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Week 15

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 Week 15  Are you able to relate what you learned to what you already knew? This week I learned more about the conservation of matter. I already knew that chemical reactions can produce gas, but I did not fully realize or remember that this changes the overall mass. It is not that any matter is lost, but that it is redistributed. This helped me better understand that the total mass stays the same before and after a reaction, even if the matter changes form or moves somewhere else, like into the air as a gas. How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I can apply this by asking questions that intrigue students and make them want to learn and investigate. For example, asking students why some objects float or why bubbles form in a chemical reaction can make them curious. I also liked how there was a little autonomy in the lab. I think that can be applied in a classroom as well. Maybe not specifically with the investigation we did, but I think that by l...
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Week 14

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 Week 14 What did you learn this week? This week, I learned how the particle model helps explain things we see. For example, why does ice melt faster on metal or why does a cold drink get water on the outside? I was reminded that particles are always moving and transferring energy, and how that can cause them to change stages. The simulations and lab activity helped make that clearer. Are you able to relate what you learned to what you already knew? I knew heat moves from warmer to cooler objects and that condensation happens on cold drinks, but now I understand again what’s going on at the particle level. It’s not just about temperature—it’s about the properties and how they are losing or gaining energy.  What are new or remaining questions? How did scientists figure this out before having technology that could show particles? Lab Images/Video
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Week 13

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Week 13 What did you learn this week? This week, we continued learning about density and explored how to explain the properties and behavior of matter. We conducted an experiment using M&Ms and water, which helped us observe these concepts in action. We watched as the color from the M&M spread in the water over two minutes, demonstrating its behavior in a liquid environment. We then tested sugar water to see if it affected the spread. It did—significantly slowing down the process. This showed that the behavior of the M&M changed depending on the substance it was placed in. In terms of density, we learned that lower density means the particles are farther apart, while higher density means the particles are more closely packed together. How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I appreciated how the combination of lab activities and online resources gave us multiple ways to engage with the content. Having both hands-on and digital approaches re...
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Week 12

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 Week 12 What did you learn this week? This week we learned about the properties of matter. In the lab, we did an experiment to see the relationship between different pieces of the same matter. In the lecture, we learned that there are properties of a substance and properties of an object. The homework helped me learn that as a teacher you are going to have to modify experiments for your grade you teacher. Either removing it fully or modifying it if it doesn't follow the standards or NGSS.  How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I think the experiment we did was a great way for students to be able to measure and investigate on their own. I think this experiment in the way we did it, allows students autonomy with their science learning. I also think since they are physically doing it, they can recall information after because they did it themselves. I also think that what we learned/practiced about modifying lessons is a g...
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Week 11

Week 11  What did you learn this week? This week, we learned about matter. Which is anything that takes up space and has mass. We also went more in-depth with a lecture that explained what students in different grades (like K–2 and 3–5) should know about matter. One interesting thing I learned is that younger kids might have a hard time understanding that things they can't see, like air, is still matter. We also reviewed that matter comes in three main forms: solid, liquid, and gas. How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I really liked the lab activities. I sadly wasn't here to participate in them but I saw the pictures of them. I think that these are easy activities for students to do and observe when learning science! I would like to apply these types of hands-on activities in my class, especially as a starter as it was for us to encourage curiosity  and interest.  What are new or remaining questions?  How do you explain to a chi...
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Week 10

  Week 10  What did you learn this week? This week, I went to School of the Wild and learned so much. I didn’t know that raptors are a type of bird, so it was really interesting to learn about the unique characteristics they have due to adaptation and evolution. I also discovered that you can tell if water is polluted based on the organisms living in it—some organisms can’t survive in unclean water, so their presence can indicate good water quality. For example, we learned that the Macbride River has pretty clean water. Finally, I found out that herons need about two acres of land to nest. One reason we don’t see many herons in Iowa is that we no longer have a lot of prairie fields.      How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I really enjoyed the competition   group hands-on activity. This activity was different from previous activities. I would like to include activities like this so that students who like...
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Week 8

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  Week 8  What did you learn this week? This week, we learned about different mutations that can happen. We talked about how/where mutations start, which is in the DNA sequence. Mutations happen when the RNA is being synthesized. Mutations can be either good or bad. We also talked about how that plays a role in natural selection and evolution. Natural Selection is the process by which certain traits become more common in a population over time because of survival and reproducing advantages. There also are environmental factors that play a role in natural selection(lack of food, water, sunlight), this can lead to one animal having a higher survival rate because of those common traits.  How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I want to apply it to the type of activities we did with mutations. I thought they were good interactive activities that showed the basics of mutations without getting too complicated. I liked how in th...
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