The Forever Expanding Diaper

Creating wonder is all a part of science.

The forever expanding diaper was another lesson for us, testing our prior knowledge and providing us a chance to make hypotheses and experimenting to explore, explain, and evaluate our thinking. Why do we assume that the diaper can only hold as much as a baby can dispense from it's body?

More and more I've been exploring my inquisitive side. My mind has been open to questions I've never even thought to ask before. After pouring five full cups of water into this diaper, I wondered if it would ever get full. Once I was prompted to tear the outer layer of the diaper apart, I saw that the inside of the diaper wasn't filled with cotton. Instead, it consisted of small, translucent orbs called "polymers"--a word that our professor scaffolded for us. The water didn't leak because the polymers changed and expanded to absorb the water. Later on, a few of my classmates tried putting salt on the polymers. It dehydrated the polymers and released the water! I thought about how I would approach this in a classroom with young students. I thought about the vocabulary we would have to focus on and what other concepts I could relate and build on to add depth to the students' understanding of cause and effect. 

"We're doing what?"

Today's theme in our science methods class was "A Day at the Ocean." My professor tied the lesson into a story she told about her experiences with the ocean; demonstrating a step in the process of teaching science and its connection to our personal lives. I've learned in the past two weeks that everything "science" should be as hands-on as possible. Which leads me to the picture below. We first started with a brainstorm about what we already knew about these creatures. Then we were able to ask some questions on our own--a few things to keep in mind and explore later on. My classmates and I had the opportunity of dissecting a squid and learning about the distinct characteristics and anatomy of the squid. All the while, we used our senses to get a full grasp of what we were learning about. The squid's smell out of the container was the first trigger. I wasn't bothered by the smell because my mom often cooks seafood. We used our sight and sense of touch to examine and observe the uses of each of its body parts. As my partner proceeded in cutting the upper body of the squid to reveal its organs, we discovered that it was a female! How, you ask? We had a pictorial representation of the squid's anatomy on hand to compare the two. Like other species, females provide the EGGS for squid reproduction to occur.  The squid's egg sac was located at the very tip of it's body. Afterwards we cleaned off the body and prepped the squid for cook; ultimately, we had to fulfill the last sensation: taste.  I believe the planning for this lesson was creative. It tested a few people's perspectives of handling un-living creatures. It built upon skills that we already held, and was a new experience for several of my classmates who didn't the luxury of dissecting any animals in high school. 

Thank you to Ms. Squid for unwillingly committing her anatomy to science :)

I look back on my own experiences from elementary school science projects. The only hands-on experiment I can remember is dissecting owl pellets. The reality of it is, through that hands-on experience, taking apart the owl pellets, finding the bones inside, and really painting a picture for myself of "why" and "how" this occurred. What was I dissecting? It was an owl version of a hairball, except the pellet (of the prey's remains) was an object from the owl's body. It disposed of it because it couldn't digest fur and bones.  Thinking back to high school, I didn't get to dissect a real frog, but we had worksheets where we could reconstruct the inside of the frog. There was also a supplemental website that had virtual frog dissecting, but that was back when the internet was not as prominent and utilized by every person in the world. I wasn't familiar with the technology, nor was I guided to use it. Knowing what I know now, when I approach science lessons in the upcoming weeks, I will make sure that the activities are hands-on, and the concepts are concrete and tangible in order for the students to make connections to what they are doing.

First Day Reflection

Yesterday began my first class on science methods for K-8 teaching. As I read through the text and engaged in the activities during class, I was invigorated by the potential! What I mean by "potential," is the vast amount of opportunities I see in my everyday settings, and in the classroom, where I can apply what I am learning. The major focus in this class is teaching students based on inquiry. The process is simple, but the outcomes are enormous! I read three articles, "How did you do that?" "Inquirize your Teaching," and "Young Questioners," all which relate to the concept that students learn of science by asking questions, exploring explanations for possible answers, and providing proof as evidence. In this instance, students take an active role in their learning, answering their own questions, sometimes with the guidance of a third party (such as a teacher).

I look back on my own experiences with learning. In general, I wished that more teachers approached instruction this same way, providing me with opportunities to answer my own questions rather than giving me the feeling that there's only one right answer and it can only be found at the back of a textbook. Teaching students the skill of inquiring is a gateway to more knowledge. I learned that this skill isn't only necessary to learn about science, but it can be applied to other subjects taught in school, as well as the real-world.