the science genie and the 2 liter bottle by theo harris and aline wilson teachers help light the...
TRANSCRIPT
The Science Genie and the
2 Liter Bottle
By
Theo Harris and Aline Wilson
Teachers help light the way!
OverviewThe Science Genie and
The 2-Liter Bottle Module is an ecology unit anchored in the Georgia
Performance Standards and practices. It is aligned and designed to support and
extend the STC Curriculum Unit – Ecosystems for grades 4 and 5. However the information in this module also works
as a stand-alone unit.
What Is a Science Genie?
As you know, there are all kinds of Genies:
And your, “I Dream of Jeannie,” Genie!
A Science Genie is someone that…
helps others feel the Magic of Science; makes Science relevant to everyday experiences; is not afraid to get dirty or get others dirty;
Makes Science FUN!
Why are YOU here?
You may not realize it, but you are here because of your secret desire to become a “Science Genie” and master the “Ancient Art of Soda Bottle Science.”
Science Genie 101
How do you teach Science? Bottle Basics – What Every Good Science Genie Should Know Bug Palace – A Simple Ecosystem Decomposition Column – Ecology Breakin’ It Down, For Real Kimchee – Breakin’ It Down, For Real, Then Eating It Terra/Aqua Column – The Land Water Connection, A More Complex Ecosystem Hang-em High! Hanging Columns
How do you plan to help students learn Science?
Learning Cycle
Exploration 1 Activity A-Brainstorm (with the members @ your table) how you would plan for instruction on the science content topic provided.
Then briefly outline your instructional plan on Post-It chart paper. (5 minutes)
Activity B-Each group will, display their responses and share out. (2 minutes per group)
Lets Talk About It!Term Introduction
Activity CCompare and contrast the instructional methodologies used (see below) and introduce terms for:
• Traditional model- Inform, verify, practice;• FERA model- focus, explore, reflect, apply;• The Learning Cycle- exploration, term introduction,
concept application.(note: Where is the teacher in each of these models?)
The Learning Cycle is the instructional model that will be modeled during this workshop. It is simply another instructional tool to add to your “instructional tool belt” that will assist the student in constructing new knowledge.
How are these plans alike, how are they different?
Build It, and They Will Come!
Without folding or bending your index cards, use the supplies provided and build a house that can stand up to air from a blow dryer set on low speed.
You can’t build a house with just a hammer!
Bottle Basics:What Every Good Science
Genie Should Know
Safety First Bottle Anatomy & Dissection Don’t reinvent the wheel! Use what other Genies have provided. Then, pump it up a notch!
(Many of the projects used in this module can be found @ www.bottlebiology.org and Soda Bottle Science, Scholastics.)
Let’s Think Ecosystems … Ummh!
What was life like Jeannie (in the bottle) before Major Healey came along?
Describe her Garden Paradise.
Essential Question 1:What is necessary for life?
What did she need to sustain life?
FIELD TRIP!!!Exploration 2Activity D- Field TripGo to the “zone” that has the same symbol as your table. Observe, record & draw the different types of living and non-living things in that area. Think about how each thing is connected to or meets the needs of the other.
Let’s Talk about it!Organisms, producers, consumers, decomposers,
ecosystems, population, community, habitat, herbivore, carnivore,
isopod, elodea, duckweedTerm Introduction
What was your mission?Let us just focus on the living things for now. Activity E: (Whole group) Using the information gathered from the mini-field trip the students will place each of these items in one of the three categories: producers, consumers, and decomposers. Discuss why an item should or should not be in a specific category or both.
How are they connected?
Activity F- Create a poem, artwork or body sculpture that illustrates a food chain or food web identified in the ecosystem you observed. Then share your work with the class.
OR
The Pill Bug Palace:Essential Question1 (Modified):
What is necessary for “a pill bug’s” life?
S4L1 Describe the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem
Activity G-Option 1:
Create a space in a 2 Liter bottle that pill bugs would love to live in.
Option 2:Create a drawing in the shape of a 2 Liter bottle of a space that pill bugs would love to live in.
Think like a Pill Bug:What would your space look like?
Where would you find energy?How would you protect yourself?
Where and with whom would you hang out? AND….
When it’s late and dark up under that rock, who would you …
The Roles in an Ecosystem
Everybody plays a part (or two). ProducersWho makes/creates/produces their own food in the isopod ecosystem?
ConsumersWho uses others as food (source of energy) in the isopod ecosystem?
DecomposersWho breaks down matter in the isopod ecosystem?
Decomposition Column Ecology Breaking’ It Down, For Real!
S4L1. a. Identify the roles of the producers, consumers and Decomposers in a community S4L1.a. Demonstrate the flow of energy through a food web/food chain beginning with sunlight and including producers, consumers and decomposers.
Essential Question: What do decomposers feed on?
What are some exploration questions or situations you can set before your class to get them thinking about the role of decomposers in a ecosystem?
Decomposition Column
The U.S. creates 190 million tons of solid waste a year. What happens to it?
Did You know… that there is a whole community of large and small organisms that serve as food for each other. They clean up waste, control populations and convert materials (matter) to forms that can be used by others.
The Decomposition Song!(Sang to the tune of She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain When She Comes)
Levels of Decomposers Bacteria and Fungi Earthworms, snails, slugs, flies, beetles and mites Larger insects and birds
Question: Does air temperature or moisture speed up decomposition?
