by: Donna Giachetti
In a February 2014 blog post we said goodbye to the last of our goldenrod paper supply, a beloved staple in many science teachers’ classrooms.
Desperately Seeking Goldenrod Paper
October 23, 2014
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Chemistry, College level, Elementary level, experiments, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: acid, acid base indicator, bases, color-changing paper, discrepant event, fun experiments, goldenrod paper, hands-on activity, homeschool, parent friendly, pH, science fair project, tumeric | 
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
What It Means to Be a Teacher
October 21, 2014by: Donna Giachetti
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a teacher.
If you spend more than an hour a day with kids—from 1 to 100 (in age and quantity)—chances are you’re a teacher.
If you’ve grinned at our Facebook comics or said “I need that!” while clicking through our website, chances are you’re a teacher.
But what is a teacher?
Here’s what the dictionary says:
Source: Merriam-Webster dictionary online
Leave a Comment » | About Us, College level, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: Educational Innovations, homeschool, parent friendly, teachers | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
The Microscale Vacuum Apparatus
October 6, 2014
by: Tami O’Connor
After the birth of my youngest child I decided to get a teaching position at a school closer to home. Until that point, I had only taught in the elementary grades. As it turned out, a seventh grade science position had opened up in the middle school in the next town, and, shortly after I filed my application, I was called in for an interview. Because it was already early June when the opening occurred, things moved along rather quickly.
2 Comments | Elementary level, experiments, High School level, Middle School level, Physics | Tagged: air pressure, discrepant event, hands-on activity, microscale vacuum apparatus, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, science, vacuum jar | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor
The Poly Density Bottle
May 20, 2014by: Tami O’Connor
So, do you ever bring discrepant events into your classroom to capture your students’ attention? If so, the Poly Density Bottle should be on your list of must-haves! As you can see, this is a one-liter bottle filled with clear liquid. Floating at mid-bottle are two bands of beads, with blue on top of the white.
On its own, this is intriguing to many students. The head scratching begins, however, once the bottle is given a good shake. As soon as everything starts to settle, students will observe that the white beads now float at the top of the liquid while the blue beads sink to the bottom. The liquid, once clear, now appears to be slightly cloudy.
But wait, there’s more… After about 30 seconds something interesting begins to happen. The white beads gradually sink down, the blue beads gradually begin to float up, and the liquid above and below the beads is again clear. Now the stumper… Why is this happening? Read the rest of this entry »
8 Comments | Chemistry, College level, density, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: density, discrepant event, hands-on activity, homeschool, isopropanol and salt water, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, salting out, science, science table | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor
The Magnetic Accelerator
March 17, 2014
by Janice VanCleave
I love the magnetic accelerator. In fact, I met friends at a restaurant yesterday and took the accelerator with me. We had a lot of fun predicting what would happen and testing our predictions. No formal steps….just making cool guesses and then discovering whether we were correct.
Yes! The steel ball shot off the end of the track and hit the floor a couple of times, but that just added to the excitement. It’s a small town and few are surprised that the eccentric science author is experimenting at the restaurant–again!
A parent came in with her daughter, a second grader. With the mother’s permission I invited the child to sit with us. The girl had sinus problems and didn’t feel well. She was a bit sluggish and her eyes looked dull, as one would expect. When I asked the child if she wanted to do some science experiments, her dull eyes brightened. She had not been present during the previous testing of the accelerator, but she was immediately interested.
Leave a Comment » | College level, Elementary level, experiments, High School level, magnetism, Middle School level, Physics | Tagged: PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, science | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor