Square Melons & Coming Up with New Ideas

If you've ever had to cut a melon, you will know it is not the easiest food to slice up for a snack.

Innovators have come up with a simple solution. They found a way to grow a square melon. 

Design thinking - creative strategies designers use to consider issues and solve problems while creating new ideas  

Solutions to problems like these seem so simple, yet are so effective.  Getting into the mind of people who design new things could be useful to us as students learning about science and engineering.  

Professors at Yale University Barry Nalebuff and Ian Ayres believe that taking problems and flipping them 180 degrees to the opposite of reality is one way to come up with radical new ideas that lead to innovation today's world. 

Over half of the process of making new things is in the coming-up-with-ideas phase.  If we aren't feeling out the needs of the people who will use a product and don't understand the problem we can't think of useful and innovative solutions.  

In class we will begin our unit on design by discussing how teams of people work together to come up with new ideas that people want and need.  Students will be involved in an activity called the "Bad Idea Factory."  In this activity they will be asked to come up with as many bad ideas as they can in a set amount of time.  Through this activity we discuss what it means to come up with new ideas and how we can "ideate" more effectively in groups.

Thanks to Mr. Farren for sharing the Nalebuff, Ayers article

Presentations: 3 Ways to Add Impact

Steve Jobs transformed the world of computing and mobile communications.  It is clear that Mr. Jobs had the ability to make a true impact on his audience.  Watch any Apple unveiling event, and you can see the art of presentation at its best.

Image: Cult of Mac

When giving a presentation you want to impact your audience with the most important information.  You worked hard to find this information.  Your goal is to get your audience to clearly understand and maybe even take action on some you are presenting.

But how can we add the more impact to our presentations?

There are many ways.  Here are 3 ideas that can transform a presentation into something that could have a lasting impact:

1. The Way You Look Impacts Your Audience: YOU are the most important feature of your presentation, not your slides.  What you wear should match the style of your presentation.  Keep a good energy with your audience and positive body language throughout the presentation.  Think of a Steve Jobs Apple presentation.  If you know and believe in your main idea, show it in how you present yourself in front of your audience.  



Image: humberlife.com

2. Images Carry More Impact Than Text:  Less is more. Visuals make it almost 7 times more likely that someone will remember your presentation.  Also, research shows people can't read your slides and listen closely at the same time.  Think of the main idea you are trying to present and allow your images, graphs or words on the screen to support this. 

   

   Image: PowToon

3. Stories Make Impact: Focus on the story you want to tell.  Find a clear beginning, middle, and end that builds to a conclusion.  Thinking of your presentation as a story is not only a great way to stay organized, but a great way to engage your audience.    

   

   Image: Wienot Films

Experiment Design: Writing a Procedure Design Tips

There are many ways to write a method or procedure.  The main point of any procedure is to help your audience repeat steps that have been found to be effective.  Even the best procedures can be understood differently from different people.  Some procedures are more important than others.  Consider the consequences for giving a child medicine incorrectly.  Let's look at some of the design tips for a good procedure.

Source: netdoctor.cdnds.net

Number every step.

Put the steps in the order in which they should be done. 

This makes sense, since you want the reader to do the steps in the right order. This technique eliminates the dreaded “do this after you do that” problem, which is where sequencing comes in. We’ll talk about that later.

Use command-style sentences that begin with a verb, such as “do this” and “open that.” 

If you use “you should” or “you might,” the reader may think there is another way to what you’re describing. Even worse, if you use passive voice—”will be copied” or “will be opened”—the reader may not be able to tell what to do and what happens automatically. When you use verbs to tell someone what to do you are using "imperative verbs."  These are the best for procedures.

Use one action per step. 

Example from child's medicine bottle:

1. shake well before opening
2. find right amount in the chart below
3. remove the bottle cap
4. insert the syringe and fill to dose level
5. disperse liquid slowly into child's mouth
6. repeat dose every 4 hours if needed
   source: Tylenol.com

Use the phrase "repeat steps..." when possible

Avoid repeating the same thing with one different item.  See examples below:

Example:

1. Heat 3 amounts of at least 300 ml of water to 20, 50 and 70 degrees celsius
2. Measure 300 ml of tap water
3. Pour carefully into a 500 ml beaker
4. Place 3 drops of food coloring into the beaker 1 cm from the surface
5. Repeat steps 1-4 with each temperature liquid

Instead of:

1. Measure 300 ml of 20 degree water
2. Pour carefully into a 500 ml beaker
3. Place 3 drops of food coloring into the beaker 1 cm from the surface
4. Measure 300 ml of 50 degree water
5. Pour carefully into a 500 ml beaker
6. Place 3 drops of food coloring into the beaker 1 cm from the surface
7. Measure 300 ml of 70 degree water
8. Pour carefully into a 500 ml beaker
9. Place 3 drops of food coloring into the beaker 1 cm from the surface

Feedback

Consider asking someone to read your procedure. If it is your own procedure you may think you are explaining something well, but leave something important from your set of steps.  Ask the person to identify places in the procedure that are not clear and then revise those places and make them more clear.

