Week 11

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/outdoors affects the cans condensation. 

M&M’s in Water - Within 10 seconds of the M&Ms hitting the water the color on the outside of the M&Ms starts coming off the M&Ms. Any temperature of water dissolves sugar. 

Melting Ice - Water can absorb into wood, metal pan cannot absorb the water into its material. Something in the metal pot causes the ice cube to melt fast (within the minute the entire piece of ice was melted). The ice on the wood is just chilling. 

Plunger Push - On the paper it still allows for air molecules to get through, but when just suctioning to the table there is no room for air molecules to get through. When it was suctioned to the table it was stuck and pretty hard to peel up.


I know that there are different states of matter (solid, liquids, gases, and plasma). Matter can’t be created or destroyed. I am confused on how to operationally define matter so that I (the educator) know how to better give a structured definition to students. Additionally we talked about what experiments we can do to help students better understand matter. These experiments need to make sense of the science concept.


Dr. Nordine said this in class,“When you are surprised by something it is a sign of knowledge”. I think this immensely relates to my future teaching as a future educator I will continuously be learning. The same goes for my students doing similar experiments like we did in the lab this week. My students are going to be surprised by some of the experiments and that is going to lead to curious questions! It's important that I engage in the students' questions as they are trying to make sense of a scientific concept.




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