Bug Lady Ms. Johnstone Rules!

Science Fair 6/6/12 – Panthers Work Hard!!

May 27

Thanks to Michael’s craft stores for providing these tips for students facing a science fair project.  Kids, I’m here to tell you that the internet has made it so easy for you to get information, see examples, conduct research and organize that really all you have to commit to is the time and effort.  You’ll feel so proud of your work at the end!  Get in there and DO SCIENCE!!

 

Scientists ask questions. The scientific method is how they get answers. It is a step-by-step process. Other scientists can go through the same steps and get the same answer. This means you can be more sure your answer is right.

Following the scientific method is important. Your teacher may give different names to some of the things you do. Or she may ask you to explain the information in a different order. But everyone who does a science fair project follows the same basic steps:

  1. Choose a topic – This is your question or problem. What do you want to find the answer to?
  2. Find out more – Get information that will help you begin to answer your question.
  3. Form a hypothesis – Based on your research, you think you know what the answer will be. This is better than a guess. But you don’t know for sure.
  4. Test your hypothesis – Usually this means perform your experiment more than once.
  5. Results – What did you find out? Be sure to record this in your scientific journal.
  6. Conclusion – What did you learn?

Once you have completed your research, you create an exhibit (display) that shows in words and pictures (charts and graphs) what you did. Then, you’ll be ready to go to the science fair and tell everyone about your project.

Choose a Topic

This is your question. It is usually something you wonder about. Do you really have more germs on your hands before you wash them? Are cats smarter than dogs? Do most toys live up to the advertising on TV? Are vegetables really better for you than candy? Once you have chosen a topic, you will want to find out more about it.

Find Out More

This is called doing research. You can look up your topic in the library and on the Internet. Ask questions of people who might know more. Your doctor would know about germs. Your dog’s vet would know about dogs.

Doing research tells you if this topic is really interesting to you. It helps you narrow down your question. You want a question that you can find the answer to. In fact, your research helps you think what the answer might be. Then you can form a hypothesis.

Form a Hypothesis

Now that you have learned more about your topic, what do you THINK the answer might be? This is your hypothesis. It’s an informed guess. A hypothesis is not a question. It is a statement of what you think is true, based on your research. “Washing hands in warm water kills more germs than washing hands in cold water.” “Cats sleep more than dogs.” “You can’t tell the taste of a soft drink with a blindfold.” Your hypothesis might be true or it might not be true. So you need to test your hypothesis. Perform your experiment at least twice to make sure the results are consistent.

Test Your Hypothesis

For most projects, you will do an experiment to test your hypothesis.

Remember, you want other scientists to be able to do your experiment and get the same results. So write down everything. This is called documentation. You write everything in a special notebook. This is called your log or journal

Write down:

  • Your purpose. (why are you doing this experiment?)
  • Your procedure. Be sure to write down every step. You are writing a “recipe” for your experiment.
  • Your materials. If you have to buy things, write down where you got them and what they cost. Often you can use materials you have at home, but you still need to list them.
  • Variables. These are things that change.
  • Controls. These are things that stay the same.
  • Data. What happened.

Design your experiment before you perform it. Think about the factors that could change the results of your experiment … light, heat, cold and humidity, for example. These are called variables. You want to control as many variables as you can. It’s a good idea to ask your teacher, your parents or an older brother or sister to look over your experiment. They might see other variables that you can control better. Some variables can make your results different. This is why it is important to perform your experiment a few times to be scientific.

When you do your experiment, you might want to take pictures. If you are testing products, side-by-side pictures or before-and-after pictures are good.  Once you have completed your experiment, you will have your Results.

Results

Results are what you find out. They are usually in the form of data. Data is another word for information. In research, data usually means numbers. Numbers can be turned into graphs and charts to make your results easier to understand. Good graphs make an ordinary person say, “I see what happened.”

A good scientist always double-checks results. This is especially important if your hypothesis is different from what most people think. It is also important if your research disproves your hypothesis (if the results are not what you expected). You may need time to do the experiment a second or third time. Follow the directions in your log. Does it turn out the same way? If not, what happened? Did you forget to write down one of the steps? Were there other variables that might have changed the results?  Once you are sure your results can be repeated by other people, you need to draw a conclusion.

Conclusion

In an experiment, you learn whether your hypothesis is true or false. But you always learn more. How can you put what you learned to work in everyday life?  Examples:

  • If hot water boils faster than cold water, you can have spaghetti sooner if you put hot water on to boil.
  • If your cat likes cheaper food as well as she likes expensive food, you can save some money.
  • If grass grows an inch every 9 days, do you have to mow the lawn every 7 days?

Once you have reached your conclusion, you will want to write a report. Your report tells about your project in a way that an ordinary person can understand. It summarizes the entire scientific method.

What did you want to find out? What did you do to find it out? What happened? Where did you get your materials? How much did they cost? How much time did it take? These are things that people would like to know.

