CHEM 105 not only provides an opportunity for students to learn more about chemistry and science, but it also offers an opportunity for future educators, parents and members of society to understand the expectations society has created for science education standards. In the last four activities (5-8) we will explore science concepts and also relate these to the science standards we will first explore in Activity 4.
For this activity please refer to the Wisconsin Science Standards at this website:
http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/standards/sciintro.html
At this site you will find Standards A- H for grades 4, 8 and 12. Since most of the students in this class are future early childhood educators, I would like for you to focus on the Grade 4 Standards. If you would like, feel free to address the other grade levels if you would like!
To complete Activity 4, choose a sub-standard under each of the Standards A thru H and describe something that you have done either in this class or outside of this class, perhaps in previous classes, that indicates that you have met the sub-standard. Each of these descriptions should be at least a paragraph long.
Here is a link to the sub-standards for Standard A:
http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/standards/scia4.html
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A.4.3 When investigating science-related
problems, decide what data can be collected to determine the most useful
explanation.
o
I met this standard through the first activity
of this class. The first activity was about scientific methods and states of
matter. Before starting this activity, I needed to know what data I will need
to collect to answer the questions. The questions were “Does hot water or
colder freeze faster”, “Does hot water or cold water boil faster”, or “Does
salt water freeze faster or slower than regular water”? To answer these questions, I knew that I
needed to conduct three different experiments. In these experiments, I
collected the time when the water boiled or froze. Once I got the results, I
was able to find and come up with answers to the questions.
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B. 4.1 Use encyclopedias, source books, text,
computers, teacher, parents, other adults, journals, popular press, and various
other sources, to help answer science-relate questions and plan investigations.
o
This standard was met through this class. In the
first activity, I had to use the textbook and online sources to find answers
the questions. An example of this was trying to find out why regular water
freeze faster than salt water. After
looking through the textbook and some websites, I found that salt lowers the
freezing point which causes the water to freeze slower. Another online source
that I used for this activity was Youtube, since activity required a video to
explain the states of matter. In the second activity, I used the textbook to
look up the atomic number, atomic mass, as well as answers to the questions about electrons being excites, and
the color of fireworks. I also used Wikipedia to look up different molecules.
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C. 4.3 Select multiple sources of information to
help answer questions selected for classroom investigations.
o
I met this standard not only through this
chemistry class, but my other classes as well. One of the main reasons why I
use multiple sources is to double check the information, I want to make sure
that the information I found is reliable. Another reason why I use multiple
sources is to get more information on the topic. Some sources don’t have the enough
information.
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D. 4.3 Understand that substance can exist in
different states-solid, liquid, gas
o
I met this standard long time ago in middle
school and high school. These three states were mentioned again in Chemistry
105. In activity one, I have had to boil water, which was turning water at
liquid form in to gas. I also had to freeze the water, making it go from liquid
to solid.
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E. 4.1 Investigate that earth materials are
composed of rocks and soils and correctly use the vocabulary for rocks,
minerals, and soils during these investigations
o
I met this goal through my geology class. In
this class, we did an activity where we had to look around campus and
neighboring shops, and identify the different types of rocks used. We also had to use the correct terminology
when explaining how certain types of rocks form.
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F. 4.3 Illustrate the different ways those
organisms grow through life stages and survive to produce new members of their
type.
o
This standard was met through Introductory
Biology. In this class, we looked at the life cycles of plants and living
organisms, such as fungus. We also learned that that like humans, and animals,
plants learn how to adapt to their environment. To show how humans, animals,
and plants adapt to their environment, we used Mendel’s law to graph out their
genes. Many species develop new traits or evolve into new species in order to
survive, just like the human evolution.
·
G.4.1 Identify the technology used by someone
employed in a job in Wisconsin and explain how the technology helps
o
I met this standard in Introductory Biology. We
went to an ethanol plant in Menomonie. At this ethanol plant, technology played
a really big part in making ethanol. There were rooms with computers where a
couple of people operated the water, temperature and etc. There was also a lab
where corns and the ethanol were being tested.
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H. 4.3 Show how science has contributed to
meeting personal needs, including hygiene, nutrition, exercise, safety, and
health care
o
I met this goal in a lot of my classes. Science
plays a huge part in our everyday lives. A lot of the things that we used were
made in using scientific methods, with experimenting. If the object/tool
doesn’t work, science change and fix what was wrong. Science has contributed to
our personal needs such as transportation, whether we own cars, bikes, or use
public transportations like bus and subways. This also goes with safety. Car
companies are always coming out with cars that are safer, like built in GPS, or
cameras at the rear. Science has been big in part in hygiene as well. New
products are being created to help many people, whether it’s to whiten teeth,
or help cure acne. Science has played a big role in health care. New tools and
medications are being made to help people. Science has also contributed to
nutrition and exercise. There are always new researches on foods that will help
improve your health. Science has contributed to exercise by inventing new
exercising equipment/tools, such as the Shake Weight. Science has contributed a
lot, many of which have improved our lives.
Also for this activity, you are to explore the Next Generation Science
Standards. These are new standards that are being proposed at the federal
level that many states, including Wisconsin, are now in the process of
developing adoption plans.http://www.nextgenscience.org/
As you explore this site, and perhaps others that are related, answer the following three questions.
1.
What do you see are big changes compared to the
previous standards?
o
The biggest change that I see about these
standards is that they go from kindergarten to twelfth grade. These standards
are also developed to be used in other subject areas.
2.
How are these standards connected to the other disciplines
such as math and literacy?
o
These standards connect to other disciplines such
as math and literacy by integrating science with these two subjects.
3.
What do you see will be challenges for teachers when
considering some of the changes in the proposed science standards?
o
The biggest challenge that I see for teacher
when considering some of the changes in the propose science standards is
integrating science with almost all the classes at every grade level.
