Magnetic Putty and Slime: A K-12 Classroom Idea

What if you could control the flow of slime across a table? What if your Silly Putty could curve toward, then stick to the side of the refrigerator?

I just read about magnetic putty on Instructables, an online network for tinkerers and inventors. Looks like tons of fun. I thought that teachers might want to make some for demos and class activities. Also, the comments at Instructables offer many ideas for potential science fair projects. The link is: http://www.instructables.com/id/magnetic-silly-putty/?skipPro=true&sourcea=comment&newComment=true#replyCN7GBA4GOOP5C7K

Check with a high school chemistry teacher for some safety suggestions, but if the kids do not ingest the putty, wear goggles and masks (bandannas or scarves are fine) so they do not get iron dust in their eyes or breath it in, and you get the coarser powder, it should be plenty safe for elementary and junior high kids. (Read this essay of mine--I taught HS chemistry for years--about Elementary School Science Safety; follow the links to other essays on safety.)
The fractal flame is "White Veil" ©Valerie Coskrey, 2009, all rights reserved.

The need for the safety precautions are especially important if students mix their own. Warning, fine iron dust is flammable and a spark can set it afire. If you buy the iron (II) oxide from a chemical supply company, the finely ground powder must be kept away from an open flame and any sparks. Keep it out of drafts as it blows into the air easily.

In fact, this iron powder is one of the chemicals that teachers blow into candles to make the flame get larger and brighter and sparkly.

I would love it if you, Teachers, had your students suggest experiments with this silicone putty + ferric oxide. Tell me about it in a comment--or have them do so. If you do try it with slime, I would like to know about that, too. I would really like to have a list of science fair ideas in a set of comments.

You can get the needed chemicals from Amazon.com.
Don't forget your safety supplies!

Why Teach with Science Fiction

I have posted 10 reasons for using science fiction to teach science to the blog Reading for the Future Reflections.

The article is based on a paper I co-wrote years ago, but is still relevant today.

There are many books on the value of Science Fiction. Of interest to school teachers are the works of Julie Czerneda that offer lessons on teaching with science fiction.
Search Amazon.com for czernadaStardust: Teacher's Guide (Tales from the Wonder Zone)
also 
Odyssey: Teacher's Guide (Tales from the Wonder Zone) and Packing Fraction &_Other Tales of Science &_Imagination (2002 publication)

More lessons and thoughts on using all types of speculative fiction with students k-12 are presented on the blog Reflections and in my website. Feel free to explore that webpage for more teaching tips.

Try Past through Tomorrow for Heinlein' short stories that are guaranteed to interest youth. There there is Wondrous Beginnings, an anthology of authors' first works. Mostly short stories that should interest your young adult readers. From Piper is Federation and from Asimov is  everything he wrote.

Teaching Science with Theories

Why do we science teachers teach theories in science?

"Facts and evidence" are important for one to know so that students have some practical knowledge about the world. But the meaning of "facts and evidence" is what allows students to predict "what will happen if...?" and how to make and use technology to get the job done. Theories are the framework that give the "facts and evidence" meaning so that predictions can be made more accurately and so that technology that works can be produced.

In modern science, students are expected to learn both facts and theories for a more complete understanding of what we currently know about the universe--especially our world; and to more effectively predict what will happen in our world and be caused by our interactions with it.

Man has come a long way since nature's response to man's activities was considered magic or curse or blessing. It is the theories of science, even the ones that have been replaced with better theories, that have brought us to our current state of understanding of "cause and effect" in all realms of science and human endeavor and to our current state of technological achievement.

Think about the power of the Germ Theory in curing disease. Think about the Theory of Relativity in space travel and faster cars; the Electromagnetic Theory of light in developing lasers; the Atomic Theory is making plastics and MEMS and computers; and, yes, the "Theory of Evolution" in establishing principles of ecology and sustainability and in designing programs that will allow man to maintain society/civilization in response to the changes in the biosphere that are coming as the result of global warming.

I say teaching theories is a good thing.

Read a previous post on theories for a partial list of scientific theories.

Read some of my thoughts on responding to the results of global warming.

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I just read a blog post and its comments. That inspired me to comment back. The above is what I had to say about presenting scientific theories in the science classroom (k-12). Another reader had commented that today "facts and evidence" were being replaced by theories in the science classroom, or something to that effect. So here I am on my soapbox again.

New SpringWidget: UCTV Teacher's PET

Visit the Widget Gallery

I'll be writing about these programs from time to time. Meanwhile, enjoy the shows. The webpages have podcast links &/or ways to watch the streaming videos. These videos are geared towards teachers and faculty as professional development. They are entertaining and perfectly suitable for homeschool parents to stay up to date on educational practice.

Later!

Valerie

Get these Resources on Global Warming!

The Planet 1-4 are important documentaries showcasing evidence for Global Warming and some of the cultural change that this phenomenon has already wrought. They are useful for high school and homeschool. They do have a political message, but it is one shared by many in the field of ecology and biology today: Global Warming is here.

Link TV is currently showing the 4-part series The Planet, which look for evidence for Global Warming. It airs several times this week including at 12:00 noon EST beginning Tuesday, 3/3/08, with Part 1 and ending Friday, 3/6/08, with Part 4. It is also shown in the middle of the night for those of you who, like me, record things during the sleeping hours; and at other times during the week. Get the schedule.

I watched The Planet 1 this past Sunday. The presentation this week runs 90 minutes because it is interspersed with interviews and Link TV fund-raising announcements.

And such interviews! Peter Coyote interviewed several scientists and authors this past Sunday, including Kim Stanley Robinson and William Steffen. Each have books and talks about the politics and science of Global Warming. The interviews are as interesting and informative as the documentary. I highly recommend that you catch the showing of The Planet this week to be sure to see the interviews.

I tried to locate The Planet documentaries for purchase, but could not find it at Amazon. Maybe later. I did find the books by Steffen and Robinson that are part of the gift package that Link TV was giving for a $300.00 donation. If you want to give less, as I did, but still want the books, they are available at Amazon. I offer them here.

The non-fiction books I recommend as references for student reports. These are the books by Steffen.

Concerning the books by Kim Stanley Robinson, these are fictional accounts of what could happen in the very near future. Robinson offers knowledgeable scenarios of the the individual and governmental responses to this looming crisis. Critiques of the books are on the Amazon pages. I offer links to the more informative ones that I deem useful for teachers and homeschool parents. These critiques mention the concepts covered in the book and will prove helpful in lesson planning.

Furthermore, the book review of one of the books in the trilogy by a school librarian publication, Library Journal Reveiw, indicates that these books are appropriate for use with youth. I haven't yet read them, but I think they will be safe. I believe the ones I have read--Red Mars and Green Mars, both on the terraforming and colonization of Mars by Robinson--are safe enough.

Read these informative critiques on the book that let teachers know what topics are covered so these books can be used in the classroom. The Library Journal review on the book page of Forty Days of Rain implies that the book is suitable for a high school library.

• Discussion of the science, politics, and readabiliy of the book
• Sixty Days and Counting


• Fifty Degrees Below

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Read more about Link TV and some of its offerings at Valerie's Memos later this week and, of course, at the Link TV website itself.