a pathway

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

Playing a video of an opera singer breaking a glass with his/her voice

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Not understanding why tracing the rim of the wine glass makes a noise

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Asking the students to go home and see what sounds they can make with things that they find around their house

 

 

LIGHT BOX ACTIVITY SHEET

Scientific Principles:

  • Reflection: The change in direction of a wave, such as a light or sound wave, away from a boundary the wave encounters. Reflected waves remain in their original medium rather than entering the medium they encounter

1.) What was the point of this activity?

Based on the tilt of the mirrors, you’ll get different light rays and they’ll go in different directions.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

Bring mirrors into the classroom and ask students how they are able to see their reflection.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Not understanding why the different mirrors are producing different rays when they are technically the same material.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Show how a flashlight reflects glass or a mirror.

 

 

Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #8 (Electricity and Magnetism)

ELECTROMAGNET AND LOUDSPEAKER ACTIVITY SHEET

Scientific Principles:

  •  Electromagnet: a soft metal core made into a magnet by the passage of electric current through a coil surrounding it
  • Current: the time rate of flow of electric charge, in the direction that a positive moving charge would take and having magnitude equal to the quantity of charge per unit time: measured in amperes

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To show how to create a magnet using electricity.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

I would do the activity myself and explain to them what is happening since it may be to difficult for them to try on their own.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

The will not be able to physically see the current, so they may not understand exactly what is happening.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

I would have them go home and find things around their house that are attracted to magnets.

 

 

ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS ACTIVITY SHEET

Scientific Principles:

  • Parallel Circuits: is a closed circuit in which the current divides into two or more paths before recombining to complete the circuit
  • Simple Circuits: consists of three main elements: a current source wiring, and an electrical load. The current source provides power, wiring carries power to the load, and the load uses the power. Electricity flows in a continuous loop from source to load and back again

1.) What was the point of this activity?

Showing the difference between parallel and simple circuits (and which one is more effective.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

Explaining the difference between the circuits to students and asking which circuit they think will be more effective based on what they already know.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Not understanding how to set up the circuit and not getting the light to light up.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Using more light bulbs to see how bright it gets and adding or subtracting more or less wires to see how that effects the brightness of the light bulb.

Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #7 (Solar System)

PHASES OF THE MOON

Scientific Principles:

  • New Moon: The moon is positioned between the Earth and Sun so it cannot be seen from Earth. The phases signifies new beginnings, and the cycle begins again.
  • Waxing Crescent Moon: “Waxing” means the Moon’s illumination is growing and “Crescent” means less than half of the moon is illuminated. This phases signifies intention.
  • First Quarter Moon: Exactly half of the mood is illuminated and the other half is shadowed. This phases signifies decision making.
  • Waxing Gibbous Moon: “Waxing” means the Moon’s illumination is growing and “Gibbous” means more than half of the Moon is illuminated. This phases signifies refinement.
  • Full Moon: The Sun illuminates the entire moon. This phase signifies release and sealing of intention.
  • Waning Gibbous Moon: “Waning” refers to the decreasing of the Moon’s illumination and “Gibbous” means more than half of Mood illuminated. This phase signifies gratitude.
  • Third Quarter Moon: Exactly half of the Mood is illuminated and the other half is shadowed. We will see the opposite side than the First Quarter Moon. This phase signifies forgiveness.
  • Waning Crescent: “Waning” refers to the shrinking of the Moon’s illumination and “Crescent” means less than half of the Mood is illuminated. This phase signifies surrender.

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To show the phases of the moon and when the moon rises and sets.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

By showing a diagram of the different phases of the moon, so that students can identify how they look.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Students not understanding that the earth has its own rotation, just like the moon.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Have a lot of different phases and use myself as the earth to show the entire class the phases the moon and making sure they know what it looks like no matter the order.

 

 

 

EARTH’S SEASONS

Scientific Principles:

  • Summer Solstice: The first day of the Season of Summer. On this day (June 21st in the northern hemisphere) the Sun is the farthest north and the length of time between Sunrise and Sunset is the longest of the year;
  • Winter Solstice: The first day of the Season of Winter. On this day (December 22nd in the northern hemisphere) the Sun is the farthest south and the length of time between Sunrise and Sunset is the shortest of the year.
  • Spring Equinox: The first day of the Season of Spring — and the beginning of a long period of sunlight at the Pole. In the northern hemisphere: March 20th (the Sun crosses the Equator moving northward). In the southern hemisphere: September 22nd (the Sun crosses the equator moving southward)
  • Fall Equinox: The first day of the Season of Fall — and the beginning of a long period of darkness at the Pole. In the northern hemisphere: September 22nd (the Sun crosses the Equator moving southward). In the southern hemisphere: March 20th (the Sun crosses the equator moving northward).

