Kamryn Science Methods 1

5/1/2025 This week we discussed the initial states of matter. As table groups we got to talk about the characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases. My group said that solids occupy space and have a fixed shape. Liquids occupy space and have a fixed volume. Gases occupy space and can be compressed. We then went on to talk about the particle view of a solid, liquid, and gas. This was through a virtual interactive simulation that showed the motion and interactions of molecules when they are in different states of matter.  The idea of a plunger sticks super hard to surfaces when you push down on it still sort of confuses me. I saw the plunger get pushed down in front of me and seal to the table. The only way for it to peel off was to pull the stick of the plunger to the side to insert air under the plunger part. I understand that it becomes a vacuum with the little air molecules trapped under the plunger, but WHY? (These were my thoughts at the end of lab) In lecture we talked about ...

4/24/2025 This week we discussed different substances that have different densities. My group drew a model of this showing that a rock and a piece of wood might weigh the same. The vast difference is that the piece of wood was floating because the molecules are farther apart and the rock was at the bottom of a lake because the molecules are closer together. I thought this was a good way to use a particle model to explain the properties and behavior of matter.  We got to participate in an M&M investigation looking at why M&M colors spread out when they are placed in water. My group was confused at first at what we were being asked for and just threw our M&M’s in the water. There were no rules set in place and we didn’t decide on an hypothesis. The second test we recorded a time specifically 45 minutes and decided to measure the circumference of each color. We felt a lot more comfortable having rules to follow and keep the same. I think this investigation is a great way f...

 4/17/2025 This week we talked about how properties change when objects are broken into pieces. We got to explore properties for the whole object and compare them to properties for a piece of the object. My group got to look into the properties of wood balls, paper clips, candle wax, crayons, chalk, pennies, erasers, and aluminum foil. My group found it interesting that our large piece of aluminum foil floated at first and then sank when turned to the side. It was interesting that at a different angle the material will float or sink.  I understood why most of the objects sunk or floated, could conduct electricity or not, have the same mass, and attract a magnet or not. The property that confused me was figuring out whether the objects had the same or different volume. Our objects repeatedly got stuck in the graduated cylinder so we were not able to actually see if the volume changed.  The experiments that we conducted in class today are all easily transferable to the elem...

4/9/2025 This week I did a lot of learning through a variety of common science experiments in elementary science lessons. We made predictions, made observations while conducting the experiment, and then asked questions about what we saw. At the end of the lab we learned that it's important to not put a singular word to describe something that is happening. Students come to educators to build a deeper understanding of something and it's our job to build that knowledge! I included my observation notes below for an insight to the experiments done.  Coke Float - Both diet coke cans floated, but the large regular coke can sunk to the bottom. Diet coke has 0g sugar → Regular coke has 39g sugar. Sugar molecules cause the regular coke to sink because they are heavier Baking Soda and Vinegar - The baking soda hit the vinegar and it created a gas that filled the bag. Chemical reaction!! Cold Soda - Condensation will appear as the can sits out longer. The temperature of the room/outdoo...

4/4/2025 This week I did not necessarily learn anything super new in lab. We did an overview of information and activities that reflected on our learning from the past weeks because of the cumulative exam we took this week. Our in class activity this week incorporated natural selection and evaluation. The activity showed how evaluation is more favorable towards some traits and how it becomes more favorable in organisms over time.  The overall concept of evaluation makes sense to me, but the activity confused me. It was not clear to me that the utensils each individual in a group were given were the specific traits. After each round the utensil (organism) that picked up the least amount of beans got to pick a different utensil. I did not fully grasp the general concept of this until after the game. Looking back I now understand that natural selection is a driver for evolution because the favorable traits in an organism lead to the traits that are more commonly seen in a population....

3/12/2025 This week in lab I learned that structural changes to genes, named mutations, may affect proteins and have the possibility of resulting in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure or function of the organism. Mutations are a change within the DNA sequence whether it is the nucleotide or base. I additionally gained a stronger understanding of DNA code for protein. Every three bases codes for an amino acid, this is often referred to as the protein building blocks. The three-letter code is the instructions for making a protein one building block at a time. Some of those codes mean stop or start. I was able to apply what we learned the last couple of weeks in lab and lecture to our discussion about genotypes and phenotypes. Genotypes are combinations of alleles that they possess for a specific gene that are directly inherited from the parents. Phenotypes are observable characteristics or traits resulting from the expression gene, there can be environmental factors...