Mystery Powder - Living or non-living?

Date: 26th January 2011

Activity: Each person is given 5 different mystery powders, and has to discern what they are, and whether they are living or non-living based on observation & experiment.

Characteristics of Living Things

- Grow

- Need oxygen, food & water

- Move independently

- Respond to changes in environment

- Reproduce

- Die

{note: What is the difference between reproduction and growing? Do things have to fulfil ALL the criteria to be considered living?}

Observations - Pre-experiment

Observations - During experiment

1 day later

Powder A - No visible change

Powder B - No visible change

Powder C - Increased in size

Powder D - Roots sprouted

Powder E - No visible change

2 days later

Powder A - No visible change

Powder B - No visible change

Powder C - No visible change

Powder D - Shoots sprouted

Powder E - No visible change

When placed in salt water for 24 hours:

Powder E - Hatches into brine shrimp (artemia)

Mystery Box!

Date: 21st January 2011

Activity: Each group is given a sealed box with a mystery object inside. They have to identify the characteristics of the object (or the object itself) based on their observations.

Observations
- Makes a thud sound against the box when shaken
          Inference: It is a hard object.

- When the box is tilted slightly, the object rolls easily.
          Inference: The object has a round side.

- When the box is shaken, 2 ends of the object make a small thud against the sides of the box.
          Inference: The 2 ends of the object have a small surface area.
          Inference: The object is cylindrical in shape.

Part 2: Swapping of Boxes with another group!
Observations & Inferences
- The object is attracted to the magnet very strongly
          Inference: The object has magnetic properties.

- When shaken, the object makes regular thudding sounds against the sides of the box.
          Inference: The object is hard and has flat surfaces.

- The object feels as light as a pen.

Self-Designed Mealworm Experiment @ L8!

Date: 19th January 2011


GATHERING INFO ON THE MEALWORM
Observations
- Burrowed under 2 paper towels
- Moved away from light source
- Crawled onto dark side of black & white paper
- Burrowed under plastic spoon in the container
- Moved away from puddle of water

Inferences
- The mealworm likes dark conditions
- The mealworm does not like wet surroundings

Questions & Refining of Experiment
- E.g. do mealworms prefer black or white surfaces?
- Refine this experiment by placing mealworms in a box, and put paper under the box, so the texture which the mealworm crawls on is constant.

Hamster Video Activity!

Date: 17 January 2011

1. Personal Observations & Questions
- The hamster is brown
- The hamster was gnawing at a white material
- The hamster was in a cage

- What was the hamster biting at?
- Why was the hamster biting at the material?
- Where was the hamster?

2. Groupwork - Sher Ting, Lauren, Chloe, Isabella & I
Observation: The white material did not tear easily though the hamster was gnawing at it
Inference: The material the hamster was biting at was cotton

3. Class Discussion
Observation: The hamster was tearing apart the cotton wool viciously
[Note: Adjectives like "viciously" are based on pre-conceived stereotypes and so shouldn't be used)
Inference: The hamster was playing with the cotton wool.

Observation: There was contact between the hamster's mouth and the cotton wool.
Inference: The hamster was spitting into the cotton wool.

Observation: The hamster was trying to rip the cotton wool.
Inference: The hamster thought the cotton wool was an enemy
                 OR the hamster thought the cotton wool was food
                 OR the hamster was trying to make a nest.

Only one group managed to make the accurate inference that "the hamster was trying to make a nest".

