ingridscience

Planting

Summary
Plant seeds and young plants and study them as they grow.
Science topic (2005 curriculum connection)
Life Science: Needs of Living Things (grade 1)
Life Science: Plant Growth and Changes (grade 3)
Materials
  • Garden or pots for planting in
  • Seeds that germinate quickly e.g. radish, bean and pea seeds. Radish are small but germinate the fastest. Bean and pea seeds are large and germinate fairly quickly, but take a while to produce edible fruit, and will need staking
  • Small plants e.g. lettuces, strawberries, marigolds, herbs, pansies
  • Time to see them grow, a month minimum
Procedure

Plant the seeds/young plants in the garden.
Label with popsicle sticks.

Water regularly. Students can take turns to water each day.

Students can draw the plant as it grows.
Students can measure the height of the plants each week. (Radishes germinate in a week, and peas/beans within two weeks).
Make a graph with the date each time a measurement is made, and the height of each plant. Different plants will have different shaped curves.

Harvest when ready.

Notes

Radishes germinate in a week if it is warm, so can plant after spring break. French Breakfast variety worked well.
Peas, even those that "mature in 56 days" are not ready before school is out if planted after spring break. Plant indoors before spring break, watch germinate for a week indoors, then transplant into the garden after spring break. Then can get a few peas before school is out - snow peas nice to eat even when small.
Beans take even longer, so try planting indoors even earlier?

Grades taught
Gr 1
Gr 2
Gr 3
Gr 4

Garden journal

Summary
Keep a daily journal of your garden: what is planted, how they are growing, and any experiements done.
Science topic (2005 curriculum connection)
Life Science: Plant Growth and Changes (grade 3)
Materials
  • Pages for journal
  • Rings to bind journal
Procedure

Keep a journal of what is planted in the garden and other activities related to gardening. Include photos, recipes made from plants and notes on planting and the growing plants.
If it is in a binder, loose pages of drawings/graphs etc can be easily inserted.
Students can take the journal home.

Grades taught
Gr 1
Gr 2

Fur and Feathers

Summary
Activities to explore the functions of fur and feathers: for keeping warm, for floating, for staying waterproof, for camouflage.
Procedure

Fur and feathers keep animals warm, help them float, keep them dry and can be coloured to help them hide in their environment.
Four stations explore these properties of fur.

1. Fur and feathers for warmth. Hold the bag of ice cubes. Feel how cold it is. Wrap it in one of the cloths. Can you feel the cold through the cloth?
Discussion: Fur traps air which stops warmth from leaving, and keeps an animal warm.

2. Fur and feathers for floating Which materials float? Which materials sink? Which materials float when they are dry, but sink when they are wet? How can you combine them to float the ones that sink?
Discussion: Objects can float if they have air in them. Dense fur and feathers trap air, and help animals float and swim at the surface of the water (otter, beaver, duck).

3. Fur and feathers for waterproofing
Make a wax crayon drawing of an animal with fur that lives in water,
Then paint over with the (water-based) paints.
Watch how the watery paint runs off the waxy crayons.
Discussion: Many animals oil their fur or feathers to make the water run off them. (Otter and beaver, water birds such as ducks.)

4. Fur and feathers for camouflage
Look at pictures of animals with fur and feathers that camouflage them in their surroundings.
Try these weblinks:
https://www.bbcearth.com/news/8-creatures-that-are-masters-of-disguise
https://www.bbcearth.com/news/meet-the-fakers-of-nature
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/wacky-weekend/article/hidden-animals
Discussion: As well as keeping an animal warm and dry, fur and feathers can be coloured to help an animal hide.

Notes

Four stations at Grandview: Fur and Feathers for warmth, floating, waterproofing, camouflage
Three stations at Shaughnessy: Fur and Feathers for warmth, floating, camouflage

Grades taught
Gr K
Gr 1
Gr 2

Mirror symmetry patterns

Summary
Draw a pattern on paper and use a hinged mirror to make multifaceted shapes with it. Older students can measure the angle between the mirrors and graph against the number of images. Use for exploring light and symmetrical shapes in nature.
Science topic (2005 curriculum connection)
Physical Science: Properties of Objects and Materials (grade K)
Physical Science: Light and Sound (grade 4)
Physical Science: Chemistry (grade 7)
Materials
  • small piece of paper for each student
  • colouring pens or crayons
  • two mirrors attached at one edge, so that they can fold in and out, for each student
  • for older students: protractors and worksheet
Procedure

Students make a drawing on a piece of paper and lay it under the angled mirrors so that a symmetrical shape is made by the mirrors.
By changing how far apart the mirrors are, the number of images in the mirrors changes.
Also try looking at your face, or other objects, in the mirrors, and changing the angles.