Works cited:

Edgerton, Rebecca N. "The 'How To' of How To's: Writing Procedures Like a Pro." The “How To” of “How To’s”: Writing Procedures Like a Pro (n.d.): n. pag. The “How To” of “How To’s”: Writing Procedures Like a Pro. Oregon State, 22 May 2000. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.
"Designing Experiments."LabCheck : Improving Your Lab Report. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.

"Welcome to the Purdue OWL."Purdue OWL: Writing in Psychology: Experimental Report Writing. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.

 

Chem Experiments: Writing about an experiment

After doing an experiment a report shows your thinking about the experience.  A good report will show your thinking before, during and after the experiment.

The audience is more than your teacher.  Think of this report as a formal document that reports to the scientific community.  The best writers find a way to report on the facts in a clear, organized way.  These writers are good at reflecting and suggesting new ways to do this experiment in the future.

The following documents are meant to help you to organize and clarify your thinking.

Project Progress Spreadsheet - Keep track of your progress here (sign in as member of AISB to access)

Lab report form - Organized into sections with guidelines for each

Report feedback rubric - Feedback on how to you are meeting reporting standards

Example of a finished lab report - Thank you Emma K.
Example student lab report in progress - Thanks Kyungchan M.!
Example lab report - Example using experiment on temperature and molecule movement

Water Cycle

Create a model, diagram, or experiment that shows an understanding of your unit vocabulary. Your final product must also show an understanding of the following unit goals.

Show the different ways water cycles through the land, ocean and atmosphere. (Unit goal 3) 

Explain the forces that drive the movement of water throughout the earth. (Unit goal 4)

Feel free to use any resources you can find. A list of student-selected resources can be found in the unit goals & resources page.

Logger Lite

We use the application Logger Lite to graph the temperature changes in our labs this unit.

Please download this software onto your Mac or PC.

Mac Download
PC Download

Class Friday, September 27

Use our class time today to get involved in the following activities:

1. Consider design thinking - Take some time to look over this diagram, how could it be helpful to us in the class this year?

   

   Design Thinking Can Help Us Make Things People Want

2. Get feedback from classmates and post to Twitter on the notebook
3. Mr. Farren's Portal Feedback Form
4. Mr. Scanga's Survey on Class so Far
5. Look at new unit goals (below), consider ideas for designing an experiment/graphic/movie for next unit
6. Give feedback or ideas on Google Moderator to classmates ideas for experiment/project for next unit

Finish Portal - Paste Link

Find your class with tabs at the bottom and paste your link into this spreadsheet. You are expected to have the 6th Grade Academic Calendar tab, links to Veracross and to all of your teacher's pages. Other links are optional, but could make your portal more useful.

Portal Google Image Search

Creating an AISB Portal

Last week we had a great start to our work on our Portal.

We used Blogger to make a space to help us organize all our links.

Feel free to take some time at home to add links to your portal.  The more links you add, the more useful your blog will be to you this year.

Check out the Portal Creation Help Sheet and see Mr. Scanga or Mr. Farren if you need any help at all.

Portal help sheet gives checklist and examples to help you create your blog

Lesson 5 - How can we tell that a change is chemical and not physical?

Lesson goal:  

You should be able to list the clues that scientists use to know if a chemical change takes place or if the change is just a physical change.

Materials needed: 

Signs of Physical and Chemical Change notes sheet, pencil

Lesson Steps:

1. Listen to this Jing - Evidence/Clues to Chemical Reaction & Homework Night 3
2. Explore headings on pages 81-84 in textbook, hard copies of this book are available in class.
3. Watch videos in this slideshow, use the box on each slide and pick the clues that match the reaction.  Answers to each reaction is found later in the slideshow.
4. Using book, fill out Signs of Physical and Chemical Change notes organizer
5. Share ideas with class

Measuring your learning:  

You will know you are understanding if you can think of at least two ways that show that a chemical change took place.  You will also show you understand this by investigating this for your chemical reaction.  Evidence of a chemical reaction will go on your final project.  

No homework, unless you still haven’t found your chemical formula for your project

Lesson 4 - What are the reactants & products in our chemical reactions?

Lesson goal: 

As a group you should be able to find the chemical formula for the reactants and products for each person your group.  Please understand that some reactions are much harder to find/understand than others, do your best, and email Mr. Scanga with questions.

Materials needed: 

Chemical Reaction Slide Spreadsheet, 1 laptop per group (5 groups)

Lesson steps:

1. Didn’t watch last class?  Watch this BrainPop Chemical Equations un: aisbudapest pw: brainpop
2. Get into groups (Find groups color coded on spreadsheet)  6.1   6.2   6.3   6.4   
3. Look at each person in group’s work from last night
4. Together, search for formulas that include both the reactants and products for each group member (Ex: 2Na+Cl2 ⇢ 2 NaCl)
5. One person email Mr. Scanga questions from group make sure to cc: your group members in this email, see example of what I mean

Measuring your learning:  

Your learning here may not be your own reaction, but you should be able to see that all reactions have things in common.  You can measure your learning by being able to explain some of the things that all reactions have in common.

