Jenna- Elementary Science Methods Blog

The question we were investigating this week was: How are things in our world interrelated? To investigate that question, we did a variety of different activities. One of those activities was a simulation called cuts, bumps and bruises. During this simulation, everyone was a part of the body system and trying to stop the cut so that germs didn't infect inside. We did another simulation called Oh Deer! It was very interesting because it showed how capacity and limiting factor can affect how many deers are able to live in one area. I thought that simulation was incredibly interesting and could be very helpful for students to understand the factors that could lead to a great conversation about habitat. We also discussed the food chain and did a dissection of an owl pellet. That was another interactive way to see the food chain in action. I have attached the Oh Deer! lesson so that I can refer back to it in the future and use it in my own classroom. Overall, I am interested in learnin...

 The questions that we were investigating this week was, where do living stuff come from? Where does it go? To investigate those questions in lab, we focused our study on a cactus that somehow ended up in an old cemetery near North Liberty, Iowa. We discussed different reason that seeds could get to different places. We tried to explain this phenomenon with a model. My group used a 3-D model that focused on seed dispersal from mammals (specifically bears. We showed how a bear could walk up to a plant to eat a fruit and that the seeds could stick to the bear's fur. Some of the seeds will drop right away, and some could drop far, far away. Using models, we learned different ways that seeds disperse depending on the conditions. Model showing seed dispersal from animals We learned that plants use animals,  wind, explosions, gravity, fire, and water to disperse their seeds. It is vital for seeds to disperse because there are limited resources in one area. 

  In lab, we were investigating: What makes a lesson plan good according to the NGSS? We also were investigating how to use Monarch Butterflies in the classroom. To investigate the questions, we spent part of lab investigating butterflies by going through different stations. We also spent part of lab working on a project where we go through a lesson plan an evaluate it. We learned multiple different facts about butterflies by going through the stations. We learned that they eat milkweed, they go through complete metamorphosis, they migrate to a tree in Mexico, most live 4-6 weeks (except for super generation), their chrysalis are only a couple centimeters tall. Going through the stations was very beneficial  to me to see how butterflies lived and learning more about them. I still can't believe that the super generation all migrate to the same tree in Mexico, and they can all navigate there without having been there before. I am still interested in learning why monarch butterfl...

 This week, the questions we were investigating were: Where do plants get their food?  Where do plants get their energy? To investigate those questions, we discussed photosynthesis and how plants get their energy and make their food. We discovered that the plants are made up of sugars, and the photosynthesis process makes up the sugars along with releasing oxygen.  We wanted to prove that sunlight was needed for plants to take in CO2, so we created an experiment. We have 2 of the same kind of plants and put a solution in it that tested the PH balance. It was green when we put the plants in. We put one in the sunlight and one in a dark cabinet to see which one took in more CO2.  We found that they both ended up being a similar color, but we think the reason for that is because of timing of the experiment. If we took more than 20 minutes on it, I believe it would've showed more of a change. I have attached pictures of our experiment, the capsule to the left is the one ...

The question we were investigating this week was: what do all life cycles have in common? What kinds of structures and functions support a life cycle? To investigate those questions, we focused on Mealworms and Wisconsin Fast Plants. It was interesting investigating the Mealworms and comparing them to a butterfly life cycle. This investigation also helped me answer the question from last week, on what makes a thing living. Going through the life cycle of a mealworm and a plant showed commonalities they both have in their life cycle. All living things have a life cycle that goes like this: Birth--> growth--> reproduction--> death. It was interesting to learn that living things all generally have the same life cycle, whether they are animals or plants.