The Scientific Method

Here are some fun posters relating to the Scientific Method. Posters like these are available from a number of teaching resource stores and websites.

Our Science Project for the 2013 science night at our school!

Our science project was a big hit on Science Night!  Here's the text of our display: 

The Penny Experiment

  

Observations:

“I observed that pennies get dirty and sticky.”

       --RJH and VG

“Dirty pennies may confuse the cashier.”

       --OJ

“When they get stuck in my backpack they get smelly.”

       --SG

“I observed that if pennies get left in the dark they get dirty or rusty.”

       --MM

Questions:  What will happen if we place a penny in different liquid solutions:  water, salt water, carbonated water, lemon juice, vinegar, or vinegar with salt?  Which solution would best clean a penny?

Hypotheses:  

“I think some liquids would be different than other liquids.  I think vinegar would make it dirty.”

                                         --MQ

“I think that certain liquids will change the pennies differently.  I think the water will make it shiny.”

                                         --OJ

“I think that certain liquids will change the penny differently.” 

                                         --JW

“When I put the penny in the lemon juice, I think the lemon juice will make the penny dirty.”

                                         --MM

“I think when I put the vinegar and salt together, it will explode.”

                                         --HC & ZL

“I think when I put the penny in the water it will rust.”

                                         --AO

“I think that certain liquids will change the penny differently.  I think that the liquids have different minerals in them.”

                                         --RJH

“I think the acid will explode.”

                                         --OS

“I think that when H puts the salt into the vinegar, it will make the whole school explode.”

                                         --BA

“I think the lemon juice won’t clean the pennies.”

                                         --MP

 Experimental Procedure:

“We researched items that could clean pennies such as Pelligrino bubbly water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt water, plain water, or vinegar and salt (HCl).”

       --R and IEH

“We put pennies in test tubes with solutions and observed what happened.”

       --OS and TO

“We put pennies in test tubes.”

       --BW

Materials:

·     Test tubes or clear cups

·     Pennies

·     Tap water

·     Carbonated (“bubby”) water

·     Vinegar

·     Salt

·     Lemon juice

·     Eye droppers

 Conclusions:

“To me the plain water didn’t do anything.  HCl made the penny really shiny like a new penny.”

              --MM

“Salt water cleaned the penny a little.”

              --MC

“Vinegar – made the penny shiny.”

              --MP

“Lemon juice made penny shiny.”

              --KC

“Penny in HCl – it made pennies shiniest.  Penny in bubbly water – made penny darker.”

              --ZM

“I thought the water and salt wouldn’t stick to the penny – it did.” 

              --MQ

“For my penny, the vinegar got it shiny and clean.  The water got the penny rusty.”

              --LR

“A penny in water made the dirt come off.”

              --JT

“Penny in water – cleaned off dirt.”

--AB

“A penny in bubbly water dyed the penny black.”

              --BA

“Penny in Pellegrino made penny darker.

              --AO and AM

“Penny in bubbly water – made penny darker.”

              --SCi

“Penny in water – cleaned off dirt.”

              --OJ

“Salt water – made penny clearer.”

              --HC

Lindsay Wildlife Museum- Walnut Creek, CA

The Lindsay Wildlife Museum has one of the nation's first and largest wildlife rehabilitation hospitals.    The museum also has a virtual exhibit where children can soar like a raptor over Mt. Diablo.  I really want to take my son to see the honeybee exhibit as his uncle did beekeeping for fun in Michigan.  This museum is a local treasure, and they also have Larkey Park which is a fun place for children of all ages to run around and picnic.

I'd love to have a veterinarian come in to our class as the "Big Cheese."

Resources:

Lindsay Wildlife Museum
wildlife-museum.org
Current hours (These change depending on the season)
Wednesday through Friday 12PM-5PM
Saturday and Sunday 10AM-5PM