circuits

4th Grade explored making circuits today!

We learned a circuit needs three things:

• A power source (we used batteries)
• A pathway for electrons (we used alligator clips)
• A load or user (we used bulbs, motors, and buzzers)

There are two types of circuits parallel and series.
We created each type and used circuit symbols to draw each.

A series circuit only has one pathway for electricity to flow.

If one bulb is removed, the other bulb will go out (think about old Christmas lights!)

A parallel circuit has more than one pathway for electricity to flow.

If one bulb is removed the other bulb will stay lit because electricity have another path to get there!

Try these interactive circuit resources for challenges and practice!

Building a circuit from Engineering Interact.org

Experimenting with circuits from Engineering Interact.org

(you need flash)

Building a series circuit from British Energy


Building a parallel circuit from British Energy

Playing with circuits from the BBC

The Water Cycle

Today Kindergarten Explored the Water Cycle!  

The water cycle

Have them show you with hand motions showing how water continues to be reused and recycled.

We explored how water turns into an invisible gas in the sun by drawing with water.  This is called evaporation.

Then we looked at a cup full of ice and noticed that water from the air condensed into drops on the outside.  This is called condensation.

Then we watched the drops fall down on the cup and make a ring of water.  This is called precipitation.

To use the whole cycle, we created a cloud.

First we evaporated hot water.

Then we put dust in for water to stick to.

Then we cooled the water by putting ice on top.  This caused condensation onto the dust particles and the bottom of the cup.

Then we watched the cloud form in the jar.  The cup and jar began to precipitate!

Of course we had to let the cloud loose and enjoyed watching it rise out of the jar.

This is a great science song about the water cycle
Water Cycle by Mr. Davies on School Tube

You can create a virtual water cycle at Southeast Water.
Virtual Water Cycle


Here is a fun activity to try at home

WATER CYCLE HOME DEMONSTRATION 

Materials:

• dixie cup or other small container
• ziplock
• water

Procedure:
Put an inch of water in the dixie cup.
Put the dixie cup in a ziplock and close it tightly.
Set the ziplock with the cup of water in the sun on a hot day. Go play for awhile and come back to check on it.

Observations:

Did the water leave the cup?  If it was warm enough, the water evaporated (turned into a gas.)  Then when the air inside the bag couldn't hold any more water, it condensed and precipitated! 


Explanation: 
With the heat of the sun, the water evaporates from the cup and turns into water vapor (an invisible gas you can't see.)  It rises then condenses on the inside of the bag into little water droplets. These droplets eventually precipitate down to the bottom of the bag.  Now you have created your very own water cycle.


Make a cloud in a different way!

You can also make a cloud by changing the pressure!  When you change pressure you change the temperature.  For this cloud use rubbing alcohol fumes (only with a parent!) for the dust (blue food coloring is in the alcohol.)

Fronts

Today 5th Graders learned about fronts and air masses and fronts.  An air mass is just a body of similar air.

A front is when two air masses meet.

A cold front is when the cold mass moves toward the warm air mass.  Since the cold air mass is more dense (slow moving particles) it moves under the warm air mass.

A warm front is when the warm air mass rises and moves over the cold air mass. The warm mass rises because warm air is less dense (the particles are spread out from moving quickly.)

Here is an example of a warm front.

Our experiment consisted of making a cold front.  We had to use water as a model for our air (since air is invisible!)  Watch as the cold "air" mass moves under our warm "air" mass.

Here is a fun activity for you to try using what you know about hot and cold "air."
underwater volcano from Southeast Missourian

For additional information on forecasting the weather, look at 
weather wiz kids.com

5th Graders don't forget to study for the Science Bee over break!
I will add new weather questions by Friday.
Science Bee Page

Static Electricity!

4th Graders had an electric experience today as we explored static electricity.  It was.....

Electrifying!

When two different substances rub together, one of them gives its electrons to the other (depending on what each is made out of.)    When electrons move, the substances become changed.

When you rub a plastic spoon with a bag, the spoon transfers electrons to the bag.  Electrons have a negative charge, so the bag becomes negative.  Since the spoon loses electrons (negatives) it becomes positive. 

When a spoon is rubbed with wool, the wool gives its electrons to the spoon.  The spoon becomes negative and the wool becomes positive.

When the charged ends of the spoon are brought together, they work a lot like magnets as long as there isn't too much friction.  Likes repel, and opposites attract.  We hung the spoons off the desks and watched them spin!

Check out our Van de Graaff machine!  The machine uses belts and different substance to rub the electrons off and make a positively charged dome.  The styrofoam balls are attracted at first (neutral is attracted to charged).  Once the electrons are taken from the styrofoam balls, they become positive and styrofoam balls fly off.  All of this happens quickly.

Electrons will transfer from you too if you touch the machine.  Shocking!

We also polarized a can.  When you polarize an object, the electrons are not transferred, they just move within the object.  To start this, we rubbed styrofoam on the carpet which DID transfer elections to the styrofoam.  We put a can on the styrofoam.  The can becomes polarized (the electrons don't transfer, they just separate and move away from the negatively charge styrofoam.)

