Reflection on Science

I have learned so much about science throughout the semester. I have always known that science is all around us but never really to it to heart or analyze it, until this class. I knew nothing about Physics before this class. I was actually a little frightened when you first told us we were going to do it. Getting into the experiment on the roller coaster, I thought, this isn't bad, I can do this. Once we really got into it, I realized it was much more complicated than I imagined. There were many trials and errors. I thought it would go smoothly but we had to make much modifications. I never realized all of the data it needed to create a roller coaster. Even listening to the dance project, I just thought our bodies did it. I never thought about the physics behind it. All of the findings were baffling, and I have a new found appreciation for physics and a sense of pride and accomplishment for creating our own experiment. The geology section also opened my eyes. We see rocks all around us but never really look at them. I found it so fascinating to learn about the fossils on top of the Sandia. I am not from New Mexico and to learn about all of these fossils surrounding us, even at the Butte is so interesting. I run around telling everyone and they just kind of look at me like OK but I am so happy to know all of these new and interesting facts. Comparing the plates, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc, was also so neat how they pieced together. I have learned so much from this class and am happy to have taken it. I never thought I would learn so much from taking this class.

Hardwood vs Baloney Detection

Hardwood Model:
The hardwood model is like a souped up more accurate version of the scientific method on steroids. I have learned that in this class that using the scientific method is not really accurate or appropriate anymore. The hardwood model always for better and more accurate research. It can be used as a step method to compare your research steps and findings to. One can look at this model to see what step they should take next if they are lost, or further enhance their research. The hardwood model is clear and simple and anyone can use this model.

Baloney Detection:
The Baloney detection is steps that you can use to conduct experiments to see if your own research is legit. It can be more importantly used to make sure others research is accurate and viable. There are many things out there that are not correct and should not just be taken in, but analyzed. This method helps use to debunk fact from fiction.

Both:
I think when conducting research both should be used and taken into consideration. I think students should look at these before, during, and after their experiments. This two methods used together can help them create better research. I think that all scientist should also have to use these before they come out to the public about their experiments. Learning about these two methods has opened my eyes to things I never knew. Becoming a science teacher, I will be able to show students how to use this at a young age, so they will learn how to validate things being learned and not just believing everything they hear. I think this not only will benefit me but students.

How Science Works

1.) For this assignment, I chose to observe the wind.
2.) I wondered how the wind blows, where is it coming from, and why it is blowing so hard.
3.)  a. I observed that the sand is blowing very ferociously.
      b. I observed that my trees are falling down in the same directions, even after I continuously       
          pick them up.
      c. I observed that the sun was still shining, and no storm clouds appeared in the sky.
      d. I observed that boxes were easily being lifted off the ground and into the sky.
      e. I observed there were no birds flying in the sky.
4.) New Mexico weather changes daily, and sometimes even through out the day. In the morning it could
     be sunny and hot and by the end of the day it could be snowing. I believe the constant changes of the
     temperature, causes different metric pressure in the environment, therefore causing there to be wind
     often, and at high force.
5.) a. If the weather stayed consistent more often, than it would likely be less windy.
     b. I think that depending on your location around the mountains, will make a difference in the force of
         wind one is experiencing.
6.) In conclusion, based on the observations that I experienced, I have come to the thought that
      experience with wind is different in every state. In New Mexico we have stronger winds because
      our climate / temperature changes daily, and can be drastic. This effects then in turn, cause higher
      wind forces. The mountains also have an effect of the power of wind, depending on your position to
      the mountains.

Candle Experiment

Experiment carried out by: Emily Kealy, Amethyst Albro and Jessica Gibson

Drawing Out the Idea

Materials needed

2 glasses that are the exact same

1 candle

1 needle

1 lighter

1 knife

Forming a Question

We wanted to know why a candle would have a see-saw effect when lit on both ends.

