The Poly Density Bottle

May 20, 2014

Tami O'Connor, Educational Innovationsby: 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.

Demystifying the Poly Density Bottle-Educational Innovations Blog

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: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

Should We Build a Dam?

June 17, 2013

Brandon DeBritzby Brandon DeBritz

A Junior High STEM Exploration into Hydroelectric Energy with the use of the PowerWheel

When we talk about electricity and where it comes from in the Pacific Northwest, hydroelectric energy production is a key source and natural opportunity for teaching.  Part of the curriculum used in the South Kitsap School District in Port Orchard, WA is SEPUP ‘Weathering and Erosion’.  Students explore the Earth processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition all the while considering where to expand residential development in an expanding fictional town along the northwest coast.

This year, students at Cedar Heights Junior High were presented with a new factor to consider for this situation, ’should we build a dam on the town’s river to provide energy for the expanding electrical needs of the city?’ This new situation opened the door for a STEM unit, ‘The Energy of Moving Water’ from the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project (free teacher and student curriculum guides are available from their website  www.need.org).

From this platform, students were engaged in activities and research to explore: what electricity is and how it is created, the designs of a hydroelectric dam and how they work, as well as many of the environmental, economic, social, and political issues around the construction and use of dams. Through a school partnership with RB Industries and the PowerWheel, students explored the fundamental elements of creating electricity through the transfer of moving water. 

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Leave a Comment » | Earth Science, Elementary level, experiments, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

Dinosaur Mania! Digging Fossils

May 6, 2012

by: Michelle Bertke

Both the young and old have a special fascination with dinosaurs.  From the small Nemicolopterus to the larger Sauroposeidon, dinosaurs were magnificent and majestic creatures.  This is a topic students want to learn and adults want to teach.  Luckily, there are many at-home experiments and activities that parents can do to foster their children’s love for dinosaurs.

Impression Fossils

Impression fossils are one way that animals and plants, which are long since gone from this world, leave their mark.  One easy way to show how imprint fossils are formed is with play dough and plastic creatures.  Students can use the play dough (which is easily homemade) as a medium in which to press the plastic creatures.  This will leave an impression with a certain amount of detail.  Have the students compare the fossil imprint with their creature or mix up the imprints and play a matching game.  Use this activity to illustrate what can be determined from an imprint fossil (size or texture) and what cannot be determined (color).

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Leave a Comment » | Earth Science, Elementary level | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Tami O'Connor

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