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To show the earth’s tilt. and the sun’s position as we experience different seasons

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

Asking students is it suppose to be hot/cold/warm/cool during which season and how the sun plays into the temperature (based on the earth’s tilt).

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Understanding the extremes (Winter [cold] and Summer [hot]) but not understanding the in between, such as fall and spring.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Explaining the position of the sun, the season we are experiencing and why.

 

Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #6 (Energy, Motion, and Forces)

HOTWHEELS

Scientific Principles:

  • Potential Energy: the energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, and other factors
  • Kinetic Energy: energy that a body possesses by virtue of being in motion

1.) What was the point of this activity?

Introduce potential and kinetic energy and show the impact of gravity and friction.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

Kinetic and Potential energy are everyday experiences and have them make a connection to a real world example.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Deciding the difference between kinetic and potential energy and setting up the activity.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Having the track already set up so that we can spend more time actually doing the experiment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIMPLE MACHINES

Scientific Principles:

  • Pulley: a wheel with a grooved rim around which a cord passes. It acts to change the direction of a force applied to the cord and is chiefly used (typically in combination) to raise heavy weights
  • Inclined Plane: a plane inclined at an angle to the horizontal.
  • Wheel and Axle: a simple lifting machine consisting of a rope that unwinds from a wheel onto a cylindrical drum or shaft joined to the wheel to provide mechanical advantage
  • Screw: a short, slender, sharp-pointed metal pin with a raised helical thread running around it and a slotted head, used to join things together by being rotated so that it pierces wood or other material and is held tightly in place
  • Lever:  simple machine consisting of a beam or rigid rod pivoted at a fixed hinge, or fulcrum
  • Wedge: a piece of wood, metal, or some other material having one thick end and tapering to a thin edge, that is driven between two objects or parts of an object to secure or separate them

1.) What was the point of this activity?

Identifying the difference between all of the simple machines.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

Putting different tools on the desk and having the students identify what simple machines they are.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Students not understanding that everyday tools can be simple machines and that some objects have more than one simple machine within them.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Having some students identify some simple machines that they see everyday or even have in their house.

 

Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #5 (Chemical Reactions)

TEMPERATURE CHANGE FOR HYDROGEN PEROXIDE CHEMICAL REACTION

Scientific Principles:

  • Exothermic Reaction: chemical reaction that releases energy by light or heat
  • Endothermic Reaction: process describes the process or reaction in which the system absorbs energy from its surroundings, usually in the form of heat

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To see how long it would take the yeast to react with the hydrogen peroxide.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

Using the same method, but bringing in other reactants such as different water temperatures and acid tablets.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Not understanding why certain materials make the temperature increase or decrease.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Possibly getting different cups, and adding food coloring and putting a thermometer in each and seeing the difference in temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUILDING MOLECULES IN A CHEMICAL REACTION

Scientific Principles:

  • Molecules: a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in chemical reaction
  • Chemical Reaction: Process that involves rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a substance, as opposed to a change in physical form or a nuclear reaction

1.) What was the point of this activity?

Understanding that by adding or removing one atom, you could change the entire element.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

Same method with the colors. I feel as though it is a great way to grab their attention. I would just make sure I had multiple options like M&Ms or skittles maybe.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Not understanding where to attach and detach the atoms to a new molecule.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Adding in different candies to represent the different atoms and having them learn the molecules based on memorization of the color.

 

 

Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #4 (Properties of Matter – Part II)

BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR 

Scientific Principles:

  • Chemical Reaction: a process that involves rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a substance, as opposed to a change in physical form or a nuclear reaction

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To demonstrate  chemical reactions and that amounts matter.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

By putting baking soda into a balloon and vinegar into a water bottle and recording the reaction.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

I could see a student struggling with measurements because they may not understand the difference.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

I would try using different color baking soda for the amounts so that the students could witness the change for each amount.

