Sunday, April 25, 2010

Real Life Science Project

Which liquid is best to use when growing beans?

Some liquids may be harmful to plants; therefore, this study should help enlighten us on whether or not vinegar and Sunny-D will harm bean seeds when compared to only using water.


Research Question:
Will vinegar and Sunny-D have detrimental effects on bean seed growth?

Hypothesis:
I believe that vinegar and Sunny-D will prevent seed growth, unlike water.

The materials required:
1.) 3 pots or paper cups
2.) Potting soil
3.) bean seeds (at least 3)
4.) Bottle of vinegar
5.) Bottle of Sunny-D
6.) Water
7.) Measuring spoons
8.) Colored marker



Click here for step-by-step directions
(Method)
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I planted 2 different types of bean seeds one in each of the 3 pots on April 5; each pot received 2 tablespoons of liquid a day. As of April 25, none of the bean seeds in any of the pots had come through the soil so I decided to dig them up to see what had happened. The pictures above show my results; each picture shows what the beans looked like before & after the experiment.

Water:
One of the beans in the "water pot" had sprouted & the second bean had cracked on the side & looked as though it was about to sprout.

Sunny-D:
One of the beans in the "Sunny-D pot" had swelled & turned black around the edges; it looked like it was trying to rot. The second bean had changed colors & swelled a little too. The pot always looked wet even when it hadn't been watered since the day before & the soil started to smell horrible!

Vinegar:
Both of the beans in the "vinegar pot" were wrinkly and somewhat soggy, unlike the others.

Conclusion:
Water promoted more growth than vinegar or Sunny-D. In fact, vinegar and Sunny-D seemed to have harmful effects on the beans. I believe that the Sunny-D was harmful to the beans because it contains citric acid, malic acid, and ascorbic acid. I also think that vinegar harmed the beans because it's acidic too.

Extended Resources:
Which soil is the richest? By:Sarah Young

References:
Mad Science

Sugar Water Effects

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Mrs. Spoone's Classroom Communication

Week at a Glance:

In Science Class:
We will be continuing our study of chemical reactions
this week in science class.

Homework:
The science portfolio deadline is quickly approaching!
Please continue to work on your final draft.

Study:
Please remember to study your vocabulary words at home
because they will be on the next test.

Important Dates:
Chapter 18 test-Thursday, May 6
Museum field trip- Friday, May 15
Science portfolio deadline- Tuesday, May 17
Report cards- Thursday, May 27


Special Note:
I am very pleased with everything we've accomplished this year! The entire class did a great job on their science projects and I know that all of your portfolios will be fantastic. All of your hard work makes me very proud to be your science teacher!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Get A Jet Going~Page 110

-Length of string
-Balloon
-Sticky tape
-Balloon pump
-Drinking straw
-Scissors

A jet engine sucks in air and heats it with burning fuel. Next, it sends the hot air blasting out from the engine which makes the aircraft move forward at high speeds. This experiment applies a similar concept to a balloon powered by a jet of air which allows us to see how the process works.
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Vocabulary Terms:
Potential energy:
Is the same as stored energy. The "stored" energy is held within the gravitational field. When someone lifts a heavy object he/she exerts energy which will later become kinetic energy when the object is dropped.
Kinetic energy:
Is the energy of motion. It is ability to do work. The faster an object moves the more kinetic energy will be produced. The larger the speed & mass of an object, the more kinetic energy it will have.
Click here to view a Mini Lesson.

Tennessee Content Standards (5th grade):
Grade Level Expectation 0507.10.1:
Design an experiment to illustrate the difference between potential & kinetic energy.
Grade Level Expectation 0507.11.1:
Design an investigation, collect data and draw conclusions about the relationship among mass, force, and distance traveled. Click here for more content standards

Getting the experiment ready.....
->

Fun fact about the half human, half jet:
Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy a.k.a "Jet Man" was the first to fly across the English Channel using a jet propelled wing that he wears attached to his back! Click below to watch him fly!
National Geographic-Flight of the Jet Man
JET MAN
World Record Attempt

Extended Resources....
Friction "The Motion" of Our Lives-By: Sarah Young
It's electric!-By:Carla Shoemaker

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Experiment #2~See Some Sound (Page 75)

Materials Needed:
1. Rubber band
2. Plastic bowl
3. Big saucepan
4. Piece of heavy plastic
5. Uncooked rice
7. Scissors
8. Large spoon
9. Tape

Click here for step-by-step directions

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Vocabulary Terms:
Sound: energy that is moving away from a vibrating object.
Wave: a transfer of energy as it moves away the source.
Echo: repetition of sound due to reflection of sound waves.
Click here to veiw the Mini-Lesson

Tennessee Content Standards (3rd grade):
Grade Level Expectation 0307.11.3-
Investigate how the pitch and volume of a sound can be changed.
State Performance Indicator 0307.11.3-
Distinguish between pitch and volume

Videos of my results...

->

Report & Observations:
I found that the harder you hit the saucepan the more the rice bounces. The sound waves travel through the air & hit the plastic which makes it vibrate & bounce the rice. I alo tried taking the experiment a step farther by using 2 different sized saucepans (large & small). I concluded that the large saucepan works the best with this experiment because the soundwaves from the smaller saucepan barely made the rice bounce.

Visit the links below for some extra fun!

Monday, February 15, 2010

Seasonal and Lunar Changes

What causes the seasons to change?

The tilt of the planets rotational axis causes us to have seasons; therefore, the large difference in the amount of the sun's rays reaching the ground in the different hemispheres is what causes the seasons

What causes the phases of the moon?

The moon's phases are mainly caused by 2 things:
1.) The moon's position as it circles Earth
2.) The sun's light it reflects to Earth

Half of the moon is always illuminated, it just isn't always the half that we can view from Earth.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Fight a Fire~Page 33

The materials required:
1.) A glass container or bowl
2.) Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda)
3.) Vinegar
4.) Candle
5.) Matches or a lighter
6.)Spoon (optional)
Fire needs oxygen to burn; therefore, the candlewill burn normally as long as there is oxygen present. When the baking soda & vinegar combine, they form carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is more dense than air; as a result, it fills the bottom of the container first. The carbon dioxide slowly rises to the top of the container, forcing the oxygen out. Since there is a lack of oxygen, the flame is then extinguished.
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Vocabulary terms:
Chemical Reaction:
Interaction of chemicals that can alter the properties of the chemicals that were mixed or simply produce a new chemical compound.
Chemical Change:
A change in which the substances that were present when the change began to occur are no longer present when the change ends because a new substance was created.
Click here to view the Mini-Lesson

Tennessee Content Standards (8th grade):
Grade Level Expectation 0807.9.2-
Explain that matter has properties that are determined by the structure and arrangement of its atoms.
Grade Level Expectation 0807.9.3-
Interpret data from an investigation to differentiate between physical and chemical changes.
Click here for a more detailed list of content standards

Click below to check out some fun activities!

Extended resources...