Meniscus Schmiscus

February 4, 2010 By 1 Comment

I try very hard to be one of those down-to-earth folks.  I don’t like to wear my degree on my sleeve; I can discuss diaper rash or the latest TV show with the best of ‘em.  I hate when people drop ten dollar words to show off their pedigree.  However, occasionally I do slip up and assume that someone knows exactly what I’m talking about.  For example, last week I was showing a friend how to use a sewing machine.  After my five minute discourse on how to make a bobbin, she sheepishly asked, “What’s a bobbin?”  Oops…teacher FAIL!

In my last post, aimed at my peer group (parents), I mentioned teaching your children to love science for a lifetime.  I casually used the example of demonstrating a meniscus to your kids.  A dear friend, whom herself is well-versed in science, admitted she didn’t know what a meniscus was and had to look it up.  Oops again.  My mistake.  I’ve used the concept for so long (since I was a sophomore in high school, which was…ahem, cough cough…a couple years back) that it is as second nature as riding a bike.   So, here goes:

Meniscus [mi’ nisk?s]:  the curved surface (produced by the surface tension) of a liquid standing in a tube; concave if the sides are wet, convex if not.

Ok, so in everyday-speak, what does that mean?  Well, I think of it a lot like my bra…where there is support (ie the glass sides of a graduated cylinder or measuring cup), the liquid holds “up” (surface tension).  Where there is no support (in the middle), you have sag.  Hee hee.  When measuring liquid, the fluid will stick to the sides of the container and “sag” in the middle.  (This is very subtle, but does happen)  If you look at the liquid height at eye level, you should read the amount as the bottom of the meniscus.  In even simpler words, the top of the liquid is observed from the side, it will look like a bowl.  The correct measurement is the bottom of the “bowl,” not the sides.

Hope that helps. 

Cecilia

PS:  Ok, so now that you know the nitty-gritty on liquid measurements and that’s enlightening, what about that science fair project that’s due next week?  Go to 24 Hour Science Projects to help you on your way!!

Filed Under: Choosing a Science Project Topic, Elementary Science Projects, Science Project Blog, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

A Lifetime of Loving Science

January 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It’s mid-January, and like most Moms I’m breathing a sigh of relief that kids are back in school.  After spending two wonderful weeks at home with all the children under one roof 24/7, it’s nice to have some breathing room.  During those days and weeks jam-packed with family activities, I was amazed yet again at how often science entered our family time, even with my preschoolers.   Granted, I do tend to lean towards the geeky side, but I’m still stunned everytime I hear a middle or high school student exclaim, “I HATE science/math!!”  So, here are some ideas to introduce a lifetime of loving science to your children.  “Love?” you exclaim doubtfully.  Ok, well at least a tolerance, ha ha!!

1.  Check your attitude:  Ouch.  Now, before you roll your eyes and say, “Easy for you,” let me explain.  I hate (and yes, I mean HATE) garden peas and peaches, but my children eat them.  When I was in school, P.E. was the bane of my existence!  Yet, my oldest child thinks it’s the greatest thing on earth.  Am I super Mom?  Heck no.  I just did my best to let them form their own opinions.  Sure, I still have a slight facial tic when my oldest mentions something fabulous he did in P.E., but I simply encourage his enthusiasm even though I don’t share it.  If science was your idea of you-know-where on earth as a student, try not to tell your child about it, at least not until they’re in college.  Do your best to offer opportunities and neutrality (if you can’t muster enthusiasm) and see what happens!

2.  Find science opportunites in everyday life:  Now, this one is far easier than number 1!  Obviously, cooking is a great time to introduce measuring and temperature concepts.  Keep the hand sanitizer nearby and let Johnny and Suzie measure out ingredients, scoop out dough, stir and blend, and, of course, quality control (taste sampling).  Explain concepts as you go—What’s a meniscus?  How does water change the consistency?  Why do we add salt to water before it boils?  One of my favorite principles in Chemistry is limiting reagents.  I use that ALL the time in cooking, and I assure you my kids will understand it before they ever enter a Chemistry class.  (if you don’t know, a limiting reagent is the item that “limits” how far a reaction will go…if your recipe calls for 1 cup sugar and 1 cup flour and you have 100 cups of sugar and 2 cups of flour, the flour is your limiting reagent.  You can make only 2 batches of your recipe before you are limited by the flour.)  Other household chores present science opportunites.  My goal is that one day my kids will “enjoy” the experimentation involved with yardwork and laundry without realizing they are doing chores!!

3.  Surround your kids with science books and TV/movie opportunites:  I was surprised when my oldest child started reading how many science books are available, even for early readers.  I get most of mine at yard sales and thrift stores, but your local library should have a great selection as well.  It’s just as easy for them to learn about reading with books on weather and nature as it is to read about My Little Pony’s Adventure to Candy Castle.  While I’m not a huge advocate for TV watching, I am a realist.  Especially when you have kids of different ages.  Sometimes, you and the kidlets need some downtime.  After a twelve year hiatus, we recently got TV again in our home.  I’m pleasantly surprised at the shows offered on PBS.  One of my preschoolers now knows more about dinosaurs than I ever did and he’s learning great things on scientific procedure from Sid the Science Kid.  And once your kids are older, the sci-fi genre of movies offers an endless supply of science adventures and intrigue.  My point is this:  if your kids are going to watch TV/movies anyway, let it be a chance to learn some decent science and math principles!

