Elephant Toothpaste:Proposal

By: Stacey Nobles, Kaye Hensler, Emily Smith-George(All questions are answered in each section, not necessarily in order, but all questions ARE answered)

Rationale:

1. RationaleWhy are you choosing these activities?A. Theory of learning: Use relevant theorists such as Piaget, Bruner, or Vygotsky as well as current research to justify your instructional approach. Present some of the basic tenets of the theory that influence how children learn science. For example, if you are planning activities for a third grade class, what do we know about how eight-year-olds learn science?B. Developmental level: Present how ten-year-olds process information and interact with each socially. Specifically, consider the appropriateness of this project for the age and stage of the children in the class. How will you design the activity to reflect the developmental level of eight-year-olds? Do any of the children have special learning challenges?C. Since you may have a wide variety of ages approach your table how will you differentiate your questions for these different age groups?C. Curriculum connection: Why choose these activities? How does it fit in terms of the class curriculum?D. Explain why this project is important. How will you hook/engage the students?

Elephant Toothpaste is a fun interactive activity that we believe can be enjoyed by many age levels. Elephant Toothpaste is based on constructivist learning because of the hands-on nature of this activity. Kids are taking ownership of the knowledge as they actively construct the reaction themselves through making and combining the 2 mixtures. Piaget’s view that knowledge is a process occurring after cognitive equilibration is achieved throughout this activity. The kids are presented with something new - the foam erupting out of the water bottle. They have to use prior knowledge and experience to explore where this foam came from and classify it into their schema of things. Vygotsky’s emphasis on social learning will also be utilized during this activity as children interact with each other and us. We are focusing our assessment on questions as a means of attempting to determine each child’s relative Zone of Proximal Development.The use of questioning is important because we will be working with children of all ages and developmental levels, we will have no prior engagement with the child in order to assess their knowledge on the subject. Once we ask basic questions that can give us an idea of where they are we can move to extensions that we feel are challenging for the child, but not at their frustration level.

All ages will be able to participate in the activity because we as instructors will be there to help and assist with the younger ages. We can help the younger children by measuring out the ingredients and showing them where to pour it, giving step-by-step instructions. We also split up the “load” between multiple students, allowing some to mix one half and some to mix the other half. We will also have a board with instructions explaining how to do the experiment, so the older ages can do the experiment by themselves, but we will also still be there to answer questions and assist when needed.

This activity was very fun and hands-on. Students and people will love this activity. It is practical learning through hands-on science. The experiment explores different types of reactions, for example, it is an exothermic reaction. It also is a chemical reaction, so there are endless possibilities with that aspect. It also is an excellent and fun way for children of all ages to practice observation. We also used recycled bottles, which can tie into going green and recycling. Finally, because this activity is so eye-catching and will stand out positively in many students’ minds, it is a great way to incorporate a writing assignment. This could be science related or personal. You could either have students describe what they saw and why they think that happened, or you could encourage students to write a journal entry about what they were thinking/feeling when the foam started to burst out of the bottle.

To fully understand what is happening during this experiment students need to be familiar with reactions and certain scientific laws. For example, younger students might simply think the foam was created by mixing the ingredients, but older students know it had to have come from something specific. They are able to understand that no mass is ever created or destroyed so this “foam” must have come from one of the elements in the ingredients. Even though younger students will not completely grasp this experiment, it is still appealing an educational. Even the younger students will be amazed at the resulting elephant toothpaste, and the appearance of this foam is truly the hook. Once students watch the reaction they want to explore it. This means that although the younger students will not understand the reaction, they will have an opportunity to practice their observation skills. Observation is a key aspect of science, and students need to learn early how to do this successfully. This experiment can teach both fact based science as well as the process of predicting, observing, and drawing conclusions.