Carry out the Study

On 2/15/10 we figured out what type of candle works with our experiment.  The candle needs to be balanced on both ends.  We tryed lighting one end of the candle then tapping the other end when lighting it.  The candle did as expected and teetered just like the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u7OwGkWqrk

Then we tryed just burning one side to see if the candle would still teeter.  As soon as we lit the candle it started to move by itself. We started thinking that the candle would eventually flip completely around on its own.  We let it burn for 2 minutes and it never did a complete turn but stood straight up instead.

Next we tryed lighting each side without taping one end to make it go.  Once we lit both sides the teetering began but it wasn't until 1 minute that it began to teeter fastly.  Around 1 minute and 30 seconds it was almost standing up.  We thought it would start to flip but it did not and slowed down around 3 minutes.

To figure out why the candle acted in this matter we decided to measure the mass lost when teetering.  The mass lost was 0.1 gram (approximately 2 drops of wax) to get the candle moving. 

Articulating the Expectation

We found out that the reason for the see-saw effect was because of Newtons third law.  "For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction."  When the wax drops off each side it is lossing a slight amount of mass from each side propeling it to a slight kick back / see - saw move. We can also lokk at it as when wax drops off it creates a slight recoil reaction, similar to when someone jumps off a see-saw.

After Thoughts/ Little Experiment:

We had an idea about the candle becoming a boat after buring for a longer period of time.  We decided to test that and see how long it took to burn into that shape.  After approximately 8 minutes the candle stopped moving.  No boat was made. It just fell apart. This was becasue as each side burned more and more, the candle became shorter and shorter. This caused it to loose so much mass that it did not have enough weight on either end to propel it to move, therefore causing it to completely stop.

How does this compare with the Harwood model?
What is implied by the Baloney Detection Kit?
What about the Harwood model?
How close do these two represent what's happening?



                                                                     Hardwood model

Questions for Word Analysis

First 20 Observations

Two toned blue with a third blue at the tip, striped, threaded material in the middle of the tip, smooth, slender, 5 inches long, circulas, unsented, 1/5 inch thick, hard, has a slight glaze, light weight, can be melted, nonedible, looks like a crayon, two same sized strips one bigger last largest, horizontal stripes, scratched up, middle is white, top and bottom are curved.

Second 20 set of Observations

               (after being burned and cut)
4.5 grams, it's light, it floats, does not stand alone, breakable, rolls, heat makes it flexible, string rins to the bottom, materials crumble when cut off, waterproof, thread turns black when lit, when flame is blown out it smokes, when lit size decreases, nonabsorbant, volume is 5 ML, burns, total amount of dark blue is 1 3/4 inch light blue is 3 inches, drips blue when burned, weighs less when burned.


What do they have in common?
                One the first go round, they have a lot of similarities. They have a lot of physical descriptions of how it looks, many adjectives and prepositions were used.
One the second go round after finding a second set of twenty descriptions, these descriptions were still similar by using the senses and descriptions of color, though these ones seemed to have more action by using verbs, to describe things that were done to it.
Are there any unique observations?
                Some of the unique descriptions that were used to describe it are birthday stripes, fragile, holes, volume, and strawberry.
What senses were used?
                 There were many senses used, in fact all but one were used. It seemed most of us used, touch, sight, smell, even listening. Taste was the only one not used.
What tools were used?
                 Many tools were used for our observations. We used a lighter to light it, a scale to weigh it, water to see if it floated, grid paper to measure it, a beaker to get the volume, and a knife to cut it.

RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms

Link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

1) What questions does this raise for you as a human being going through the education system?
              Am I being taught appropriately?
              Will there be jobs for us with the economy?
              Could I bet taught better / more efficiently/ more modernly?
             
2) What questions does this raise for you as a Educator going through the education system?
              Maybe we should look at what we are teaching our children.
              Maybe we should go to the school boards and find different / better ways for the children                   to become intrigued.
              Maybe we should incorporate more technology into every subject to evolve with the changing                   times

3) What questions does this raise for you as a Scientist going through the education system?
             Are we inappropriately drugging our children?
             Are we miss diagnosing them?
             Should we incorporate more technology in the schools?