Enjoy!  Have fun creating a lifetime of loving science in your home…or at least tolerate it while you watch your children grow and learn:-)

Cecilia

PS:  So this is great, but you have a middle-schooler with a science project due next week?!?!  Go to 24 Hour Science Projects to get you started on your scientific journey!!

Filed Under: Last Minute Science Projects, Science Project Blog, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

What Makes A “Good” Science Project?

December 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

What makes a good science project? Well, there are many answers to that question: From a philosophical standpoint, one that encourages your student to enjoy science (instead of fearing/dreading it). From an academic viewpoint, one that gets a high grade. From a parenting standpoint, one that requires minimal supervision, assistance, and hair-pulling/nagging. For this discussion, however, I am going to look at what makes a “good” science project from a SCIENTIFIC viewpoint. In other words, I am going to discuss good scientific priniciples to consider when you are approaching a scientific investigation, whether it is on the elementary, middle school, or high school level.

1. Be creative. While you may read suggestions from books, friends, the internet, etc., approach each project as a unique experience. In other words, add your own “twist” or different approach. The whole point is to be discovering NEW things, not doing the exact same project that Susie did last year. This also personalizes the project and increases interest from a student when they have added their own preferences.

2. Be a control freak. Yes, you read that correctly. When setting up your project, you want to eliminate unnecessary variables that may skew your results. Basically, you want to keep things as uniform/standard EXCEPT for the variables you are testing. For example, if you are investigating the effect of soil on plant growth, you want to ensure that the plants are getting the same amount of sunlight, equal pot size, same room temperature (if you are growing indoors), and of course equal amounts of plant food/water. In other words, you want SOIL to be the only thing that differs in your experiments. You want to be as “scientific” as possible….when measuring, use a graduated cylinder or measuring cup (and yes, use the same measuring utensil unless you are using laboratory grade glassware; household measures can vary greatly from one to another). While most students won’t be doing their science projects in a laboratory, try to mimic the standards of laboratory protocol as much as you can.  Take copious notes and include this as part of your presentation!

3. Be honest. Part of science is trial and error. Some of the best science projects that I’ve seen had unexpected results. If your results are completely opposite of your hypothesis, still report your results honestly and accurately. If you have a disaster (my dog literally ate my science project), don’t be afraid to report it with candor and do the best you can with the results you have. Fudging, white lies, and made-up results are all the same thing: lying. And completely unscientific.

 

Hope this gets your young scientist off to a GREAT start on your “good” science project, at least from the view of this scientist!

Cecilia

PS: Need some help getting your ideas flowing for that good science project? Try 24 Hour Science Projects to get you started on your scientific journey!!

Filed Under: Choosing a Science Project Topic, Elementary Science Projects, Science Project Blog, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

I’m a nerd, but don’t hold it against me…

November 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year again. Fall is in the air, leaves are on the ground. Pumpkin pies in the oven, and the kids are back in school. While for many parents the kids being in school is a sigh of relief, a calm in the midst of the storm of childhood angst, it also brings about its own set of ramifications. What to wear today? Where’s my homework? Does Billy like me? But perhaps that scariest of questions, the one many a parent has sworn was immediately followed by the Psycho soundtrack (rreeeennn, rrreeeen, rrreeeen), the Holy Grail of parent nightmares—-”Mom, I have a science project due next week. Uhmmm, what should I do?”

Now, we all know that this is immediately followed by the lecture that my dearly departed father titled, “You need to get your priorities in order…” i.e. “This assignment didn’t just pop up overnight.” However, no amount of lecturing by the parent is going to accomplish the end goal: a satisfactory project that the STUDENT can complete and actually LEARN.

So, here I am. I’m sure in this world of cyber-anomynity, I will feel free to divulge many dark secrets. Here is one of my deepest: I LOVE science. Not just a little bit. A whole lotta love. Like a bee to the flower. Moth to the flame. Nerd to the pocket protector. While my classmates in highschool all had a crush on the quarterback of the football team, I secretly thought my chemistry teacher was “IT,” in a pale skinned, balding, corduroy-pants-with-flannel-shirt sort of way. Why? Because he brought science to life. Yes, chemistry was challenging. Yet I saw so many applications to everyday life. Do you realize how often you use the concept of limiting reagents? So, I went on to college to graduate with a B.S. in Chemistry and spent many years as a bench top chemist and later as a technical consultant.

But I digress. These days my job title is mostly “Mom.” Occasionally, I get a chance to tutor in math and science. The only chemicals I’m touching these days, however, are the ones found in diaper ointment and children’s Tylenol. I miss it, though, and these fall days where school is in session remind me of my science past. As I watch the parents around me struggle with the elusive science projects, I realized that perhaps I could offer some help. A Geek’s Guide to the School System, if you will. From elementary to middle school to high school science. From someone that enjoys science and was excited to do science fair projects, let me share some ideas, concepts, insights.

Science is amazing. It is real. It is doable. Let’s jump into it together…but for tonight, that is enough. Next post: “What I would do for a science project if I knew then what I know now.”

Until then,

Cecilia

PS Need a fast and easy project for elementary school or middle school? You can have one in 24 Hours – before tomorrow’s post! Visit 24 Hour Science Projects and be finished with a GREAT science project by this time tomorrow!

Filed Under: Middle School Science Project, Science Project Blog Tagged With: