Science Lesson
TITLE: SKINS LAB
AUTHOR: D. L. Fountain
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: all
OVERVIEW: Sometimes we take it for general that all is as
it seems, however it helps to explore what is and what is
not. Here is a 'magical trick' that students and adults will
really enjoy.
PURPOSE: Excellent motivator; to peek curiosity in the
world around each of us.
OBJECTIVES: To allow students to think about conditions as
they seem and to questions what is before them. To increase
questioning and thinking skills. To begin investigation
skills.
MATERIALS:
1. Balloons - the tougher the balloon's skin, the better,
especially on first attempts. Variations: include
different types of balloon shapes and textures.
2. Skewers - the bamboo kind available at any market that
are used for shish kabobs are just fine. Variations:
other types or kinds of skewers - metal, plastic, etc.
in a variety of sizes.
PROCEDURES:
- Blow up a balloon just a little, then stretch the
balloon a bit and let the air out. This makes the
balloon more flexible.
- Blow up the same balloon to its fullest. Tie a knot to
hold the air in the balloon.
- Find a spot just opposite the knot and insert carefully
a skewer; just keep working the spot carefully until
the skewer goes into the balloon skin. ( Watch the awe
in the crowd!) If it pops, just back to #1 & #2 with a
new balloon.
- After inserting the skewer into the balloon, continue
the skewer on through the balloon to the knot area.
Work the skewer through the balloon's skin in this area
near the knot. Now the skewer will be through the
balloon with its ends sticking out each side of the
balloon.
- What has happened? Has anything changed? How many
balloons did it take? Can it be done at other points
on the balloon?
ASSESSMENT:
1. Questioning strategies: what happened; can it be
duplicated; list or brainstorm variations; can one see
what actually changed or moved on the exterior surface
of the balloon? etc.
2. Lang. Arts: articulating the outcomes by individuals,
by small groups; writing/drawing/acting out the
results, ie. one person may want to write up what he
saw happen and how he thinks it happens without popping
the balloon; another person may choose to draw the
stages of the activity, while other people may choose
to act it out by holding hands tightly while one member
uses a skewer to try to work carefully between
someone's fingers to make a gap large enough to let the
skewer pass through the outer 'skin' of hands.
3. Science: stepping off into discussion and research of
molecules, etc. and the world around us. Are there
other areas in our life where things are not as they
seem, ie. the surface of an orange seems smooth yet
upon closer investigation one sees indentations.
4. Math: graph how many successfully completed activities
and the number of balloons used; the various textures
of the balloons; the circumference of different
balloons and the success rate, etc.
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