Teacher Jonathan wanted to make sure he had all the ingredients in place for this experiment. He and mom, Amy, gave me the list so that Jonathan would have all the items he needed to conduct the class experiment. Jonathan and Alex read visuals and set up the table with the following ingredients: baking soda, funnel, vinegar, bottle, and balloon.Jonathan proceeded to instruct his classmates on the sequence of steps needed to complete this experiment.
1) Need to fill the balloon with baking soda
This required cooperation of friends, one to hold the balloon in place while the other poured the baking soda thru the funnel.
2) Pour 1/4 cup of vinegar into the bottle
3) Stretch the balloon over the bottle. Jonathan said "the teacher needs to help here." I gladly obliged.
4) Then carefully bring the balloon up (so that the baking soda is mixed with the vinegar already in the bottle)
5) Stand back and watch what happens???
As an adult one knows that it is the mixture of the two items that created the gas that enlarged the balloon, a fact that was not really emphasized in this experiment.
For me the child initiated excitement, after observing what happened when the ingredients mixed together, that led to more inquiry, and desire to change the experiment and carry it further that was the most exciting!!!
What would happen if we changed the amount of vinegar? We started with 1/4 cup of vinegar? Now how much do we add to change it? Jonathan said: "1/2 cup". What did they think would happen?
Jonathan said: "Maybe it will blow up more.", Alex said: "Maybe if you put it in, it will have so much air it will pop.", Alison said: "If we put more vinegar in it, it's going to get bigger.", Naomi, Jayden, and Becca said it would get bigger too. "Yes, that is really going to happen" said Jonathan.
Stay tuned for the results of our experiments.
I am struck by so many things about this activity. First, that you were responsive to the children's ideas about what the curriculum should be. Then the way you supported them in finding their own expertise in a particular area. What an important piece of their own self concept and for the way they are seen by their peers. And then, of course, to have them plan and carry out a lesson for the rest of the class is amazing. Most kids aren't given the chance to do that until middle school, if ever. I can't wait to see how this unit continues to evolve.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Maria, I see a book in your future!
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