1st Stanza:Decomposers are cool let’s have some fun! Break it down Decomposers are cool let’s have some fun! Break it downDecomposers break down matter,it looks gross but it really doesn’t matterDecomposition is cool let’s have some fun! Breaking it down
2nd Stanza:A maggot is a decomposer lets have some fun! Break it down!A maggot is a decomposer lets have some fun! Break it down!A maggot breaks down matter,it looks gross but it really doesn’t matterA maggot is really cool let’s have some fun! Breaking it down
You create the other stanzas!
Kimchee – Breakin’ It Down For Real, Then Eating it!
A Fermentation Chamber – How Science Tastes Good!
How did people keep food from spoiling before refrigeration?
How are pickles made? Why does Swiss cheese have holes in it? How is pizza dough made?
Fermentation – a process used to preserve food.
Terra/Aqua Column – The Land Water Connection A More Complex EcosystemThe Terra/Aqua Column is a 3D land and water
model ecosystem created from 2 liter bottles. This model allows you and your students to explore the
link between land and water ecosystems.
All of the Essential Questions can be thoroughly explored through the process of building this column.Concepts:
• Roles of producers, consumers and decomposers;• The flow of energy in a food web/food chain beginning with sunlight;• Features that allow an organism to survive and reproduce;• How changes effect ecosystems and organisms;• The effects of a population if there is scarcity or or abundance;• Factors that lead to extinction of some organisms.
Concept Application 2: Terra/Aqua Eco-column
(Bottle Biology, www.bottlebiology.org See handout packet)
GRASPS Activity:
Goal: to have students understand the flow of energy within an ecosystem and the factors that affect survival or extinction of organisms.Role: Science InvestigatorsAudience: Visitors to “I Dream of Jeanie National Park”Scenario: A conservationist has requested assistance in determining whether or not the new pesticide on the market, “Kill Those Gosh Darn Mosquitoes”, is having an adverse effect on the Park. Visitors at the park have commented that it is great not having to swat mosquitoes and the nights are quieter now that the crickets are gone, but the fishing just is not what it used to be. Product:
Build a terra/aqua column that:1. demonstrates how energy flows through a system;2. demonstrates how the new pesticide may have been transported along the
same pathway in that system;3. explains, how the new pesticide impacted the food chain/web that has
resulted in a change in the quality of fishing at the park.Standards: S4L1
Describe the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem
Concept Application 1
A science concept from the ecosystems unit has been provided to you and your team.
Prepare a lesson using the “Learning Cycle” to teach this concept. Be as detailed as possible. Write out all of the direction. Include a GRASPS activity using 2 liter soda bottles.
Upon completion of this activity, the lesson will be compiled and shared with other participants.
What About the “Other” Recyclable Goods?
•35 mm film canisters- germinate seeds/star constellation.•Yogurt containers and lids-(cut holes in the bottom) little flower pots.•Milk containers- growth chamber/ go cart body.•Leftover raw fruit and vegetables- composting.•Old CD’s- go carts/ hover craft.•2 liter bottles- water bottle rockets.•Junk mail and new papers-making paper.•Used copy paper- paper airplanes/ student created journal.
And much, much, more!
GRASPS Activity for Pill Bug Palace: The Isopod Resort & Spa
Goal: To cultivate student understanding that changes in environment affect communities of organisms.Role: Structural Engineer, Architect or Advertising AgentAudience: Visiting IsopodsScenario: You are a structural engineer, architect or advertising agent. You've just been informed by the Commissioners that the Isopod Olympics will be held in your community and a large number of isopods are expected to attend. There will be a great need for isopods hotels that meet the needs of the new visitors. Your job as architect or structural engineer is to design and construct habitats using 2 L soda bottles that will create the best environment for these organisms. Your job as an advertising agent is to design a brochure, flier or commercial that will encourage the new visitors to live in your hotel.Product:1. A pill bug hotel.2. Advertisement campaign (brochure, flier or commercial)Standard: S4L1, S4CS4, S4CS5, ELA4W2.b & ELALSV2.a
GRASPS Activity for Decomposition: The Compost Contract
GRASPS ActivityGoal: The student will be able to identify the various food chains/webs in and decomposition column.The student will be able to predict how changes in the temperature, and or level of moisture in a decomposition column, affects the rate of decomposition. Role: Product Development SpecialistsAudience: the building contractor and all of the stakeholders in The Isopod Resort and Spa Hotels.Scenario:You have just received e-mail from a building contractor that is in the process of creating habitats for The Isopod Resort and Spa Hotels. Their usual supplier of decomposed material is no longer available to them. They have asked your company to provide decomposed matter (isopods love this stuff) for them as soon as possible. You need to figure out a way to speed up the decomposition process that would allow you to provide the materials needed to secure this contract and allow completion of the hotels before the Isopod Olympics.Product: A research project that shows that one method for decomposing materials unit 2 L soda bottle is faster than another.Standards: S4L1, S4L1.a., S4L1.b., S4L1.c., S4CS1.a., S4CS4.a., & S4CS5
GRASPS Activity for Kimchee: The Iron Chef Competition
GRASPS ActivityGoal: to expose students to the fermentation process.Role: ChefsAudience: The Iron Chef JudgesScenario: you are the youngest participant in the Iron Chef competition being held in Korea. In honor of the competition being held there, the Iron Chef Judges have decided to have you and the other contestants will prepare Kimchee and write a report explaining the history and process used to create it. How will you do this? What ingredients will you use? How long will it take you? How did this fermentation business get started anyway?Product:1. Kimchee2. A report on the history and process.Standards: S4L1, S4L1.a., S4L1.b., S4L1.c., S4CS1.a., S4CS4.a., & S4CS5
The Science Genie and the
2 Liter Bottle(and other recyclable goods)
Has been Presented by
Theo Harris
and Aline Wilson
Teachers help light the way!
The End