For a lesson on light:
Allow students to explore, then discuss with them the principles of light that they are observing: Some objects are visible because they reflect light. Light travels in straight lines. Light can be reflected multiples times. To see an object, light from it must come into our eyes.

For a lesson on snowflakes with younger students:
Ask students to make a six pointed star, like a snowflake. Change the decorations on the point to make differently-shaped snowflakes, but they all have six points.

For a lesson on rotational symmetry for older students:
By changing the angle between the hinged mirrors, students make symmetrical shapes with different orders of symmetry. The angle between the mirrors determines the number of images.
Ask students to record the the number of images (including the original) and the corresponding angle, to fill in the Mirror Symmetry data sheet.
When the data is plotted on a class graph it will show an inverse relationship between the number of images and angle. The product of the angle and the number of images should be roughly 360, though there will be some deviation from this ideal with the class data (as is true for any real data).

For a lesson on relationships and patterns for younger students:
Students can draw the angle of the mirrors (by tracing along the inside edge of the hinged mirrors), and write down the number of images they see. Then can be asked if the number of images gets larger / smaller as the gap between the mirrors gets wider / smaller. (There is an inverse relationship: larger number of images with a smaller gap (angle) between the mirrors.)

For a lesson on crystals for older students:
By changing the angle between the hinged mirrors, students make symmetrical shapes with different orders of symmetry. The angle between the mirrors determines the number of images.
Ask students to record the the number of images (including the original) and the corresponding angle, to fill in the Mirror Symmetry data sheet.
Discussion: The polyhedrons of crystal shapes also have rotational symmetry e.g. a cube has four orders of symmetry and a hexagonal prism has six orders of symmetry. Refer to real crystal shapes already encountered.
Plot the class data on a graph. It will show an inverse relationship between the number of images and angle. The product of the angle and the number of images should be roughly 360, though there will be some deviation from this ideal with the class data (as is true for any real data).
Crystals have rotational symmetry, so have the same relationship between the number of faces and the angles between them. As crystals are built up from units in a regular ordered way, for each type of crystal the angles between faces are always the same. Sometimes, one or more faces of a crystal grows larger than other faces, so that the overall crystal shape is not as regular, but the angles between the faces still remain constant.

For a lesson on the symmetrical nectar guides of flowers:
Students draw one petal and draw a pattern on it, then use the mirrors to make it into a multi-petal flower. They can look at real nectar guides, and modify their patterns to try and duplicate them.
One petal with nectar guides can be placed between the mirrors to create a flower with nectar guides leading to its centre.
Outdoors, using plants that are flowering, students can try placing a folding mirror around one petal and make a flower with different numbers of petals.

Attached documents
Notes

From Mirrors book (resource), p.14.
Use the sun or flashlight to make a shadow kaleidoscope.
For a "ray trace" of hinged mirrors at different angles see http://web.physics.ucsb.edu/~lecturedemonstrations/Composer/Pages/80.09…

Grades taught
Gr K
Gr 1
Gr 2
Gr 3
Gr 4
Gr 5
Gr 6
Gr 7

Crystal shape observation with magnifiers/microscope

Summary
Use magnifiers/microscope to look at common crystals close up to see their shapes.
Science topic (2005 curriculum connection)
Physical Science: Properties of Objects and Materials (grade K)
Physical Science: Properties of Matter (grade 2)
Physical Science: Chemistry (grade 7)
Materials
  • sugar crystals - granulated sugar (or grow your own by dissolving 3 cups of sugar in 1 cup hot water, then leaving for a few days)
  • salt crystals
  • epsom salt crystals (from the pharmacy, or grow your own)
  • optional: other found/purchased crystals where the shape can be seen e.g. amethyst
  • magnifiers ideally 10X
  • stereo microscope
  • small square of black paper
    Procedure

    Look at real crystals and match their shapes with drawings.

    Under a dissecting microscope: put a few salt/sugar/epsom salt crystals in a small baggie. Place the baggie on black paper to show up the crystal shapes.
    Using a magnifier: look at larger sugar or epsom salt crystals, or crystals in rocks.

    Salt crystals are cubes. They are best seen under a microscope at 20X or 40X.
    Sugar and epsom salt crystals are monoclinic prisms. The smaller crystals of purchased sugar (granulated) or epsom salts (from a pharmacy) best seen under a microscope at 20X or 40X to view the elongated shape with a pointed end. Grow larger sugar or epsom salt crystals and observe with a magnifier or the naked eye.
    Amethyst (a kind of quartz) crystals are hexagonal pyramids. They are large enough to see with the naked eye.

    The atoms in each of the crystals link in a certain pattern, so making a certain shape crystal.

