The Nature of Science

Science teaching is at it best when it is simplistically elegant in its design. We have been working on the philosophy and nature of science. Science is a way of thinking, the nature and purpose of any science discipline is to create accurate predictions. Data is used to make the graph, the graph creates a line and from the line we can generate a mathematical model for predictions. We are working on how to 'do science' yesterday we developed a laboratory procedure with an understanding that science research starts with an objective and identifies what units that objective possess. Those units are derived from the axis of our graph so by identifying the units we can also determine our dependent and independent axes and therefore the bulk of the research to be conducted. Our breakdown conversations will return to the concepts of research limits and extrapolation of the model beyond what an ethical scientist would conclude.

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Sweet Predictions

We continue to work on developing our scientific literacy and creating procedures to answer the questions we find around us. When presented with two cans of pop with different buoyancies the students quickly determined that the diet had less sugar than the regular cola. We discussed what solutions look like at a molecular level as well as the various ways that concentration could be measured. Students then worked to develop a lab procedure that required us to create a standardization curve of known percent sugar solutions as a function of density and then use that curve to predict the percent sugar concentration in their pop based on the density of the pop they chose. Plenty of new techniques along the way including the standardization scale and pipet work. New concepts were introduced such as solubilities of gases at various temperatures, molecular level concentrations and hot/cold water baths.

Determination of Alloy Composition by specific heats

Simple and elegant data collection to determine the specific heats of both zinc and copper. Students use those values and the specific heat of a bimetallic penny to calculate the relative percentages of each metal in alloy.

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