Display

Always Remember…

  • Don’t copy. It’s okay to get the idea for your project from someone else, but don’t copy another kid’s work. Start from the beginning and do everything yourself. Copying someone else’s work is called plagiarism. It is wrong.
  • Don’t let your parents help too much. It’s okay to ask them for advice or some help. But if they try to take over your project, remind them this is YOUR project, not their project.
  • Credit your sources. While you do your project, you will probably get some help from people, books or web sites. Be sure to list the help you got as part of your written report.

 

Prototype Characters

May 24

The students were asked to create prototype characters for a sequel to Monsters, Inc. I hope you like them as much as I do.

I expect a lot from my students. That’s ’cause when they deliver, well, look for yourself. It’s just so cool!

This is the best eclipse since 1978 and there will not be a better one until August 2017…. SO DON”T MISS IT!!

May 16

SEE A SOLAR ECLIPSE ON SUNDAY MAY 20TH 2012

Every month, the Moon goes around the Earth (“Moon’th”). When the Moon is opposite the Sun we see it lit as a “Full Moon” and when it is in the same direction as the Sun we see it lit as a thin crescent or “New Moon”. Because it’s path is not exactly on the same plane as the Sun it usually passes just above or below the Sun when it is a New Moon. Sometimes, however, the Moon passes in front of the Sun and we get a “Solar Eclipse”.

By an amazing piece of luck, the apparent disk of the Sun is 400 times bigger that the disk of the Moon, but it is 400 times further away.. So they look almost the same size from Earth.

There are three types of Solar Eclipse:

Partial…  The Moon covers part of the Sun

Total….   The Moon completely cover the Sun

Annular.. The Moon almost covers the Sun but not completely because it is a little too far away

On Sunday, May  20th we will see an Annular Solar Eclipse

Unless you drive North to Reading and into the perfect path of the shadow of the Moon you won’t see the Annular eclipse, but you will see a VERY deep partial eclipse here in Oakland with the Moon covering 84.5% of the Sun.

Times for Oakland:

First contact…           17:55:55 (5:56pm)

Maximum eclipse…  18:32:33 (6:32pm)

Last contact….          19:39:50 (7:40pm)

From Oakland with the Moon almost covering the Sun it will appear as a crescent

DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN WITH YOUR EYES.. YOU WILL DAMAGE THEM FOREVER!!

The simplest method is a pinhole camera. Make a small hole in a sheet of card, and hold it about a yard from another sheet of card, with your back to the Sun; the Sun’s light will be “projected” through the pinhole and form an inverted image on the second sheet of card, which you can then look at safely. Don’t look through the pinhole! You can adjust the size of the image by adjusting the separation of the cards.

You can also use special mylar eclipse glasses if you have them. Share them if you have them. You can also go to Chabot Observatory on Skyline Blvd where they will have free safe eclipse viewing.

Whoop-tee-doo Weekend!

May 13

I love being a mom, but it’s not always easy and I’m not always the best at it. I sure felt like it this weekend, though.  Graduation, hugs, time with family – it all fell together after that mad rush to the finish line. I love you girls, and my dear Andrew. You make me want to do something greater – however, I’m not going through this again without the hood. Just sayin’.

Transformers Field Trip – Informational Slide Show

May 7

Monterey Bay Aquarium

View more PowerPoint from Jeri Schneider

Please view this Slide Share file which outlines our requirements for the field trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium, scheduled for June 7th.  Sorry the beautiful video is not included on slide 3 – I’m too cheap to pay for the upgrade on Slide Share!  Still, parents can see the same slides the students were presented with today during the end of 3rd period.

Big thanks to Mr. Gray for putting the details together.  We have a great family leader!

 

Plant Reproduction

May 6

This is a great slideshow I found on Slideshare that covers exactly what we worked on Friday. We attempted to “dissect” a flower and identify the reproductive parts.  Click here for the notes from that lesson for those of you who may have missed it. plant reprod notes master

Panthers work hard!

Calculating with Scientific Notation – Review for CST

May 2

Scientific notation is simply a method for expressing, and working with, very large or very small numbers.  It is a short hand method for writing numbers, and an easy method for calculations.  Numbers in scientific notation are made up of three parts: the coefficient, the base and the exponent.  Observe the example below:

5.67 x 105

This is the scientific notation for the standard number, 567 000.  Now look at the number again, with the three parts labeled.
5.67 x 105
        coefficient                          base        exponent

In order for a number to be in correct scientific notation, the following conditions must be true:

1. The coefficient must be greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10.
2. The base must be 10.
3. The exponent must show the number of decimal places that the decimal needs to be moved to change the number to standard notation.  A negative exponent means that the decimal is moved to the left when changing to standard notation.



Changing numbers from scientific notation to standard notation

       Ex.1 Change 6.03 x 107 to standard notation

remember,  107 = 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 10 000 000

so,    6.03 x 107 = 6.03 x 10 000 000 = 60 300 000

answer = 60 300 000

Instead of finding the value of the base, we can simply move the decimal seven places to the right because the exponent is 7.

