Science+Notebook

= = toc =Science Notebook=
 * Word wall **
 * Harrry & Harriet (Ava and Bila) data **
 * Science poem **
 * Reading reflections **
 * Children's science literature **
 * [|Ultrabook Notebook] **

= =

Word Wall
Seed Density = mass/volume (D=m/v) Astra Meria flower petals stem fruit root leaf piston stamen legume photosynthesis= 6(CO2) + 6(H2O) + energy --> 6(O2) + C6H12O6 Respiration air is made up of mostly N2, with some O2 and other gases forces when equal = no movement, when unequal there is movement sublimation is when a solid gives off gases and goes directly into gas form condensation evaporation a Newton measures force water cycle pollination sublimation dry ice mass glucose = C6H12O6 chlorophyll Big Dipper clinometer sextant molecule

Science poem
"How do seeds know which way is up?" This poem, which is about how seeds grow away from the root to find light, can be used as a great introduction or hook to a seeds unit in life science. I might have the children do a dramatic reading of it in the beginning of class. This could be followed up by studying the anatomy of a seed.

Harry and Harriet (Ava and Bila)
I planted seeds on Dec. 17. I promptly left them in closed plastic containers when I left for vacation. I left them on a window sill with plenty of light, but the lid was on and I didn't water them at all. When I returned on Jan. 3, grass had grown 2 to 3 inches. I watered them both on Jan. 2. Ava: gets water every day. (Jan. 2, 3, 4, 5) Bila: gets water every other day. (Jan. 2, 4, 6...)
 * 1/5 Ava and Bila**


 * 1/5 Ava and Bila**


 * 1/19 Ava and Bila**
 * Date || Ava ||< Bila ||
 * 1/5 || 3.9 cm ||< 3.2 cm ||
 * 1/7 || 4.3 cm ||< 3.5 cm ||
 * 1/9 || 4.8 cm ||< 3.9 cm ||
 * 1/11 || 5.5 cm ||< 4.3 cm ||
 * 1/13 || 6.7 cm ||< 4.7 cm ||
 * 1/15 || 7.3 cm ||< 5.0 cm ||
 * 1/17 || 8.0 cm ||< 5.3 cm ||
 * 1/19 || 8.2 cm ||< 5.6 cm ||

Reading reflections
__Ch. 2 "What Children Gain by Learning Through Inquiry"__ Reflection: I have found that this kind of inquiry often leads to the wonderings that teachers would teach lessons about. When I was teaching the scientific method to fifth grade, I gave them a little space to ask their questions. They usually asked the question or questions I was going to lead a discussion about in the first place.

__Ch. 8 "Setting the Stage for Inquiry"__ Reflection: This makes me realize that the scientific method or scientific inquiry is a process that needs to be taught and modeled. In many state standards, the scientific method is not something explicitly taught, but rather implicitly taught through science subjects. I think that it is worth spending time using paradoxical groups to show the process of inquiry through experimentation so students can learn this process.

__Harry Wong: First Days of School__ Wong's advice: "Beg, borrow and steal" is GREAT advice. This is something I have been thinking about when planning lessons and units. There is a lot of available curriculum out there. Even though it's tempting to make all you own material (and you are certainly capable of course), you have the discretion to determine which units are worthy of using.

__Chet Raymo: Science Musings blog__ "Can I trade some colocynth for penicillin?" Interesting blog. The things that we value today are vastly different from 16th century European markets. I think the science here might have something to do with thinking about the ingredients and commodities that were used back then. It gets me thinking about how medicine was practiced at that time. I had to google colocynth, and found that it was used to induce abortions in early stages of pregnancies! Who knew? "New Moon" talks about the beauty of a very new moon. This blog is great--it shows a sense of wonder for the moon phases. I like that he gives actual numbers -- a "38-hour crescent." He then talks about how the phases of the moon were used for tracking time, hence our current month. It's a great way to connect something we see every night to its awe and amazement and usefulness.