Then when you touch one wire of the static light (filled with neon) to the top of the can, the electrons flow through the wire to your hand!

Now the can is positively charged!  If you lift the can it will gather electrons from the air surrounding and become neutral again.  Then you can place it back on the styrofoam and do it again!  One class had a record of 100 times their light worked!

Check out this site which explores static electricity at Interactive Plasma Physics Education Experience.

interactive static activity

Family Fun has some simple experiments you can try at home!

Family Fun experiments

Science of Light

Science is Illuminating

Today 3rd graders learned that light travels in a straight line.  You can demonstrate this with a flashlight and a little dust in the air.

When light hits a new substance it might bend or bounce!

We tested this out with water and a Popsicle stick.  It looked like the stick was bent, but it was just light bending when it went from air to water.  Water slows light down so it changes direction.  We also made a penny disappear using refraction!

We explored reflection while bouncing a light off of two (or even more) mirrors to hit a target!

White light is actually made up of all the colors of the rainbow, just ask Roy G. Biv

We used special glasses to break up white light, but you could use a prism, a CD, bubbles or even a garden hose to see this!

Really, only Roy G. Biv's initials are needed to make white light.  Red, green, and blue light are the primary colors which combine to make white light.  We used our red, green, and blue lights to make white light on our desks.

Reflection also tells our eyes what color an object is.  If an object is blue, it will absorb all the colors of light EXCEPT blue.  Blue is reflected to our eye.

White light touches the object, only blue light is reflected, the rest of the light colors are absorbed.

White light touches a red object, and the red light is reflected.

White light touches the object, but only green light is reflected.

A white object reflects all of the colors, so we see white.

A black object absorbs all the light (including some we can't see).
That is why you are hot when you wear a black shirt on a hot day!

Interestingly, if you shine a green light on a red shape it looks black (because there is no red light to reflect and the object absorbs the green light.)  

We explored a shape of a mystery color and used different colors of light to find out what color the shape was!

Try your hand at moving mirrors in this fun activity from Science Kids (click on the link below.)  There is also a game called Khet you can buy which uses this same concept.
Mirror activity

The University of Cambridge Department of Engineering also has a game you can use your light knowledge to arrest an alien!
Engineering and Light

Air Pressure

We all have so much pressure on us!  

Actually we have 14 p.s.i. (pounds per square inch.)  That means every square (with sides only equal to one inch) on our body has almost 15 lbs pushing on it!  Fifteen pounds is pretty heavy, just ask the bucket holder of the day!

When air pressure changes, amazing things can happen!  It can make your Pringles lid bulge,  prevent or cause storms, cause people to need oxygen masks, vacuum your carpet, make a plane fly, and squish a can.

Here are some ways to decrease air pressure:

- Get air moving quickly in one direction.  This causes lift which allows planes to fly and us to lift a paper by blowing on top!

We moved air with a balloon pump.  What will happen in this experiment?

-Heat air up.  This causes the particles to spread out so there are less particles to push.

-Take a hike!  The higher above see level you are, the less particles there are to push on you (and to breathe in.)

I can't breathe well on top of this mountain!

Today we used air pressure to smash a can.

First we got a can, put a little water in it.

Then, we heated the can on a hot plate.

The molecules heat up and move faster.  They have more pushing power moving faster, so the pressure is equal inside the can and out.

Next we took tongs and turned it upside down cold water sealing off the opening.

Because the few molecules left in the can quit moving quickly (because they got cold), they didn't push on the can as strongly.  The pressure inside the can was less then the outside air pressure.  The outside air pressure crunched the can!

Watch a video of our demonstration!

Now watch Steve Spangler crush a 55 gallon drum!

Here is an easy experiment from Science With Kids you can try at home.  It is similar to the one of the wet tub experiments we did at school today.

Air pressure experiment

Science Night

Last Science Night of the Year Tonight!

Science Nights wrap up for the year at Park Village Elementary Kindergarteners attended the last science night of the year at Park Village. This year Park Village had the highest attendance yet with over 625 students experiencing hands on science. I have embedded an old clip showing one of our past science nights 
on the news.

 I would like to thank all of the volunteers who spent countless hours folding, cutting, counting gummy bears, drying cups, and keeping their table together before switching stations. They are the ones who truly make science night run smoothly. I would also like to thank the Park Village Elementary Foundation for the financial support it provides to make science night and science labs possible. Thank you also to the parents who take their time and energy to bring their children out after a long day and also who contribute to our Foundation. 

I want to take this opportunity to welcome Shannon Nellies. As you may know, this is my last year coordinating the science lab and nights at Park Village. Shannon has dedicated her time and energy this year to shadowing and helping the Park Village Lab and Grade Level Science Nights. She is an incredible teacher with endless enthusiasm about science. I am honored to pass the program on to such a competent and dedicated person. Shannon was a 6th grade teacher (where she was in charge of her grade level's science rotation) before becoming a mom. She has a kindergartener, 2nd grader, and 5th grader. I am confident your children will increase their knowledge and love science under her guidance.