A Little Experiment SOLC 7 of 31
Thanks to Ruth and Stacey for hosting Slice of Life Writing Challenge.
This morning was one of those mornings. I got up early and was out the door by 7:00 AM. I wanted to get to school to do some lesson plans for next week so I could get a little ahead. We all know where this is headed...everything but what I had planned to do needed to be taken care of before the bell rang.
As soon as I plopped my keys on my desk, I remembered that today was our science experiment to determine if gases took up space and had mass. I thought that maybe I'd better look over the directions and make sure I knew the steps the kids would be taking. As I read the directions, I then started wondering if maybe I should try it out first. Usually, I wouldn't be so worried about that, but I currently have some researchers in my room looking at science and I thought it would be best if I was prepared for any popping bags. So, the lesson plans got put aside as I did the experiment. Well, mixing baking soda and vinegar in a baggie definitely proved that gas takes up space. No bags popped...that was good. I didn't want vinegar splashed all over my classroom.
Next, does it have mass? Of course, I had already thrown away the first experiment bag, so I did the experiment again. I got the kitchen scale that is currently in my room to weigh the baggie. I placed the carbon dioxide filled baggie on the scale...1/8 oz. I squeezed all the gas out and placed it on the scale...same reading...1/8 oz. Darn! I needed this to work out. Ok...I thought, let's measure in grams and see what happens. I mixed baking soda and vinegar AGAIN (third time) and weighed the baggie AGAIN. The scale read 42 grams. I squeezed out the gas...the scale read 41grams. Success!
The morning didn't go as I planned, but all in all, it all turned out ok. Here's a video clip of the experiment. I gave one of the groups my phone and let them record what happened when they mixed baking soda and vinegar in a baggie. Their conversation is pretty funny.
Does Gas Take Up Space from Julie Johnson on Vimeo.
This morning was one of those mornings. I got up early and was out the door by 7:00 AM. I wanted to get to school to do some lesson plans for next week so I could get a little ahead. We all know where this is headed...everything but what I had planned to do needed to be taken care of before the bell rang.
As soon as I plopped my keys on my desk, I remembered that today was our science experiment to determine if gases took up space and had mass. I thought that maybe I'd better look over the directions and make sure I knew the steps the kids would be taking. As I read the directions, I then started wondering if maybe I should try it out first. Usually, I wouldn't be so worried about that, but I currently have some researchers in my room looking at science and I thought it would be best if I was prepared for any popping bags. So, the lesson plans got put aside as I did the experiment. Well, mixing baking soda and vinegar in a baggie definitely proved that gas takes up space. No bags popped...that was good. I didn't want vinegar splashed all over my classroom.
Next, does it have mass? Of course, I had already thrown away the first experiment bag, so I did the experiment again. I got the kitchen scale that is currently in my room to weigh the baggie. I placed the carbon dioxide filled baggie on the scale...1/8 oz. I squeezed all the gas out and placed it on the scale...same reading...1/8 oz. Darn! I needed this to work out. Ok...I thought, let's measure in grams and see what happens. I mixed baking soda and vinegar AGAIN (third time) and weighed the baggie AGAIN. The scale read 42 grams. I squeezed out the gas...the scale read 41grams. Success!
The morning didn't go as I planned, but all in all, it all turned out ok. Here's a video clip of the experiment. I gave one of the groups my phone and let them record what happened when they mixed baking soda and vinegar in a baggie. Their conversation is pretty funny.
Does Gas Take Up Space from Julie Johnson on Vimeo.
Nice experiment. I love that you let students record it. And you get paid to have this much fun. :)
ReplyDeleteWhy is it we come into to school with one plan, but a whole different plan unfolds. I enjoyed listening to the experiment. That was funny! Your researchers were quite enthusiastic, "Fire in the hole."
ReplyDeleteTheir conversation was hilarious! This is science as it should be learned - hands on and FUN!
ReplyDelete