There are quite a few things we do in Science besides the basic experiments. We use the Interactive Reader version of the textbook and answer questions about the pages that relate to our current experiments. We also organize the papers and results from the experiments and format the into a note book, turned in for grading at certain intervals. Test that are given to help solidify the necessary knowledge are taken using a remote which makes cheating hard; its only downside is the inability to easily find out exactly which problems were gotten wrong for each individual. The most interactive parts of the class are experiments that relate to the CSS, or California State Standards. They include monitoring the growth of a water absorbent artificial body part, or creating a wet mount slide to look at newspaper through a microscope. Others include measuring the mass of chewed gum versus fresh gum and drawing a map of a cell based on a fictional, but scientifically accurate, account.
It's Alive!?!The It's Alive!?! project involves a tub of water, a water absorbent foot, a ruler, and and triple beam balance. My two partners and I put the foot in the water at the beginning of the period one day, and before we did, we noted the length and mass. Each period after us also recorded those measurements, but after the foot had soaked. The next day, my group also recorded a wet foot and we did the same for quite a long time. Then the foot was taken out of the water and we are currently measuring its decline in size. The pictures on the right are of the foot at its height. I think the object of this experiment was to help us determine the difference between a living thing and a non-living thing. While most people know that a water absorbent foot is dead and things like humans, animals, and plants are alive, it is sometimes hard to explain scientifically why the foot is nonliving. However, the It's Alive!?! experiment helped us determine why exactly the foot was nonliving and not alive. While the foot grew and changed like all living things do, it does not have DNA, cells, the need to use energy, the ability to reproduce, or the capability of sensing and responding to stimuli.
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This experiment reminds me of a similar one done in my elementary school around third grade. We monitored small plant sprouts, possibly lima beans over a period of weeks until they had fully sprouted. The main tool used in the experiment was a triple beam balance. Using a triple beam balance is simple. Zero the balance by removing all of the weigh from the pan and sliding the movable masses to zero, then place the object on the pan and slide each movable mass in descending order until the needle goes past zero, and then move it back one notch. In the case of the one gram movable mass, move until the balance is perfectly zeroed, and then add up all of the masses to find the mass.
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GlogsterWhen making a Glogster project, many parts were required. We had to have a number of information boxes, links, pictures, and videos. We assembled the content online where it was view by our teacher. Glogster helped me learn the information by requiring me to paraphrase it, and find pictures, videos, and links that supplemented it. The overall culmination was very effective.
This reminds me of the pattern project done in Algebra. Instead of a Glogster, we made a real poster and made a bunch of different section supporting our analysis of the pattern. When I first used Glogster, it was easy to use and my first two Glogster came out great. Unfortunately, someone "upgraded" everything, causing the best textboxes and backgrounds to be unavailable. However, Glogster remains a great tool, and I even used it to tie for first in an Infographics competition. |
Quizlet
Every time we begin a new unit in Science, we make a Quizlet set of important vocabulary. The sets are graded, and we study with them before each test. Quizlet provides an excellent way to study; Speller, Learn, Test, Scatter, and Space Race are all fun ways to study. For some reason, Space Race and Test do not show up on the embedded set, so if you want to use them, click "View this study set" in the bottom left corner. Once on the Quizlet page, you can play Space Race and take the Test along with the other games. To switch from activity to activity on this page, select an option from the "Choose a Study Mode" in the bottom right corner.
Quizlet is a very good way to study, and I have done extremely well on every test that I used Quizlet to study for. The different activities make it easy to learn the terms and provide a great way to solidify definitions. Also, records and "game champions" allow for friendly competition that helps students strive to be the best. Quizlet is also the main tool used in this experience, and it was a very useful tool that was easy to learn. In fact, we studied a list of 50 vocabulary terms in Core with Quizlet and I even used it for somethings in sixth grade.
Quizlet is a very good way to study, and I have done extremely well on every test that I used Quizlet to study for. The different activities make it easy to learn the terms and provide a great way to solidify definitions. Also, records and "game champions" allow for friendly competition that helps students strive to be the best. Quizlet is also the main tool used in this experience, and it was a very useful tool that was easy to learn. In fact, we studied a list of 50 vocabulary terms in Core with Quizlet and I even used it for somethings in sixth grade.