    Attached documents
    Grades taught
    Gr K
    Gr 1
    Gr 2
    Gr 3
    Gr 4
    Gr 5
    Gr 6
    Gr 7

    Flower or apple dissection

    Summary
    Dissect a flower to find the parts (stamen and pistil) and discuss pollination, fertilization, how seeds form.
    Cut open an apple to find the seeds.
    Science topic (2005 curriculum connection)
    Life Science: Needs of Living Things (grade 1)
    Life Science: Plant Growth and Changes (grade 3)
    Materials
    • Flower with easy to find and identifiable stamen and pistil e.g. lily. After buying from store make sure the anthers and stamen are attached (they sometimes remove them), then keep for a while for the pollen to build up
    • Magnifier
    • Apple and knife to cut open
    Procedure

    Students pull apart a flower and look for these parts:
    1. anther. the pollen is on the anther. the anther is part of the stamen (made up of the filament stalk supporting the anther)
    2. stigma. pollen lands on the (often) wide, sticky stigma. the stigma is part of the pistil (made up of the stigma at the top, style (the stalk) and ovary (inside the flower).

    Look at an apple, inside and out, to show these parts:
    1. dried remains of the stigma and style at one end of the apple
    2. ovary case inside, containing the seeds. the apple flesh is the swollen ovary.
    See these links for the parts of the flower becoming the parts of the apple:
    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexandra-Buergy/publication/35122…
    https://www.queenorchard.com/uploads/2/7/7/8/27781757/apple-picture_ori…

    Discuss the process of fertilization and maturation:
    pollen from the anther of one flower is transferred to the stigma of another flower (by insects or wind)
    DNA from the pollen grain travels down the style to the ovary, where it meets the egg, and fertilization happens
    a seed grows in the ovary
    the seed can make a whole new plant

    Discuss fruit formation:
    After fertilization, the ovary around the seeds swells to make the fruit. (see photo of new fruit forming)
    This fruit is attractive to animals, that eat it and transport the seeds elsewhere to make new plants.

    Grades taught
    Gr K
    Gr 1
    Gr 2
    Gr 3

    UV flower pattern matching game

    Summary
    Students match pairs of flower picture cards that have visible and ultra-violet light images of the same flower. Learn how a bee is guided to the centre of a flower with their UV-sensitive vision.
    Science topic (2005 curriculum connection)
    Life Science: Needs of Living Things (grade 1)
    Life Science: Animal Growth and Changes (grade 2)
    Life Science: Plant Growth and Changes (grade 3)
    Materials
    • flower picture pairs: 6 (or so) the same flower taken in both visible and UV light (see references below for ideas)
    • transparent copy of the UV light patterns
    Procedure

    Before the lesson:
    Gather images of the same flower taken in visible light and UV light, and print with permission, or use from a webpage.
    Link suggestions:
    1. http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_flowers_list.html#top/ (permission needed for printing).
    The following images have a "strong bulls eye pattern" or are described as "strong" in the description:
    Arnica angustifolia (Arctic sunflower) http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_ARNI_ANG.html
    Bidens http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_BIDENSZ.html
    Oenothera biennis http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_OENO_BIE.html#top
    Potentilla reptans http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_POTE_REP.html#top
    Rudbeckia hirta http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_RUDB_HIR.html#top
    Sow thistle (looks like a branching dandelion), Sonchus arvensis http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_SONC_ARV.html#top
    Tripleurospermum maritimum http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_TRIP_MAR.html
    2. https://twitter.com/EntomoDaily/status/1651972037013913601
    3. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Floral-images-in-visible-and-UV-lig…
    4. https://www.sciencephoto.com/search?q=ultraviolet%20light%20flower&medi…

    If prints of the flowers are available, make a transparency copy of the UV patterns.

    Students are asked to pair the images, first by shape only (as the colours are different).
    Tell them that the pairs are the same flower photographed in two different ways. One of each pair is photographed in visible light, the same as how we see the flower. The second is taken with a camera that can see ultra violet light. We cannot see ultraviolet, but a bee can.
    Ask students to lay the UV pattern over the visible pattern - this is what a bee sees - both the visible and the UV patterns together. Students should take apart and rematch the pairs, to explore what we see and what a bee sees.
    Discussion: The UV pattern circles or highlights the centre of the flower, where the pollen and nectar are, so the bee is guided by the UV pattern to the nectar and pollen. UV patterns are also called 'nectar guides'.

    Other colours seen by animals which humans cannot see:
    Snakes can see well in infra red, which is heat, to help them catch (warm) prey.
    Reptiles, amphibians, birds and insects can all see more colours than humans.

    Notes

    Other animals' colour vision:
    Cats have green and blue opsins (not red) - protanopia.
    Activity idea: use cyan filter to start, then add colours to play with.

    Grades taught
    Gr K
    Gr 1
    Gr 2
    Gr 3
    Gr 4