What's Happening in Middle School Science

The role I have this year is different from in the past, whereas I was in a self-contained fifth grade class for the past six years, I’ll be moving into a departmentalized situation in middle school. I’m looking forward to the challenges that I’ll face with middle schoolers and want to try to create an atmosphere in my classroom where students are passionate about science.

My sixth graders will begin the year with a unit on astronomy which will include making constellation t-shirts and reducing the solar system to approximately 1,000 yards. 

This year, my seventh grade students will be building their own chargeable batteries out of lead sheet and magnesium sulfate, charging those batteries on a harness, and doing experiments and math to measure force and distance. 

My eighth graders will begin the year studying glaciers and glacial deposits with a field trip planned to study ice age deposits on day number 4. After completing the unit on glaciers, the eighth graders will experiment in breeding fruit flies. 

As an innovative way to do a summative assessment, students will be expected to publish their findings in each of these areas.

Accumulated Materials or Hoarding?

For the coming year, I'll be teaching Middle School Science in addition to working in the Makers Lab. I decided that I would try to purge some of the materials from the science lab, in the hopes that I could make the materials and equipment more available to my students for hands-on activities.

I began by cleaning out the chemical cabinets. What a shock! Some of the chemicals that were in the cabinet were labeled from 1984. I decided to test the viability of some of these chemicals in simple experiments and have found that generally, the liquids are no longer viable. But, my powdered chemicals are still good. This will save me money in not having to purchase new chemicals on my budget.

I was amazed at the amount of junk that has accumulated in this room in the last 30 years. Glass jars, soda bottles, stacks of paper and files, boxes of test tubes and glassware in unopened packaging. In essence, I probably have enough glassware to supply three science labs!

I have found some gems. Two old 1978 textbooks with hands-on chemistry and physics experiments and the equipment for doing those physics experiments!

So many times teachers are known as hoarders {including myself}, there's a reluctance to throw something away because it might be valuable in the future. This has just happened to me in that I threw a box of small mirrors away that I'd been saving for about 10 years. I've just decided that I would challenge my students to build a parabolic solar collector using an old satellite dish and the mirrors. It's maddening because I can't find the mirrors!!!

Teachers Pay Teachers Back to School SALE!

Just over 8 hours left in the Teachers Pay Teachers BACK TO SCHOOL SALE extravaganza! Don't forget to type in the Promo Code: BTS14 when checking out. We have so much on sale in our store...and it's up to 28% off! We also are having fun getting some great products from other stores with steep discounts. It won't last long...better get there while you can!

Book Talk Tuesday | Invent To Learn Book Review

Book Title: Invent to Learn - Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom (Click to go to Amazon)
Authors: Sylvia Libow Martinez and Gary Stager, Ph.D.

This is a wonderful book that addresses the basic needs for anyone wishing to establish a Maker Space in their classroom or school. The authors give a wide variety of projects, materials, media, and resources for establishing your own Maker Space. The authors tend to focus on hands-on materials and projects. A discussion is also put forth on the value of making and the educational theory behind it. Much discussion focuses on robotics and electronics, but also, there is a balance struck in making with low cost materials. Emphasis is also placed on STEM as well as the arts in making. After reading this book, I've realized that Making does not need to be an expensive process and that it can encompass many different things from cooking to electronics to woodworking and even growing plants. I'd recommend this book for anyone wishing to inject more creativity and inventiveness into their classroom or school.

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Make Tissue Paper Hot Air Balloons in your Maker Space!

Thanks to Scholaris Gifted Academy for featuring us in their newsletter! Here is an excerpt on our tissue paper hot air balloons. We love this hands on project that requires so few (and inexpensive) materials. It's a perfect project for a Maker Space in your classroom.

Launching our tissue paper hot air balloons at Scholaris Gifted Academy!
That's me next to the torch that heats the air.

"During The Science of Gases students experimented with gases using, among other items, chemicals, liquid nitrogen, ping pong balls, and balloons. It was wonderful to see students discover the excitement of learning through hands on activities. In Imagine, Construct, and FLY!students designed, built, and flew hot air balloons using tissue paper and propane gas. They also constructed and launched bottle rockets and air pressure rockets. Distance was measured so that our scientists could go back to the work room and make any necessary changes to their rocket to increase speed and distance. It was amazing to see the students engage in these projects with overwhelming enthusiasm and creativity."

Maker Faire Detroit 2014 | Part 3

I had a great experience making a paper speaker at the MT.Elliot Maker Space booth. The middle school girls working at the booth taught a mini-class on how to make a mini-speaker using: a magnet, paper, scotch tape, and a wire coil. We hooked up the coil to a cell phone and amplifier and hear sounds coming through the speaker!

MT.Elliot is a Maker Space in Detroit that challenges children to take apart a donated bicycle. If the child is able to reassemble the bike, it then belongs to him and he can take it home!