Water Properties
Read these instructions, do the water activity, then read the article in the link below.
For this activity, you will need a penny, an eyedropper, water, and someone to compete with you. A relative (mom, dad, spouse, child, etc.) or a colleague (e-mail someone from class if you wish) will be fine.
Procedure: Put water in the dropper. Drop water droplets on the penny and count the number of drops that land on the penny before the water spills off the penny. See if you can beat your partner by getting the most water drops on your penny before the water runs off your penny. Keep in mind that you will have more water drops if you will hold the dropper as close to the penny as possible, but do not touch the penny or the water. Easy does it is the best procedure. Once the competition has finished, predict why the water did what it did? Now go to the link located below and read to find why the water did what it did.
Water Link: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/adhesion-and-cohesion-water?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects (Links to an external site.)
Purpose of the activity: The water drops on the penny is a prereading activity that goes along with the Chapter 6 ideas of arousing curiosity and establishing a problematic prospective. We want to raise the question of why did the water form a dome on the penny. Now, this is an example of where hands-on activities and reading meet. We can stimulate students to read. If this activity is suitable for your students, hopefully they will be ready to read and learn about the properties of water. By the way, if your partner is a young child, you may wish to read the article aloud.
Assignment: Submit a summary and reflection of the activity.
Summary:
Paragraph 1 (activity). Who as you partner (competitor) in this activity? How many drops did each person achieve? What was the reaction of you and your partner to the activity?
Paragraph 2 (reading assignment). Describe how the activity affected the reading of the article for you and your partner. Think in terms of the BDA lesson. How did the activity affect you before reading? How did the activity affect you during reading? How did the activity affect you after reading?
Reflection:
Paragraph 3. Provide at least one idea on how a hands on activity could be used as a prereading activity in your class. Describe the activity and the reading material that you would use in con junction with the activity.