Science is fun!
I found that the ScienceFix blog http://www.sciencefix.com/ by Darren Fix shows how excellent it can be to have interesting experiments in class.
Mr. Fix is a middle school science teacher who uses to blog to display videos of experiments he has done or plans to do in the classroom. He posts videos showing different chemical reactions that a teacher would be able to reproduce in the classroom. The then gives a short description of the science that forms the basis of the experiment.
It is a useful blog since experiments seem like a wonderful way to introduce hard to grasp concepts in science. If you get the class to conduct an experiment they can prove that the scientific hypothesis in question is correct and true.
Some of the experiments on the site show different ph reactions, different ways to classify and sort matter. There is an experiment where Mr. Fix mixes two liquids to produce a solid and then proves that no mass was lost, or gained in the process. He also has experiments with exploding eggs and one where he lights his hand on fire.
As a former middle schooler I can verify that most kids love explosions and fire and this blog is full of safe experiments that are sure to capture a students attention and perhaps foster a life long interest in science. I am excited to try some of these at home with my kids, but maybe not the fire hand.
Wow, nice find! This is a very helpful blog. I like how he uses videos to demonstrate the experiments. I am sure that some of these experiments would be useful for high school chemistry courses as well as middle school. The fire hand experiment I would guess is very popular for both mid and high school. However, out of the experiments shown on this blog, I would most like to teach the sodium acetate crystallization. Explaining how and why this “hot ice” forms right before their eyes sounds very rewarding. Thanks for sharing this blog with us.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I just checked out Mr. Fix’s science website/blog. It looks pretty fun and interesting. I get the feeling that he loves teaching and is very serious and passionate about his experiments. This is so crucial to students. This kind of dedication is motivational and inspiring. Even though my focus is not in science, I definitely want to watch some of the cool experiments that he has on his site/blog. Visuals and hands on activities are imperative when teaching/learning almost any type of science. I can see why you chose Mr. Fix’s blog! I can really tell how enthusiastic he is and I am sure this enthusiasm is conveyed on to the students and/or fans of his blog.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like this is going to be a great resource for you and many other science teachers. Thanks for sharing it with us! It's always nice to learn about new experiments that will excite the students and really make them think and learn scientific concepts. I want to try some of these experiments just for myself! Especially with experiments that are unusual, it would be a great way to teach the scientific inquiry process. Students can make predictions on something they've never seen before. It'd be like doing real scientific research.
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