Asa - Elementary Science Methods I Blog

      In our final week of lab for the Fall 2023 semester, we tested out reactions and the volume before and after the reaction. We tested throughout the lab session whether or not everything would stay the same mass before AND after the reaction happened. Our chemical reaction was baking soda and vinegar. We would weigh every material, the dixie cup, baggie, baking soda, vinegar, etc, before the reaction. Then, we would weigh it after it has fizzed up and reacted. We tested it in different variations, but all the tests seemed to have the same outcome with the weight being within 0.6-0.3 grams of the original weight.      Prior to this lab, my knowledge to this reaction was pretty high because I knew that if you had mixed baking soda with vinegar, it'll fizz up and make the plastic bag bubble up. However, I did not know whether or not they stayed the same weight before and after the reaction occurred, I guess I had never given it the thought.    ...

  In our Week 14 Lab, we tried to figure out the reasoning behind why a plunger sticks to hard surfaces like tables and whiteboards. We then had to explain it in terms that would make sense to a 2nd-3rd grader when completing this lab, so it took a little bit for us as a group to understand it first to then transfer this knowledge to our future classroom. Additionally, our table group created a short 45 second flip video explaining why the plunger and air particles cause the plunger to stick to the surfaces.  My prior knowledge to the reasoning behind why plungers stick to certain surfaces was kind of basic. I knew how plungers work, and I knew that it was going to stick really hard to the table, but I did not have the common knowledge prior to fully explain why it does that the way it does. Learning this in class this week not only broadened my knowledge with particles and pressure, but it helped me understand more myself as to why plungers work the way they do.  I am ab...

  During Week 12 Lab, we were able to find out all these different object's stats and whether or not they create electricity, if they float, what their volume is, and if it is magnetic.  I am able to transfer this data and information I know from this lab into my future classroom with a similar experiment relatively close to this one.