Claire Sullivan: Elementary Science Methods II

  Elementary Science Methods 2: Week #7 What did you do in the lab today? In this week's lab, we continued studying the moon and stars. We began with a formative assessment to see how much we learned from last week. We discussed each of the questions and gained a better understanding of their meanings. Our activity was creating a solar system that would fit inside the Lindquist Center. I found this lab interesting because I was able to gain a sense of knowledge about how far each planet in the solar system really is from each other.  What was the big question? The big question was: Right now, today, I looked up at the sky, pondering life and all of it's mysteries. I was startled to see that we were currently in a "full moon" phase. Why was I so startled? What did you learn in Thursday's discussion? In Thursday's discussion, we continued our discussion on the phases of the moon and thought about what phase they would be in at different parts of the day. I feel ...

  Elementary Science Methods 2: Week #6 What did you do in the lab today? This week in lab I learned about the solar system. Specifically, we studied the moon's phases, how it affect the amount of sunlight on the Earth, and how seasons work. I found it beneficial for my learning to see how I grew from the formative assessment to the application and hands-on activities in the lab. What was the big question? There were three questions we focused on: How do the phases of the moon work? What causes the seasons? What causes a lunar eclipse? What did you learn in Thursday's discussion? The discussion on Thursday was similar to the lab in that we dove into the formative assessment and studied the deeper meaning behind each big question. My biggest takeaway was thinking about where the sun and moon are at different times of the day.  Pressbook: What did you learn? I developed deeper knowledge on Heliocentrism vs Geocentrism and how it was used during the Renaissance to figure out what...

  Elementary Science Methods 2: Week #5      This week in lab, we began by reviewing the homework for week #4 with the article focusing on formative assessment support for diverse learners. This unit has focused on how we can support play for students that is exciting but not dangerous. We use the energy lens to better understand motion. We engaged in an interactive pendulum simulation to study the different energies present during the swing. Lastly, we explored the last piece of a playground, the surface students will play on top of. The engineering design process taught us how to better design a detailed plan. From here, we created an experiment that modeled preventative measures for a student falling on the playground. As the photos show, we dropped the egg from 1 and 2 meters off the ground onto various surfaces. We found the most success in the 3rd and 4th trials, where the surface consisted of sand, straw, woodchips, and plastic wrap. I found this activity help...

  Elementary Science Methods 2: Week #4      This week in lab we continued our conversation in a lecture about the forces on a rider as they ride down a slide. The forces on it include gravity and friction. We revisited our formative assessment from last week and discussed which situations where friction was present. Next, we began by studying how weight and gravity affect the speed of an object falling to the ground. We studied the difference between paper vs a tennis ball, a tennis ball vs crumpled paper, and a wooden ball vs metal ball. From here it helped us answer the question of why the rider's weight matters. Gravity pulls harder on objects with more mass. We ended with an investigation which helped me apply the learning I gained to the real world.       This week in the lecture we continued to review the factors and forces that affect a child on a swing. Throughout class, in breakout groups, we discussed the force on the rider and rider we...

   Elementary Science Methods 2: Week #3      This week in lab we began by revisiting the question we have been working on the past few weeks. That question is What affects a rider's speed down a slide. We investigated the variables that affect the rider's speed. Some of these variables affect slide slope, rider's height, rider's weight, clothing, rider position, etc. Our group chose to study how rain or shine affects the rider's speed. Our question we were trying to answer was If the slide is wet, how does it affect the speed of the rider going down the slide. Shown in the photos we tested the slide by first measuring the height, length, and distance. Then we did four trial runs on dry and wet slides and found the averages. We found the average for dry conditions was 2.47 seconds and 0.99 m/s. For the wet conditions, we found the average speed to be 2.06 seconds and 1.19 seconds. In conclusion, if the slide is wet, the speed of the rider going down the slide is...

  Elementary Science Methods 2: Week #1                                                            This week in class we began by introducing the course and learning more about what we will be studying this semester. We engaged in a conversation revolving around the study of physics. We studied and observed children playing on a playground. From there we reflected on children running races against each other, and how the child's size affects the race. We got into the race and chose our method of racing. My group hopped on one foot whereas others walked, scooted on a chair, etc. Based on the speeds of the racers we were able to alter the race by allowing a headstart or for the leader of the race to hop on their less dominant foot. From there we raced against other groups and adjusted our race plan to the other ...