Annie Ellison Science Methods Blog

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...

 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...

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...

  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...