Densities

    This week I learned more about why different substances have different densities. In my group, we discussed that the densities are different because the atoms/molecules in the substances are different. When an object is more dense, the atoms are more tightly packed together. When the object is less dense, the atoms are more spread apart. Other things that play apart is the size and mass that the object has. In lab, we experimented with M&Ms and how fast their color dissolves in room temperature, ice cold, piping hot, and sugary water. 

    What I find to be confusing is the fact that I am going to have to teach and explain this to children. This makes me nervous because I do not feel that I am able to come up with these conclusions without my classmates at my table. What would I do if I were to experience this lack of knowledge in front of my students? I would just be honest with my students, but my goal for this class is to become more confident so that I hopefully do not have to worry about this. 

    What I learned from this lab that I can use in my future teaching is the conversation we had over homework. We discussed how the information on worksheets can be implemented in different ways for students. The M&Ms experiment with the water is a great example of this. In this, you can talk about length and all other sorts of stuff that would be seen on a take home sheet. If we are getting the students hands-on experiments to gain knowledge from, it is going to stick better than when we lecture them and want them to memorize it.