"I'm so hot, I'm the leading cause of Global Warming"

"Only in America do we accept weather predictions from a rodent, but deny climate change evidence from scientists". 

"Welcome to the land where you can get sunburn and frostbite in the same week". 

"So, you don't believe in scientist when they talk about global climate change... but you will prep for the Apocalypse when those same scientist mention El Nino

"Climate change is just a meteor that arrives in 2050."

These are just a few examples of Climate Change memes that can be found all over the internet. It is a topic of tremendous debate world wide. Politicians have their differences in priorities, Environmental conservationists have their position, Scientist state their claims, and society is constantly flip flopping. The biggest issue, in my opinion, is that not enough people are educated on the difference between climate and weather, or on climate change in general. Some individuals live in a world where they are sheltered from the harm that is done to the environment, many people just don't care, and others have suffered from pollution and toxic environments throughout their lives. When people show unawareness of the severity of the effects of pollution and toxins in the environment, I always suggest they watch the documentary; "Gasland" by Josh Fox. Although it is not a film directly about climate change, it gives people a dramatic look into how humans can strongly impact the environment. To the right is a clip from Gasland, the film in it's entirety is available to view on YouTube if you click the link.

It is very difficult to break people of their misconceptions. Society hears so much information on a daily bases. They learn one thing at school, hear something else from their parents, a new story from their peers, and read something different on the internet. This makes it difficult for people to decipher fact from fiction. When trying to educate people, it is important to be sensitive to their misconceptions, but also guide them to walk away with the truth and knowledge they deserve. Nobody wants to hear they should change their lifestyle. Life is hard enough! "I need my car to get to work and class and the gym and the store, it's not possible to use less gas. I need my hairspray to not look like a frizzy monster, so I can find a guy, get married, and have a family. Now you are going to take these things away from me?! Why are you blaming me?! I'm just one person!" In addition society may misinterpret information or be swayed by other individuals. For example, this video show how individuals can get carried away by their misconceptions or misinterpretations. 

As a Science teacher it is critical to inforce the importance of the subject, give students insightful knowledge, allow kids to discover things on their, always supply evidence, and encourage the next generation to make the best choice for themselves and the world around them.  

Let us pause for a moment of Science

Is there always a right or wrong answer to every question? Science tells us, there is not. As a class we were asked to discover this through an inquiry lesson taught by Mrs. F. We were handed a regular piece of scrap paper and told "make the paper fall slowly and accurately". Without any other form of direction, we hesitated and looked around the room curious to see who would make the first move. Nobody wanted to be "wrong". I felt there had to be a correct answer. If there wasn't, why would she ask us to do it? Mrs. F wanted to show us how a good inquiry lesson is presented. An inquiry lesson allows students to create their own answers and pose new questions. They are able to create new knowledge and understanding through experimentation, observation, and discovery. Completing this activity left myself and my classmates with both answers and new questions. Although my piece of paper fell slowly and accurately 4 out 5 times, it still wasn't perfect. It wasn't the "answer". Following our lesson on inquiry, the class was introduced to the complicated task of grading. Mrs. F explained to us the importance of knowing your students. She showed us examples of student plagiarism, and the work of a child with emotional disorders. If a teacher doesn't take the time to get to know their students, they may not take this into account when grading. A good teacher knows the work that the child is capable of completing and grades them and takes this into consideration when grading. The class with Mrs. F gave me probably the best insight i have an in my educational experience so far. She seems like a very passionate, knowledgeable, and caring teacher. I aspire to be like her in the future and even in my classroom right now.