So, 6.03 x 107 = 60 300 000


 

Now let us try one with a negative exponent

Ex.2 Change 5.3 x 10-4 to standard notation

The exponent tells us to move the decimal four places to the left.

so, 5.3 x 10-4 = 0.00053


Changing numbers from standard notation to scientific notation

Ex.1  Change 56 760 000 000 to scientific notation

Remember, the decimal is at the end of the final zero.

The decimal must be moved behind the five to ensure that the coefficient is less than 10, but greater than or equal to one.

The coefficient will then read 5.676

The decimal will move 10 places to the left, making the exponent equal to 10.

Answer equals 5.676 x 1010


Now we try a number that is very small.

Ex.2  Change 0.000000902 to scientific notation

The decimal must be moved behind the 9 to ensure a proper coefficient.

The coefficient will be 9.02

The decimal moves seven spaces to the right, making the exponent -7

Answer equals 9.02 x 10-7 


 

 

Calculating with Scientific Notation

Not only does scientific notation give us a way of writing very large and very small numbers, it allows us to easily do calculations as well.  Calculators are very helpful tools, but unless you can do these calculations without them, you can never check to see if your answers make sense.   Any calculation should be checked using your logic, so don’t just assume an answer is correct.  This page will explain the rules for calculating with scientific notation.

Rule for Multiplication – When you multiply numbers with scientific notation, multiply the coefficients together and add the exponents.  The base will remain 10.

Ex 1 – Multiply (3.45 x 107) x (6.25 x 105)

  1. First rewrite the problem as:    (3.45 x 6.25) x (107 x 105)
  2. Then multiply the coefficients and add the exponents:    21.5625 x 1012
  3. Then change to correct scientific notation and round to correct significant digits:
    2.16 x 1013

NOTE – we add one to the exponent because we moved the decimal one place to the left.

Remember that correct scientific notation has a coefficient that is less than 10, but greater than or equal to one.

Ex. 2 – Multiply (2.33 x 10-6) x (8.19 x 103)

  1. rewrite the problem as: (2.33 x 8.19) x (10-6 x 103)
  2. Then multiply the coefficients and add the exponents:  19.0827 x 10-3
  3. Then change to correct scientific notation and round to correct significant digits 1.91 x 10-2
  • Remember that -3 + 1 = -2

Rule for Division – When dividing with scientific notation, divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents.  The base will remain 10.

Ex. 1 – Divide 3.5 x 108 by 6.6 x 104

  1. Rewrite the problem as:                 3.5 x 108
    ———
    6.6 x 104        
  2. Divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents to get:      0.530303 x 104
  3. Change to correct scientific notation and round to correct significant digits to get: 5.3 x 103
    1. a.     Note – We subtract one from the exponent because we moved the decimal one place to the right.

Rule for Addition and Subtraction – when adding or subtracting in scientific notation, you must express the numbers as the same power of 10.  This will often involve changing the decimal place of the coefficient

Ex. 1 – Add 3.76 x 104 and 5.5 x 102

  1. move the decimal to change 5.5 x 102 to 0.055 x 104
  2. add the coefficients and leave the base and exponent the same:  3.76 + 0.055 = 3.815 x 104
  3. following the rules for rounding, our final answer is 3.815 x 104        

Rounding is a little bit different because each digit shown in the original problem must be considered significant, regardless of where it ends up in the answer.

Ex. 2 – Subtract (4.8 x 105) – (9.7 x 104)

  1. move the decimal to change 9.7 x 104 to 0.97 x 105
  2. subtract the coefficients and leave the base and exponent the same:  4.8 – 0.97 = 3.83 x 105
  3. round to correct number of significant digits: 3.83 x 105  

The earliest stage in the lifecycle of the Bug Lady has been traced to the Midwest in the early 1990s, where elementary students near the Illinois State University campus were presented with live insects from the ISU Entomology Lab by an inspired graduate student.

Wings unfurled, she expanded her range as Associate Director of Education for Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences in Peoria. Bug Lady appeared frequently in school outreach and after school enrichment programs, summer camps, senior homes, and occasionally on the local news. In 2001, she served as President of the Peoria Academy of Sciences, reviving the Entomology section and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science.

She then migrated to the west coast, not unlike the Monarch butterfly, to bask in the California sun and tend to her newly hatched larva (baby Sophie). “In my mind and my heart, I’ve always been the Bug Lady, not so much for the knowledge I’ve acquired regarding insects, but more for the feeling that I’m in a constant state of metamorphosis – ever changing.”

Now, after a long diapause, the imago of Bug Lady has recently been sited in Alameda summer programs along with her assistant, Bug Gurl. She is taking flight in cyberspace to share her love of insects, science and life in general with enthusiasts of all ages.