What's Our Sputnik?

What’s Our Sputnik?

            I enjoyed the article, “What’s Our Sputnik?” by Thomas Freidman. The author writes in a manner that makes you consider how the United States is progressing, in terms of innovation. I agree that our response to the Soviet Union’s launch of a satellite into space, known as “The Great Space Race” was the foundation of our society becoming more productive in the fields of science, technology and engineering.  Additionally, these achievements produced the internet, more students studying math and people generally wanting to build the nation. (Freidman, 2010)

            To re-create the excitement and financial investment in science education, our society needs to be responsible for their own actions. I really like the statement made by Freidman, “How can I improve myself?” Sadly, members of our country want to blame others for their hardships. “It’s someone else’s fault! Give me a handout!”  The future of science education begins with classroom teachers. We need to set high expectations for all students to learn and be accountable for their choices. This needs to be done at a local level in every school across America. I believe that the States to create laws that hold parents accountable for being parents. This would ensure that all children are cared for and given the opportunities and resources to become successful. You need a license for driving, fishing, hunting, teaching and having a dog. Parents should be required to take parenting classes to care for children. As a Nation, we need to allocate more investments into research, technology and design, than what is currently given.

            I researched and discovered that to date, the United States has spent $830.2 billion dollars on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. I was surprised to learn the percentages of military and educational expenses that China and the United States allocate from their yearly budget.  China spends 18.2% on the military and 12.1% on education. The U.S. spends 19.3% on the military and 17.1% on education. I believe that the U.S. needs to stress the importance of education and STEM careers and use this money wisely for the benefit of our country and its future.

References:

Friedman, T. L. (2010, January 17). What’s our Sputnik? [Op-Ed]. The New York Times [Late Edition (East Coast)], p. WK.8.

http://visualeconomics.com

Modeling Earth Science

Modeling Earth: PLATE TECTONICS

I created a model of the 3 types of boundaries (divergent, convergent and transform) using paper, tape, scissors and cut drinking straws. The model helped the students to visualize the plate movement and boundaries and also the effects of this movement to continental and oceanic crust. The blue paper represents oceanic crust and the green paper represents continental crust. It took 4 class periods, 40 minutes in duration, to complete the foldable. However, the goal of the lesson was met, the students understood how plates move at boundaries and the effects caused by the movement.

Increasing Awareness of Natural Disasters

Increasing Awareness of Natural Disasters
Natural Disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions can occur anywhere and anytime. To increase awareness of these events it is important to teach students how these events happen. Some areas of the world are lucky, in terms of never having to experience these horrific events and the devastation that they leave behind. To connect students in understanding how these events affect real people everyday, all over the world, I will collaborate with the English teacher and have the students research the different types of natural disasters. The students will create a Power Point and present their information to the class. Upon completion of the presentations, the students will chose one disaster and decide how they can contribute to this area. Our 8th grade team will then find ways to help. It could be by collecting personal care items and sending them to the Red Cross for distribution to the area or the students may collect change at lunch and mail the money to the organization in need. I'm sure there are several possibilities, but it is important to teach children how groups of people need to come together to help others, as someday, we may be that group that needs help.

Web 2.0 Tools

Prezi and Zoho Show 2.0 are two new multimedia presentation tools. Both come with tutorials and seem fairly easy to learn. I am a novice in technology, but believe that I could create a presentation with both of these. However, it would take practice to use all the enhancements that each offer. PREZI requires Adobe Flash 10, 1gb memory and Internet Explorer 7 or higher. An advantage of both tools is that your account can be accessed from any computer with internet connection. You can collaborate with others, publish to groups or publish privately.

Week 6 21st Century Topics and Tools

The physical science topic that I chose to research was Motion and Forces.  The best website that I found was http://www.learningscience.org/psc2bmotionforces.htm. This site incorporates all aspects of forces and motion for grades 5-8. It has 18 small topics including simple machines, levers and rollercoasters.  This interactive website will help students to understand topics and applications that are used in everyday life. I plan to use this website as a tool to introduce and reinforce the motion and forces of rollercoaster’s. This is a standard taught in 6^th and 7^th grade; however, the students are tested in 8^th grade over all material that was learned in 6^th-8^th grade. The website is engaging, fun and educational.  The challenge that I will face trying to use this tool for instruction will be having all of the students on the same site at the same time. The computers tend to run slowly when an entire class is trying to activate the same website.