No homework, unless your group was not able to figure out your chemical formula in class

Lesson 3 - What are examples of chemical & physical change?

Lesson goal: 

Share ideas about chemical and physical changes with each other to:

a.) deepen understanding of a chemical/physical change

b.) create a list of chemical changes to use on your Chemical Reaction Project
Materials needed: 

Chemical/physical change notes organizer, pencil

Lesson steps:

1. Look at examples from the night before and discuss using comments:       
   6.1   6.2   6.3   6.4   
   
2. Finish filling in Chemical/Physical notes organizer
3. Check organizer as a class
4. Watch this Jing - Homework Night 2
5. Extra time? Watch this BrainPop Chemical Equations un: aisbudapest pw: brainpop

Measuring your learning: 

You should be able to explain the difference between a chemical and physical change in your own words with examples.

Homework: 2 parts

Part 1: Pick a chemical reaction to research.  Each student in class must pick a different chemical reaction.  

Part 2: Look on internet for the products and reactants.  If you can’t find them after 10-15 minutes, wait for class tomorrow.

You must choose a CHEMICAL reaction not a physical change.

Lesson 2 - How are chemical and physical changes different? (1 period, 10-15 minutes of homework)

Lesson goal: 

You should be able to tell the main differences between a chemical change and a physical change, then to show you understand give examples of both chemical and physical changes.

Materials needed: 

Chemical/physical change notes organizer, textbook, pencil

Lesson steps:

1. Watch Jing - Review from yesterday
2. Today’s Goal & Homework Night 1
3. Watch this BrainPop un: aisbudapest pw: brainpop
4. Explore headings on pages 78-84 in text
5. This website also explains this well
6. Begin to fill out this organizer (not homework - leave unfinished for tomorrow’s class)
7. View The Google Doc “Chemical Reaction Slide Spreadsheet” for your class: 6.1   6.2   6.3   6.4   

Measuring your learning: 

At this point you should begin to be able to tell the difference between a chemical and physical change.  You will show this by finding an example of each for homework.
Homework: Find one example of a chemical change and one example of a physical change.  Place examples next to your name on the spreadsheet. Do your best to find a different from the others in your class.

Lesson 1 - What is a chemical reaction? (2 class periods, no homework)

Lesson goal: 

You should be able to explain in your own words what happens to atoms and molecules in a chemical reaction.

Materials needed: 

matches (teacher), candle, jar, What is a Chemical Reaction? Packet, scissors, markers, glue stick, pencil, red crayon/pencil/marker

Lesson steps: 

1. Watch this Jing - Introduction
2. Teacher will light a candle; observe
3. Teacher will put a jar on candle; observe & explain what happens - Fill out packet 1-3
4. Watch this Jing - Candle Reaction Packet - 4
5. Watch this Jing - Activity Intro & Instructions
6. Color, cut, and show products (right side)
7. Move molecules to reactants (left side) 
8. Recreate products on right side again 
9. Summary Question Explained 
10. Make sure to answer all questions in packet
11. Extra time in class?   Share and revise your summary & watch Jing - Review

Measuring your own learning: 

At this point you should begin to be able to explain that for a chemical reaction to take place, the bonds between atoms in the reactants are broken, the atoms rearrange, and new bonds between the atoms are formed to make the products.  

Did you see a conservation of matter in this chemical reaction?  If so, you should be able to explain that just like state change, in a chemical reaction, no atoms are created or destroyed -- things just change place.

Homework: None, unless packet is not finished by the end of the second 40 minute class

School Park Link

https://sites.google.com/site/ourunitedpark/

Tornado WebQuest

With our field trip on its way, we are going to learn as much as we can about tornadoes over the next few days. After watching the introducation video, visit the link to the webquest below to get started!

Get Started - The Tornado Webquest

Black Boxes Collaboration

Visit each presentation and create a slide based on your understanding of each box.
"Box A" Models
"Box B" Models
"Box C" Models
"Box D" Models

Design Squad Videos

This is a new show based on engineering and the design process.

Check out the site for full episodes.

Watch it to get ideas for your invention, or maybe just watch it for fun ;)

The Design Process Lesson

Invention Ideas Links

Here are some links to get you thinking about invention ideas. Good luck!

Invention Planning Documents

My Invention Plan (PDF)

Ideas on the Web:

Gallery of Inventions
Inventors Toolkit
Invention Ideas

Videos:

Elementary School Invention Fair - Flordia
Ellen Show - Kid Inventors
Ellen Show - More Kid Inventors
The Design Squad Shows