I heard Oxygen and Magnesium are dating... I was like OMG

I scream! You scream! We all scream for Science and ice cream! Today is why I can not wait to teach Science. Watching Ms. F engage and excite her students was as much of a treat as the delicious ice cream we made using Science. If the instructor is passionate and knowledgeable, Science can gain interest and excitement from it's students. Ms. F displays both these qualities in her classroom. She eagerly answers the children's questions, or fixes their incorrect statements. In addition, her classroom is full of tools and equipment to guide her students learning. Today we had the pleasure of watching how to make ice cream using only a pot, spoon, milk, sugar, and liquid Nitrogen. Since liquid Nitrogen is -320 degrees F, safety comes first. Googles and gloves are a must when working with any chemical. Liquid Nitrogen is a fun tool for freezing foods and objects, but if not used properly it can be very dangerous. Never let it touch your skin! if contact occurs, it can cause serious injury. It is best to let an individual who has experience with liquid Nitrogen, use it. Liquid Nitrogen can be used to cool or freeze foods, such as the milk and sugar, quickly preserving their nutrients. this allows us to make tasty ice cream fast. The steam that fills the room as the liquid nitrogen is poured, excites the students. It causes kids to be less interested in their cell phone or doodles at the time, and more focused on Science. After the experiment is over, the children get a yummy frozen treat. But beware of brain freeze!

Don't take a Geologist for Granite

Today in field work, group three taught the class a lesson in Earth Science. The lesson was dedicated to the study of three types of rocks. Those rocks were; sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. I thought the instruction about the types of rocks was excellent. The downfall of the lesson was after the direct instruction. Unfortunately, the rest of the class was based off of information that was not given to the children in the direct instruction. The slide show taught the class only about the three types of rocks and their distinguishable characteristics. Following the slide show was an interactive game. This game could have been a great resource had the teachers discussed the terms and knowledge behind it. Students were asked to test permeability, durability, and buoyancy. None of these terms were taught or discussed previously. If the children are not exposed to the information, they have no idea what they are doing or why they are doing it. In addition, they students were not taught about any of the tests that they were told to complete in their lab. I heard multiple children ask "what is luster?", or "what is grain size?". You can't expect your students to know information you don't supply to them. In continuation, having been a science student for years, I believe safety comes first. The instructors did not explain to the students what was in front of them on the lab table and how to use the tools properly. Luckily, a teacher sat at each lab table to help the students. Otherwise, a child could have gotten very hurt.  Aside from the frustration some kids expressed, I think they did enjoy learning about rocks and being hands on with them.

What's Poppin'? Bubble gum experiment results

Bubble Data

Student A

Gum Brand:	Bubble 1:	Bubble 2:	Bubble 3:
Trident	.5in	1in	.5in
Juicy Fruit	3in	1.5in	2in
5 Gum	.5in	.1in	.5in
Dubble Bubble	.5in	.5in	.5in
Extra	.5in	.5in	.5in

Trident average: 0.6in

Juicy Fruit average: 2.2in

5 Gum average: 0.3in

Dubble Bubble average: 0.5in

Extra average: 0.5in

Student B

Gum Brand:	Bubble 1:	Bubble 2:	Bubble 3:
Trident	.5in	.5in	.5in
Juicy Fruit	1in	1.5in	3.5in
5 Gum	.5in	.5in	.5in
Dubble Bubble	.5in	1in	1.5in
Extra	.5in	.5in	.5in

Trident average: 0.5in

Juicy Fruit average: 2in

5 Gum average: 0.5in

Dubble Bubble average: 1in

Extra average: 0.5in

Student C

Gum Brand:	Bubble 1:	Bubble 2:	Bubble 3:
Trident	.5in	1in	1.5in
Juicy Fruit	1in	1in	3in
5 Gum	.5in	.5in	.5in
Dubble Bubble	1in	1.5in	1in
Extra	.5in	.5in	.5in

Trident average: 1in

Juicy Fruit average: 1.7in

5 Gum average: 0.5in

Dubble Bubble average: 0.5in

Extra average: 0.5

Student D

Gum Brand:	Bubble 1:	Bubble 2:	Bubble 3:
Trident	.5in	.5in	1in
Juicy Fruit	4in	2in	3in
5 Gum	1in	.5in	.5in
Dubble Bubble	.5in	2in	1in
Extra	.5in	.5in	.5in