Week 4 HEAT TRANSFER

The question for this guided inquiry was, “What material would make the best insulator for 250 ml. of hot water; cotton cloth, foil, glass or plastic?” I thought about the materials that I wanted to test, in hopes to find the best method to keep drinks, such as coffee, hot.  I hypothesized that the glass covering would be the best insulator of the hot water. The manipulated (independent) variable for this experiment were the different materials used to cover the mug of hot water. I chose cotton cloth, foil, a glass plate and a Ziplock baggie. The responding (dependent) variable was the temperature of the water after 30 minutes.  The controlled variables for this experiment include; identical mugs, the amount of water, the beginning temperature of the water and using the same thermometer. The data I collected is listed in the following table. The beginning temperature of the water was 66⁰ Celsius.

Temperature of water after 30 minutes

Material	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3
Cotton cloth	47⁰ C	46⁰ C	47⁰ C
Foil	46⁰ C	46⁰ C	45⁰ C
Glass	44⁰ C	43⁰ C	42⁰C
Plastic	48⁰ C	49⁰ C	49⁰ C

Four identical mugs with the material coverings of cloth, foil, glass and plastic

 In conclusion, I learned that plastic is a better insulator than foil, cotton cloth or glass. My hypothesis was incorrect. I thought that the foil would be a good insulator because it has similar properties that metals have. Metal is a better conductor of heat and transfers heat energy quickly. However, I learned most insulating materials are good insulators because they contain many small air spaces. The small air spaces are poor conductors because the molecules of air are far apart, compared to a solid, making it more difficult to pass the increased vibrating motion from molecule to molecule. (Tillery, Enger & Ross, 2008)  Conductors do transfer heat but do not make the best insulators.

The challenge that I experienced was with the thermometer that was supplied in the science kit. I used it to measure that temperature of the water after it was heated on the stove. I measured 250 ml. into a measuring cup and put the thermometer in, and the glass bulb burst open within seconds. I had to go to my school and get a new thermometer that measured temperatures at a higher level and then restart the experiment.

The plastic material was the best insulator.

I will incorporate this guided inquiry with my students in place of the experiment that I already perform. I will have the students use beakers instead of mugs. It works better to cover the liquid, instead of wrapping the materials around the test tube, as I currently do.  The cotton that I have my students place in the opening of the test tube always seemed to fall in the water.

Week 2 Engaging in Guided Inquiry

Question: Which pendulum will come to rest more quickly – a lighter pendulum or a heavier pendulum?

Hypothesis: I think that a lighter pendulum on a 15cm. string will come to rest faster than a heavier pendulum on a 15cm. string.

Materials: 3 washers of different masses, string, scissors, stop watch, ruler, and balance

Manipulated (Independent) Variable: size of washer for pendulum

Responding (Dependent) Variable: length of time for pendulum to come to a stop

Controlled Variables: same length of string for all pendulums, same stopwatch and time keeper, same chair to test pendulum and same release point for all pendulums

                                                Time it takes for pendulum to come to rest

Mass of Washer	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3
2g.	52 sec.	1 min. 53 sec.	3 min. 3 sec.
6g.	1 min. 51 sec.	1 min. 31 sec.	2 min. 58 sec.
16 g.	51 sec.	1 min. 50 sec.	3 min. 7 sec.

I expected these results because objects with a heavier mass have a greater momentum. Objects with a greater mass are harder to start moving and harder to stop moving.

Overall the experiment went well. I experienced few challenges during this guided inquiry. I decided early what question I would focus on. I gathered the materials that I would need and created time to complete the experiment. I carefully considered the variables for this experiment. The manipulated variable was the size of the washer, which was used as the object hanging from the pendulum. The responding variable was the length of time for the pendulum to stop, come to rest. I had many controlled variables for this experiment. Each pendulum had the same length of string. I used the same stop watch, the same chair to test the pendulum and the same release point.  I conducted the experiment in my kitchen. The time for the lightest pendulum to come to rest was 52 seconds. I repeated the experiment three times. During the second trial, it took much longer for the pendulum to come to rest, a minute longer. I realized that my husband had opened the screen door and a breeze was blowing through the kitchen, causing the pendulum to keep moving.  This was the only challenge that I encountered. I did learn from this and how this could cause the results to be invalid.

To get a different result using the same question, I would change the length of the string so that it was not the same length for all of the trials.

I would set this experiment up similar for my students. I would let the students decide what object they would use at the end of the pendulum. To relate this to student’s lives, I would have them compile a list of everyday objects that come to rest from a state of motion, and apply the law of Inertia. This experiment is easy to do and all materials are readily available. Students would not have to actually find the mass of the objects’ if a scale was not available. They could tell which object was heavier or lighter by holding them.

I would like for my students to learn that they could solve any problem by carrying out an experiment. In some ways scientists are like detectives, piecing together clues to learn about a process or event.