It's cold here in Georgia. REALLY cold. At the time I am typing this entry, it is 12 degrees Farenheit with a wind chill that makes it feel like 0 degrees. I pitched the idea to some of the teachers here to use the frigid weather as an opportunity for scientific and mathematic inquiry. So, they took it and ran with it! This is only a fraction what I saw throughout the day:
- Students solving elapsed time problems to see how long it took a cup of water to freeze.
- Measurement investigations/comparisons about the height of the water in a cup both as a liquid and a solid.
- Collectig, representing, and analyzing data about the change in temperature throughout the day.
- Observations about gradual changes in states of matter.
- Experiments about the effects of colder temperature.
Maaaaaan, it was super cold outside, but all of this contextual problem solving had me feeling WARM on the inside. Take the challenge and use the weather as an opportunity to "push beyond the book." What types of standards-based learning experiences can
you try with this weather?
Will it take water longer to freeze in a paper cup, or a plastic cup?
Tracking and graphing the change in temperature over time...
