Ellie Behrens- Elementary Science Methods

  1.      What did you learn this week? During our experiment in class with baking powder and vinegar, we first used a ballon to trap the gas and create a closed system. The mass on the scale decreased even though we predicted that it would remain the same since it was a closed system and the conservation of matter rule. We learned that this happened due to the buoyancy of the balloon in the air. After reflecting, we decided to use a bottle cap instead of a balloon to create a closed system. This could eliminate any buoyancy. After doing this, the mass was the same before and after the reaction. This experiment taught us about the conservation of matter.     2.      How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I can apply what I have learned about making experiments interesting and engaging for students. One key takeaway was that simply turning a standard into a question, such as “Is the total weight...

  Are you able to relate what you learned to what you already knew? Yes, I can relate what I learned to what I already knew in several ways. Before switching to an elementary education major, I was a health promotion major until my junior year. During that time, I took a lot of chemistry classes. During these classes, memorization was pushed and being able to recall definitions. As a result of this, I feel confident in my ability to remember key concepts in chemistry, but I struggle to explain them in a clear way. Through both lab and lecture experiences, I’ve gained a better understanding of these concepts and the vocabulary needed to explain them to elementary students in a way that makes sense for the specific grade level. I can apply my previous knowledge to refresh my own understanding and then adapt it to an elementary school level when I am teaching students. How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? One thing that I can ap...