Trident average: 0.7in

Juicy Fruit average: 3in

5 Gum average: 0.7in

Dubble Bubble average: 1.2in

Extra average: 0.5in

Student E

Gum Brand:	Bubble 1:	Bubble 2:	Bubble 3:
Trident	.5in	.5in	.5in
Juicy Fruit	1in	2in	1.5in
5 Gum	.5in	1in	.5in
Dubble Bubble	1in	1.5in	.5in
Extra	.5in	.5in	.5in

Trident average: 0.5in

Juicy Fruit average: 1.5in

5 Gum average: 0.7in

Dubble Bubble average: 1in

Extra average: 0.5in

 

Student F

Gum Brand:	Bubble 1:	Bubble 2:	Bubble 3:
Trident	.5in	.5in	.5in
Juicy Fruit	1.5in	2in	1.5in
5 Gum	.5in	1in	1in
Dubble Bubble	2in	1.5in	1in
Extra	.5in	.5in	.5in

Trident average: .5in

Juicy Fruit average: 1.7in

5 Gum average: 0.8in

Dubble Bubble average: 1.5in

Extra average: 0.5in

Total Scores

Trident: 0.6in

Juicy Fruit: 2in

5 Gum: 0.6in

Dubble Bubble: 1in

Extra: 0.5in

Conclusion:

After conducting the bubble gum experiment and analyzing the data, my hypothesis has been dis-proven. My hypothesis stated, “I think Dubble Bubble will blow the biggest bubble”, when in fact, Juicy Fruit blew the biggest bubble. According to the data, the average bubble size blown with Juicy Fruit was 2 inches. The average bubble size blown with Dubble Bubble was only 1 inch. This means, on average, Juicy Fruit allowed the testing group to blow bubbles 1 inch larger than Dubble Bubble allowed for. The other gum brand's bubbles were relatively close in size and popped at a much smaller size in comparison to Juicy Fruit and Dubble Bubble. The average maximum size of Trident was 0.6 inches, 5 gum was also 0.6 inches, and Extra was 0.5 inches. Although this experiment was not designed to test why these gum brands allow for different sized bubbles, my testing group eagerly expressed their thoughts. They felt as though the texture, size of the piece of gum, and elasticity affected the bubble size. If I were to further my experiment, I would test out these hypothesis. 

Reflection: 

The kids loved participating in the "What's Poppin'? Bubble Gum Experiment".  They continue to ask me every day if we can do it again. I loved doing this experiment because the children had so much fun learning. They learned how to measure properly. As you can see in one of the photographs they were not making sure to use the ruler correctly at first. After a few tries, they were working together, holding the ruler straight, carefully placing it up to the mouth, and holding it in the right direction. In addition, the kid's were collecting data for the experiment. They understood that the data was very important and had be collecting as authentically as possible. "No cheating", they would say, because then "we wont know the truth. It made me even more excited to listen to the children create their own theories as to why some gum did not blow as big bubbles as others. They were creating their own problems and hypothesis which is exactly what any science teacher wants to see. Normally, an experiment does not end after one round. An experiment leads into further questions. Those questions lead into further experimentation. The kids were displaying this as they began to state "the size of the pieces of gum are different", "the texture of the gum brands are different", or "some are too chewy". All of these statements can become hypothesis for a new problem; "why do some brands of gum allow us to blow a bigger bubble than other?"

What's poppin'? Bubble Gum Challenge

Today I researched and planned out my Bishop Dunn Science fair project; "What's Poppin'? Bubble Gum Challenge". For my project I will complete an experiment in hopes to find out which gum allows us to blow the biggest bubble. I will be experimenting with 5 different brands of gum. The brands I will be using are Trident, Juicy Fruit, 5 gum, Dubble Bubble, and Extra. My experimental group will consist of participants aged 5 years old-10 years old. The participants will help me test the different brands of gum by blowing three bubbles for each brand of gum. The brand they are chewing will be unknown to avoid any basis. The children are extremely excited to take part in this fun experiment. I hope everyone enjoys this project as much as they do.

"What's Poppin'?" Bubble Gum Challenge:

Problem:

Which gum blows the biggest bubble (Trident, Juicy Fruit, 5, Dubble Bubble, or Extra)?

