STEM Lab Leaflets
Empowering minds through Science.Technology.Engineering.Math
Welcome to Hurley's Stem Lab!
It is my pleasure to welcome you to read the weekly newsletter for the STEM Lab here at Hurley Elementary School. The goal of the STEM Lab is to give students hands on experience with educational standards that are typically harder to grasp without actually getting their hands on the concepts.
Meet Mrs. Cox
Hello! My name is Mrs. Cox. I am currently arranging sessions for the STEM Lab. I love being able to share my love of science with the students of Hurley. I find it especially gratifying considering I was once a Hurley All Star myself. I have obtained my Bachelors of Science degree from North Carolina State University and have been fortunate enough to return to my hometown and give back to the community that has given so much to me. I look forward to building an amazing STEM Lab that our students can utilize to better their performance on standardized tests as well as building an amazing Lab our community can be proud of. If you ever want to volunteer or donate to the STEM Lab please do not hesitate to contact me.
Email: raven.cox@rss.k12.nc.us
Website: http://hes.rss.k12.nc.us
Location: 625 Hurley School Road, Salisbury, NC, United States
Solids and Liquids and Gas! Oh My! A review of 1/23/17-1/27/17 as well as a sneak peek to next week!
To illustrate whether an object would maintain its shape when placed into another container; we poured grains of sand from one medicine cup to another as well as water from one container to another. The grains of sand pile one one side before spilling into the rest of the container. I asked the students if this meant that the sand was a solid or a liquid. They were able to make the connections that the grains of sand were tiny pieces of crushed rock and shells; they agreed that the small pieces stacking showed sand is classified as a solid. We then poured water from one cup to another. The water filled the cup evenly and took on its shape. The students knew water was a liquid, it was still a great experience for them to compare the two different examples of solid and liquid.
To illustrate gas taking up the volume of its container we used baking soda and vinegar to make carbon dioxide. I prepared baking soda or baking powder in the bottom of clear film canisters I then poured a small amount of a 50% mixture of Vinegar and Water into a balloon. I stretched the balloon over the canister and let the balloon hang to the side. One member of each table raised the balloon when prompted to dump the vinegar into the baking soda/powder. The students were very excited to do a chemical reaction. As the balloons expanded I asked the students if what they thought was in the balloon. Some of them said liquid, some said air, and I was very pleased that some knew it was a gas. We went on to have a discussion of what air was comprised of as well as what gas had been made. I removed a balloon from one of the canisters and asked if one of the students could catch the gas coming from the balloon. This was to illustrate that a gas will continue to expand if there is not something to contain it.
The final thing we covered in the lab was water and its changing characteristics from ice to water to water vapor. I froze some water balloons to produce ice balls. I then asked the students what was needed to change the solid ice to a liquid. The students responded, heat. I used heat from my hands to melt the ice ball into the liquid water. Before the lab, I prepared a mixture of water and salt into an Erlenmeyer flask. I set the water to boil in a display for the students so that they could see the salt remain in the bottom and water boil out as water vapor.
Gas and vapor are typically harder concepts for students to grasp without a tactile experience.
I believe that we had a great lab with Second and Third grade this week!
Next week we will continue to discuss the properties of the states of matter. We will also correlate the cycle of ice to water to water vapor with the water cycle.
standards 2.P.2.1 and 2.P.2.3
Preset Lab
Which state of matter?
Scientific Brain
5th Grade Cytology Lab
I believe the students enjoyed the lab this week!
Next week we will finish up our rotations.
Standard 5.L.1.1
Chronicling Lab Experiences! 1/30/17-2/3/17
Standards 2.P.2.1, 2.P.2.2, 2.P.2.3
Third Grade delves into the deep reaches of space!!
Standard 3.E.1.1