Bridge13

Standard: 4.NS.2- Observe, investigate and give examples of ways that the shape of land changes over time.(4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3) Describe how the supply of natural resources is limited and investigate ways that humans protect and harm the environment. (4.2.4, 4.2.5, 4.2.6)

Extension: Students could build more elaborate models with rocks, mud, dirt, soil, and other natural objects. Students could build larger models that set over time and could be used to mimic larger mining operations.

Adaptations: Students could write reports on the effects of coal mining and other human practices on the earth and our resources. Students could give presentations on other harmful practices that humans participate in, explaining why, despite the negative effects, we still make these decisions.

Standard: 5.DP.1 - Describe the weight and volume and measure the weight and volume of various objects.(5.1.1, 5.1.2) Demonstrate that mass is conserved even when a substance has undergone a change in its state. (5.1.3, 5.1.4)

Extension: Students could weigh the materials seperately before combining into the slime mixture and compare and contrast the weight with after the slime has been created. Students could hypothesize where some of the mass was relocated (assuming some moisture was worked out of slime while handling).

Adaptation: Students could make homemade ice cream, and other baked goods to demonstrate the difference between chemical and physical changes.

Standards: 3.DS.1 - Observe and describe how sound is produced by vibrations. (3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3) Observe and describe how light travels from point to point. (3.1.4, 3.1.5, 3.1.6)

Adaptation- Different instruments could be placed at stations throughout the room if there were not enough to pass out to everyone. Students could move table to table recording what they observe about the sound.

Extension: This could be extended by turning it into a research project. Students could research specific instruments, then with classroom materials or materials from home, students could construct homemade instruments resembling what they researched. Knowledge of sounds waves and vibrations would be used to create working instruments.

Adaptations: Activities could be completed alone and not as part of 5 day unit if time did not permit. Experiments could be completed in small groups or modeled explicitly by the teacher.

Use of graphs and graphic organizers could be varied depending on ability of students.

Extension: This is a science project heavy on language arts (writing). Allowing ELL students to draw more pictures may make this project more memorable for these students.

Once students have determined what soil is good for plants, students could test different plant seeds. Compare and contrast what soil works best for different plants.

Standard: 1.NS.2 - Observe, describe and ask questions about soil components and properties.

Standards: 6.NS.2, 6.NS.3, 6.NS.4, 6.NS.5, 6.1.2, 6.1.3 

Expansion: This experiement could be expanded to fulfill all of the sixth grade nature of science standards with the addition of predictions, deliberate recording of observations, multiple tests, analysis and presentation of findings.  It could be expanded into a unit-long project.  

ESL: Cooperative learning and recording of data will help reinforce student understanding.  Full use of science procedures will reinforce the scientific method. 

2.2.3 Chart or graph weather observations such as cloud cover, cloud type and type of precipitation on a daily basis over a period of weeks. 2.NS.3 Generate questions and make observations about natural processes. Students who are having a hard time getting a handle on the concepts presented in this lesson could be given additional time.  Really, any adaptation you make to this activity for slower learners would be a good thing for all students, so additional pictures and resources should be shared with all students.  Time is the only thing I could think of that could become an issue for students, so slower students could be given more time and one-on-one teacher help for this activity.

Standards: 1.1.2, 1.1.3

Expansion: The maple syrup part of this will be a little difficult with a stove in a classroom, but experiment with different types of liquids or solids.  Salt-water might be an interesting long-term experiment for changing a liquid to a solid.  That, or be very cautious how this is done. 

ESL: Recording findings will help students reinforce science writing skills. 

An extension for this activity would be to have students who seem to be enjoying it but are moving ahead of the group try the growing experiment with different plants.  These students could then compare the lima bean growth to that of other plants. Students who are struggling, or maybe who have had a plant die could work together in groups and share plants to observe and experiment with. 4.NS.7 Keep accurate records in a notebook during investigations and communicate findings to others using graphs, charts, maps and models through oral and written reports. 4.3.4 Describe a way that a given plant or animal might adapt to a change arising from a human or non-human impact on its environment.

This activity could be adapted for English Language learners by creating an instructional guide on how to set up the still that uses pictures and illustrations heavily.  This way, if the students have difficulty understanding spoken English, they can use the direction handout to figure out  5.NS.4 Perform investigations using appropriate tools and technologies that will extend the senses. 5.NS.3 Plan and carry out investigations-often over a period of several lessons-as a class, in small groups or independently.

Standard: 2.NS.1.1- Observe, describe and measure ways in which the properties of a sample of water (including volume) change or stay the same as the water is heated and cooled and then transformed into different states. Extensions: Students can graph the weight of the sponge over time on a line graph. Students can discuss their predicitions and/or inferences (depending on how familiar they are with the water cycle) as a class. This activity is a good segwey into concepts such as the water cycle, evaporation, and states of matter. Adaptations: ELL students benefit from the whole class discussion stemming from the single experiement performed at the front of the class. Students gain a better idea of what is going on as they listen to each others' predictions and inferences as to where the water is going if it is leaving the sponge.