Hypothesis:

I think Dubble Bubble will blow the biggest bubble.

I think this because after doing research, Dubble Bubble was created for a fun bubble blowing experience. The “non-sticky” formula was made to allow kids to blow bubbles with ease.

The other gum bands were created for different reasons. Trident was created in effort to reduce the link between gum chewing and tooth decay. Trident uses three enzymes in their formula to promote dental health. Juicy Fruit gum is known for it's one of a kind flavor. It was also created for a fun bubble blowing experience. In my opinion, Juicy fruit will be one of the top contenders in this experiment. 5 gum was created to appeal to our senses. It was designed to be eye-catching, stimulate our taste buds, have a captivating smell, and a soft, chewy texture that will be craved. The brand Extra, was created with the purpose of developing a long lasting flavor experience.

Materials: 
-One pack of Trident gum

-One pack of Juicy Fruit gum

-One pack of 5 gum

-One pack of Dubble Bubble gum

-One pack of Extra gum

-A ruler (in inches)

-A camera (for photos and videos)

-A group of participants (testing group)

-Paper and pen to record data
-A timer 

Procedure:

1. I will first remove the individual pieces of gum from their wrappers. This way the participants are not basis during testing. The participants will not be aware of the brand of gum they are chewing and blowing bubbles with. The participants will all be in the same room. This will allow for the same environment. Therefor factors, such as room temperature, and possible distractions, will be the same for each participate and each brand of gum.

2. I will give the participant 1 minute to chew the selected brand of gum before they begin to blow a bubble. If each brand of gum is chewed for the same amount of time, there is a higher chance of the brands solely being judged on the potential bubble size and not other components, such as length of time chewing. The amount of time gum is chewed can impact the size of the bubble blown, as well as other factors. For example, the bubble blowing skill level of the participant, the amount of gum being used by the participant, and the temperature of the gum. Most of these factors can be controlled in a science experiment. The factors that can not be controlled will be discussed in the experimental error part of my conclusion. It is possible that these factors can skew my data a little.
 

3. Following the one minute, I will have the participant blow a bubble to the best of their ability. As they are blowing the bubble, a ruler will be held up to their mouth. Once the bubble reaches it's maximum size, the length will be recorded. In addition, I will video tape the act in case of any misjudgment in the length. The participant will blow 3 bubbles per gum brand and the average will be used in the final data processes. The same participants will be used throughout the entire experiment.

4. The length of the bubble will be recorded for each of the three bubbles, per participant, for each brand.

5. The average length of the bubble per brand will be calculated. In order to find this number, I will fist add up the 3 bubble blows for one participant and divide by 3. This will give me a single participants average bubble size for that particular brand. I will complete this process for each brand.  After completing this act for each individual participant, I will then add up all the participants averages for each brand, divide by the number of participants, and be left with the overall average bubble size for that particular brand of gum.

6. Lastly, I will review my findings and determine which brand of gum (Trident, Juicy Fruit, 5, Dubble Bubble, or Extra) blows the biggest bubble.

I love Science sodium much! Haha, I slapped my neon that one.

Today I experienced my first virtual class. I got to experience the flaws and advantages of technology. Although it is an extreme advancement in the world to have the ability to view and contribute to a class online, there can be downfalls. The virtual class gave the professor the ability to hold a normal class without us having to be in the class room. The professor held class at it's normal time and was able to speak to the class directly and in real time. In addition, she was able to display a slide show to go along with the lesson. The students, had the ability to participate either by voice or through text. This is a great advancement in technology, especially for educational purposes. The downfall to my evening, and technology as well, was that I lost power. What happens to our lives when the power goes off? Technology is unable to be used. Although technology leads to amazing advancements, tools, and discoveries, it is not dependable. That is one of my big concerns about the world becoming so dependent on items that are undependable and unpredictable. It's great to have the knowledge and ability to use such tools, but I believe schools should not focus on them. I feel as though professors and teachers should not depend on them either. I want to my students to be able to depend only on themselves, their knowledge, and skills that will never go "out of style". Technology is meant to be a tool, not a lifestyle.