Week 1 : 9/5/13               

Objective: To study the scientific method and the instruments that students

Activities:

·         Discussed lab safety and they got to wear safety goggles, gloves and lab coats.

·         Discussed the Science Fair that we are going to have in March. 

·         Look through Science Fair project books and some picked a project already. 

·         Discuss the various steps in the scientific method (hypothesis, experiments, analyzing data, conclusion, presentation)

·         Used several pieces of equipment that scientists use for experimentation (scale, balance, forceps, tape measure, microscope, magnifying lenses, thermometer).  Everyone got to use the instruments safely.

·         Learned the different parts of a microscope.

Homework: Please see the attached list of dates for deadlines as we work on the Science Fair during the year.

Week 2 : 9/12/13            

Objective: To study atoms and the periodic table of elements

Activities:

·         Reviewed everything covered last week especially the vocabulary words for the scientific method and the parts of a microscope)

·         We learned about atoms and sub-atomic particles (protons, neutrons, electrons)

·         We studied their charges and created a diagram where we built atoms with different colored punched cardstock.

·         We learned about elements and how they are made up of only one kind of atom.

·         We discussed what the numbers and letters on the periodic table meant. 

·         Students completed a worksheet that included finding elements and writing down the atomic number, chemical symbol and name of elements.

·         We talked about charges of subatomic particles and did an experiment to make punched paper fly back to a balloon which was being rubbed on someone’s hair.

Homework: Please see the attached list of dates for deadlines as we work on the Science Fair during the year.

Week 3 : 9/19/13            

Objective: To continue studying atoms and the periodic table of elements

Activities:

·         We reviewed the last 2 weeks’ worth of class using a word search and a match-up of 2 columns. 

·         Then we studied John Dalton and Dmitri Mendeleyev and their contributions to Science. 

·         We then proceeded to play Element-O, a game based on Monopoly but the game board is the periodic table of elements.

Homework: Please see the attached list of dates for deadlines as we work on the Science Fair during the year.

Week 4: 9/26/13             

Objective: To study molecules and how they move        

Activities:

Students:

·         Reviewed the last 3 weeks’ worth of class using a true/false game

·         Studied the bonds between atoms to form molecules (ionic and covalent)

·         Built molecule models from marshmallows and toothpicks 

·         Performed an experiment with hot boiling water in one glass and cold water in another.  A drop of food coloring spread more quickly through the hot water than the cold

·         Completed a sheet with the steps of our experiment and our conclusions

Homework: Please see the attached list of dates for deadlines as we work on the Science Fair during the year.

Week 5: 10/3/13             

Objective: To study bonds, states of matter and do review

Activities:

Students:

·         Reviewed the last 4 weeks’ worth of class using a game of Element-O

·         Studied the different states of matter

·         Discussed boiling and melting points and the different ways to measure temperatures (Celcius & Fahrenheit)

Homework: Please see the attached list of dates for deadlines as we work on the Science Fair during the year.

Week 6: 10/10/13           

Objective: To study density and the properties of liquids, and do review

Activities:

Students:

·         reviewed the last 5 weeks’ worth of class with a short oral quiz

·         discussed the different states of matter again and did a few experiments to study the properties of liquids, which include surface tension and density. 

·         Experiments included: Floating needle (on a piece of toilet paper), studying the indentation it makes in the water, dropping drops of water onto a penny and seeing at how many drops the water spills over the edge after forming a huge bulge, using a cardboard cutout of a little boat on water (floating) and then watched what happens when a drop of liquid dishwashing soap is dropped right behind it (it speeds off because surface tension gets broken by the soap).

·         Studied density by adding several liquids (oil, syrup, dishwashing liquid, sprite, etc.) into a transparent cup and seeing which liquids sink to the bottom and which layers they form.  (I’ll be uploading a picture of how it looked). 

·         Completed a worksheet about the density experiment.

Homework: Please see the attached list of dates for deadlines as we work on the Science Fair during the year.