 

 

 

POTATO EXPERIMENT

Scientific Principles:

  • Diffusion: the intermingling of substances by the natural movement of their particles
  • Osmosis: a process by which molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one, thus equalizing the concentrations on each side of the membrane

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To show if it is more natural for things to mix or separate.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

I would introduce this using the same experiment, with maybe a different vegetable, such as a carrot.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Not understanding why the salt dissolved.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

I would use sugar instead of salt with food coloring.

 

Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #3 (Atoms and Molecules)

INDIRECT OBSERVATION USING OB-SCERTAINERS

Scientific Principles:

  • Direct observation: looking at the actual behavior/occurrence; the researcher is the observer
  • Indirect observation: the result of an occurrence that cannot be directly viewed in which the researcher infers what happened to cause the occurrence

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To help you understand direct observation and help you determine things that you cannot see.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

The exact same way that we practiced in class, just using different objects such as coins, marbles or maybe even rice.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

The student could possibly be a visual learner and using their other senses may be difficult for them.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

I would start off with a clear container and then I would move to a darker container. They would begin by using all of their senses, and then eventually be limited.

 

 

 

DO YOU BELIEVE IN ATOMS (AND MOLECULES)?

Scientific Principles:

  • Atoms: the basic unit of a chemical element
  •  Molecules: Smallest part in a chemical element or compound that has the chemical properties of that element or compound

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To show that matter is composed of atoms and that different environments makes atoms act different.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

Using steaming hot, warm, cool, and cold water and show how much of a difference there actually is.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Only using warm and cool water and the students barely seeing the difference.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Using different colored food coloring so that the students can actually see the contrast.

 

Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #2 (Properties of Matter – Part 1)

PLAYING WITH STRAWS

Scientific Principles:

  • Mass: a coherent, typically large body of matter with no definite shape.

1.) What was the point of this activity?

That mass is a state of matter even though we cannot always see it.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

Dropping a solid object in water and watching the water level rise.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

Getting them to understand why certain things are the way they are. For example, how could two objects that look different have the exact same mass.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

I would use clear straws so that students can actually see the water entering and exiting the straw.

 

 

SINK/FLOAT ACTIVITY SHEET

Scientific Principles:

  • Mass: The amount of material in an object (Density x Volume)
  • Density: Mass to volume ratio (Mass/Volume)
  • Volume: The amount of space occupied by an object (Mass/Density)

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To show that objects can have the same volume, but different mass and density.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

By using different objects to show if they sink or float.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

By only factoring in size and not weight. Children tend to think that the bigger something is, then the more that it weighs.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

I would expand the items used in the activity to show the different volume, mass, and density.

Posted on

INSC 310 – TOPIC #1 (Size and Mass)

MEASUREMENT ACTIVITY SHEET

Scientific Principles:

  • Convert: Cause to change in form, character, or function.
  • Centimeter: A metric unit of length, equal to one hundredth of a meter
  • Inch: A unit of linear measure equal to one twelfth of a foot (2.54 cm)

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To show a bunch of different ways that you can measure something. For example, you can measure how tall someone is in both centimeters and inches.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class.

I would ask a student to measure how long a pencil was in inches and then after they completed that, I would ask them to measure the exact same pencil in centimeters. Although the pencil is the same length, I would explain to them the numbers being different because they are converted.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

I could see them not understanding why they are coming up with different numbers while measuring the same thing.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

Instead of them just measuring with a basic ruler using (centimeters or inches) I would have them measuring things way bigger with a yard or meter stick.

 

 

 

VOLUME ACTIVITY SHEET

Scientific Principles:

  • Volume: The amount of space that a substance or object occupies, or that is enclosed with in a container, especially when great. The formula for volume is length x width x height.

1.) What was the point of this activity?

To show students that a container can have a different shape and still have the same volume. For example, there could be a tall glass that holds 70mL and a small class that holds the same amount. Although the look different, they both hold 70mL.

2.) Explain how you would introduce this to your class?

I would bring in a glass that is clearly bigger than another one and ask them do they think I will be able to pour of this liquid into the smaller container. After getting their answers, I will show them that it is definitely possible.

3.) Where do you see a student having difficulty with this?

I could see them not understanding the terminology. Things like, volume, liter, and milliliters may be difficult for them to understand.

4.) What changes or extensions could you do to this activity?

I would start with a solid rather than a liquid. I would take 100 cubes and have them build a shape (most likely a square and a rectangle). I will show one (square) being 10x10x10 which will equal 1000. Then I will have the other (rectangle) being 5x20x10 and that will also equal 1000. They look different, but still have the same volume.