Flinn Scientific posted this activity, Balloon Rocket Blast-off! Do you want a detailed science lesson with a lab report? Here are complete plans. Here and here are instructions for Curious George Space Monkey paper rockets. Here and here are directions for paper rockets from NASA. NASA has this 40 page packet, Rockets Away! You’re welcome.
Update: Flinn posted a link for #scienceteacher. In the process of dropping down that rabbit hole, I encountered #dadlab, who published a science book. It might be more of the same old experiments. But, one of the posts online was pretty thoughtful.
The library is the best place to start on the prowl for good science experiments. I borrowed a stack and then ordered a copy of Kitchen Cabinet Science Projects. This book has excellent photos. Usually, the teens and parents who volunteer for Camp lack the science background or experience of a tenured teacher. Over the years, the volunteers made it clear they want photos and ideally a sample. Kitchen Cabinets has a few experiments I had planned to use: Secret Bells, called Ringing String in the book, Gravity-Defying Water, titled Spinning Water, and Giant Bubbles, called Bouncing Bubbles. One note—the Bouncing Bubbles recipe in the book uses sugar instead of Karo syrup. We’ll test both recipes. Many of the experiments I use originate in The Science Explorer and The Science Explorer Out and About, from the Exploratorium. BTW The Explorabook is fine, especially if it comes with a magnet paddle, but not in the same league as the two Science Explorer books. The same is true of Exploralab.
Flinn Scientific posts regularly on social media. Today they posted this seed germination video, which is quite genius. Take a look!
I’m starting to think about Chemistry for next year. I use bottle top lids, nuts and bolts, and molecular models for Chemistry class. There was an interesting post about using magnetic molecules. (Check out Doug Reagan’s blog!) I’m going to make up my own set of magnetic molecules. This website has a Google doc to print molecules on to magnetic sheets. Here is the presentation replete with ideas to use the magnetic molecules. Scroll down the web page to see examples. I need to go to Walmart and buy some ceramic magnets and adhesive backed magnet sheets.
I shopped at Walmart and bought a pack of 18 adhesive back magnets and two magnetic, adhesive back sheets. The molecules look better on the adhesive sheet magnets with some white paper. I made over a dozen magnets. I might buy a pack of button magnets and hot glue them to the rest of the molecules. The other molecule prints are in the kit for Fall. I don’t know exactly how and when I’ll use them. But, they will be terrific explaining how atoms are larger when they accept an electron. I know they’ll be useful to show balancing equations. If you don’t have a set of molecules, the carbon, hydrogen, and bonds combine into an inexpensive set. Take a look.
Good Will has several listings for molecular model kits. The price and shipping for these sets is fair. If I didn’t already have a huge box full of kits, I would bid on a set.
This Fall, I’m back to teaching Chemistry. I’m always hinting for new and better ideas. The social media groups frequently offer suggestions. Are you interested? Start with Chem Ed Xchange. You may want to join the National Chemistry Teachers group on Facebook. (Pic below). Warning! There are many complaints, drivel, and other nonsense. However, I just scroll past and look for interesting ideas or offer suggestions. Look at the American Chemistry Society’s webpage. I have joined in the past; however, I didn’t really get enough ideas to make the membership fees worthwhile. There are free resources available through ACS. One reason I keep up with these Chemistry sites is to understand new teaching trends, such as Question Trails and Storylines, promoted by the Next Generation Science Standards. I don’t necessarily adopt these new trends. I like to see if the new ideas are fun and useful.
I had Mad Science Camp completely planned. This blog post has several links to activities we’ll probably do this summer at Mad Science Camp. One popular activity is making CD Spinners. Here are templates. Another is Flip Sticks. Here is the template. One more copy to print: Rotocopters! Here is the template. Now I need to walk to the library again and make copies.
Home Science Tools has these dissection guides, tools, and specimens. I ordered these sets of seven specimens for the kids. The Apologia textbook has dissection guides; I don’t like to risk marring their textbooks. I bought several perch and frog guides a few years ago. I have several used Zoology manuals. How to Dissect is a classic lab manual. The Biology Corner has a host of guides. Carolina’s Basic Survey Set 1 and Basic Zoology Survey Set 2 come with a good dissection guide. If your library allows free copies, just make copies of the instructions from the Apologia textbook. If your budget is tight, just dissect the frog. I’ll post pix next week.
Next week, we’re starting the dissections. The kids are working these vocabulary words and questions. I want them to compare the same animals we are dissecting: the earthworm, clam, grasshopper, crayfish, starfish, perch, and frog. They are coloring the same animals from a zoology coloring book. The idea is to have some background before the kids dissect.
We are rounding the bend. I’ve been thinking about how to wrap up Kingdom Animalia. I used questions and vocabulary from Apologia another textbook (BSCS). I copied a few animal coloring pages from the Zoology Coloring Book. (As teachers, we have energy’s license to use a few copies from books for teaching.). The kids are comparing invertebrates and vertebrates, sketching microscope slides, making paper planarian, and answering questions. Take a look.