HoM Year Plan

Date: 17 January 2011


Existing HoMs
- Gathering data through all senses
- Applying past knowledge to new situations
- Thinking flexibly
- Striving for accuracy
- Listening with understanding & empathy
- Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
- Finding humour

To be developed by mid 2011
- Questioning & posing problems
- Remaining open to continuous learning
- Thinking interdependently
- Managing impulsivity
- Taking responsible risks

To be developed by end 2011
- Creating, imaging, innovating
- Thinking about thinking

Scientific Literacy - Jane Goodall

Date: 14 January 2011

Article 1
Title: The Discover Interview: Jane Goodall
Author: Virginia Morell
Date: 28/3/07
Source: DISCOVER Magazine

Article 2
Title: Discover Dialogue: Primatologist Jane Goodall
Author: Jocelyn Selim
Date: 29/5/04
Source: DISCOVER Magazine

Identifying HoMs of Jane Goodall
1) Responding with awe & wonderment
- Jane said that she is attracted to chimpanzees because they "blur the line between humans and animals" and give you a "new respect" for chimps and other animals

2) Remaining open to continuous learning
- Even after spending decades with chimpanzees, Jane Goodall still wants to analyze more data and learn more about chimps.

3) Questioning & posing problems
- Jane Goodall questions the line between Man & chimpanzee extensively after observing the behaviour of chimpanzees

4) Persisting
- When Jane Goodall first went to Gombe, she had to wait for a few months before making contact with chimpanzees

Reflections
1) Yes, my impression of scientists has changed. In the past, I used to think that scientists had to be highly qualified graduates with multiple degrees. However, Jane Goodall is a prime example that anyone can be a scientist, as long as one has the right traits and habits of mind.

2) Some traits I would like to incorporate would be remaining open to continuous learning and persisting. I could do this by reading up and finding out more than just what is covered in class. As for persisting, I can remind myself not to give up every time I face an obstacle, and keep on trying till I've reached my goal.

Mealworm Observation - Class Activity

Date: 12 January 2011


Personal Observations
- The mealworm is brown in colour
- It has 6 legs which are located close to the head
- The mealworm has 12 segments
- The mealworm has 2 feelers on its head
- Length of mealworm from head to tail: 2.2cm
- Texture of mealworm: Smooth


- Drawing of mealworm (side view and dorsal view):

Which is my peanut? - Class Activity

Date: 12 January 2011

Observations of Peanut
- Has a brown spot
- Length: 2.7cm
- Colour: Beige
- Hooked end

Isabella's comments: Use more scientific terms! Specify where the brown spot is, and where the hooked end is located. Maybe you could measure the narrowest circumference!

[Note: The narrowest circumference of the peanut is measured, instead of the width, as a peanut is uneven in width.]

1. What is the scientific name of the peanut plant? Arachis hypogea
2. Which family does the peanut belong to? Fabaceae

Reflection on Peanut Observation Activity

1) What were the different ways you found to distinguish one peanut from another? 

Length & circumference of peanut, shape, colour, presence of any marks/spots on peanut

2) What proved to be the most helpful information in finding a specific peanut?
Shape of the peanut

3) What percentage of your class could locate their own peanut? 
93.75%

7) How important were your notes of your observation in locating the peanut? If your memory was a better guide, what does that say about your notes?
My notes were important in locating the peanut, especially the diagram of the peanut that I drew. If my memory is a better guide, that means my notes are not accurate and detailed enough.

8) Which of the following statements are observations and which are inferences?
a) Inference
b) Observation
c) Observation
d) Observation
e) Inference
f) Inference
g) Inference
h) Observation
i) Observation

Other notes
Describing Different Viewpoints:
For animals;

Backbone - dorsal
Head - anterior
Belly - ventral
Tail - posterior

For objects like peanuts, the term "side view of ____" will suffice.

Calculating Magnification:

Magnification = Length of drawing / Length of actual specimen

Magnification must be at least x2.

Scientific Literacy - Notes

Disclaimer: The next few entries were actually written at a much earlier date, but are only being uploaded now because, well - the blog's just been created hours ago! (:


Date: 12 January 2011


Science begins with observation!


Observations:
- Make use of 5 senses
- Make use of tools
- Should be detailed & accurate
- Use words and drawings
- Qualitative VS Quantitative
- Count, Estimate, Measure, Compare


Tools:
- Must be used in the correct manner; each tool is used in a different way
- E.g. a hand lens is used at a distance from the eye, while a loupe is brought close to the eye