Normative Data (10 year olds):· Becomes more product and goal oriented· Is proud of doing things well· Is concerned about personal capabilities· Shows interest in fictional stories, magazines, and how-to books(Bridson 2011)

● Create equivalent fractions(Davy, 2006)Speech & Language Development: Audition (Listening)· Active listeners and have developed a range of strategies for “during listening” and “after listening” to help cognitive development.· Can maintain eye contact.· Are able to offer feedback and verbal encouragement to their peers.Receptive Language (what they understand)· Should no longer require visual support and can follow complex instructions for things, which they cannot see.· Able to comprehend information, data or results and use that information to form an opinion, which they can justify.Expressive Language· Express their own their own opinion with supporting ideas.· Describe events and things in great detail.Cognition· Learning that there is the language they use aloud as well as their body language, which can combine to give the same message or may present two different ideas.· Consolidating conversational turn taking skills.· Can adjust speech to suit familiar situations such as using simpler words when talking with younger children.(Barrington, n.d.).· Change interpretation based on new information or past experiences(Davy, 2006)

● We will be there to help the children who need a little bit of extra assistance.

Content/ Standards:2. ContentA. What content should the teacher know to teach the content? Please include detail.B. Explain the science behind the activities.C. How does the content meet the National Benchmarks?D. What Standards of Learning are met through the activities?E. Depict the main ideas evident in the activity.

Before starting this experiment, teachers should know about different types of reactions. They should also know about catalysts and exactly what is happening in this particular reaction. The teacher should know that the yeast acts as a catalyst and removes the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide. The faster that this reaction happens, the more bubbles are created. The foam that spurts out of the bottle is simply water, soap, and oxygen and cleans up very easily and is safe for touching.

National Benchmarks:from the website www.project2061.org (The Nature of Science Benchmarks)

By the end of the 2nd grade, students should know that● People can often learn about things around them by just observing those things

carefully, but sometimes they can learn more by doing something to the things and noting what happens. 1B/P1

● Describing things as accurately as possible is important in science because it enables people to compare their observations with those of others. 1B/P3

As noted earlier although younger students will be unable to truly comprehend the science behind this experiment, it will give them the opportunity to practice the important skill of observation. While students are watching the experiment they should be encouraged to describe what they see (and after what they smell and feel). The students should also be encouraged to observe and describe the ingredients, make note of the fact that none of them are foamy, and then again describe the toothpaste after “noting what happens”.

By the end of the 5th grade, students should know that● Sometimes similar investigations give different results because of differences in the

things being investigated, the methods used, or the circumstances in which the investigation is carried out, and sometimes just because of uncertainties in observations. It is not always easy to tell which. 1A/E1*

● Science is a process of trying to figure out how the world works by making careful observations and trying to make sense of those observations. 1A/E2**

● Scientific investigations may take many different forms, including observing what things are like or what is happening somewhere, collecting specimens for analysis, and doing experiments. 1B/E1*

● One reason for following directions carefully and for keeping records of one's work is to provide information on what might have caused differences in investigations. 1B/E2b

● Scientists' explanations about what happens in the world come partly from what they observe, partly from what they think. 1B/E3a

● Sometimes scientists have different explanations for the same set of observations. That usually leads to their making more observations to resolve the differences. 1B/E3bc

● Science is an adventure that people everywhere can take part in, as they have for many centuries. 1C/E1

Students are asked to practice this first benchmark by hypothetically thinking about how changing certain factors would affect the outcome of this experiment. These chnaes included increasing the amount of yeast, using dry yeast without water, and changing the size of the bottle. These simple changes may or may not have a profound affect on the outcome but thinking about them will give students the opportunity to explore different results and the reasoning behind them. The second benchmark was reached because this experiment required students to first predict, then observe, and finally “make sense” of what was happening. This activity allowed students to observe, practice carefully following directions, and provide their explanations for what they think happened meaning it met 4 more benchmarks for grades 3-5. Finally, this was an easy activity that we did in the middle of the mall and many parents wrote down the materials and directions so they could do it again at home. Showing students science can occur outside school proves to them it can be done anywhere.

RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNINGGrade 1Science 1- Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic- The student will conduct investigations in which a) differences in physical properties are observed using the senses, Science 3- Matter- The student will investigate and understand how different common materials interact with water. Key concepts include b) some common solids will dissolve in water, but others will notGrade 2 Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in whicha) observations and predictions are made and questions are formed;b) observations are differentiated from personal interpretation;d) two or more characteristics or properties are used to classify items;e) length, volume, mass, and temperature are measured in metric units and standard English units using the proper tools;j) conclusions are drawn;k) observations and data are communicated;

l) simple physical models are designed and constructed to clarify explanations and show relationships; andm)current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.

Matter2.3 The student will investigate and understand basic properties of solids, liquids, and gases. Key concepts includea) identification of distinguishing characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases;b) measurement of the mass and volume of solids and liquids; andc) changes in phases of matter with the addition or removal of energy.

Grade 3 Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic3.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in whicha) observations are made and are repeated to ensure accuracy;b) predictions are formulated using a variety of sources of information;g) questions are developed to formulate hypotheses;j) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;l) models are designed and built; andm) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.

Matter3.3 The student will investigate and understand that objects are made of materials that can be described by their physical properties. Key concepts includea) objects are made of one or more materials;b) physical properties remain the same as the material is changed in visible size; andc) visible physical changes are identified.

Grade 5 Matter5.4 The student will investigate and understand that matter is anything that has mass and takes up space; and occurs as a solid, liquid, or gas. Key concepts included) molecules and compounds; ande) mixtures including solutions.

Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic5.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in whichd) hypotheses are formed from testable questions;e) independent and dependent variables are identified;f) constants in an experimental situation are identified;g) data are collected, recorded, analyzed, and communicated using proper graphical representations and metric measurements;h) predictions are made using patterns from data collected, and simple graphical data are generated;i) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;j) models are constructed to clarify explanations, demonstrate relationships, and solve needs; and

k) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.6th GradeScientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic

6.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in whicha) observations are made involving fine discrimination between similar objects and organisms;e) a method is devised to test the validity of predictions and inferences;f) one variable is manipulated over time, using many repeated trials;i) models and simulations are designed and used to illustrate and explain phenomena and systems; andj) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.

Matter6.5 The student will investigate and understand the unique properties and characteristics of water and its roles in the natural and human-made environment. Key concepts includea) water as the universal solvent;

Activity:3. Activities/stationsA. The stations should provide opportunities for students to engage in science. Additionally, they should offer an opportunity for children to explore and experience the processes of science.B. Set up the activity. What can you do to facilitate clean-up? Should you put plastic on the floor? Are the required materials available? Are the materials safe?C. Resources used to support the project should be included in this section.D. During the project, What questions might be used to guide students as they explore the activity? What are alternative explanations that might be offered?

MATERIALS NEEDED:

20 Volume Hydrogen PeroxideYeastDishwashing SoapWarm WaterHot Water HeaterBaby WipesFood ColoringPan for catching bubblesmetal spoons for mixingmeasuring cups (1 cup)measuring cups (1 tablespoon)Empty 16 oz water bottlesDisplay Board

Trash bagsPlastic

**all of the required materials were accessible and safe, when used in the right capacity and under supervision.

The instructions for this activity came from this website: http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/toothpaste.php

PreparationPlace display board, measuring cups (size =at least 1 cup), measuring spoon (1 tablespoon), mixing spoon, container to catch bubbles, clean water bottle in container to catch bubbles, baby wipes, yeast, dishwashing soap, warm water, and hydrogen peroxide on the table. Heat water at an outlet.

Place trash bag next to table to put used supplies into.

Place plastic on the floor to ensure easy cleanup if anything is spilled.

Have extra supplies behind or under table.

Procedure

Mix 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide with 1 tablespoon of dishwashing soap.Swish it aroundPour the hydrogen peroxide + dishwashing soap into the bottle.Add 6 drops of food coloringMix 3 tablespoons of warm water with 1 tablespoon of yeastStir together to mix well, let yeast dissolvepour yeast + warm water mix into the bottle with the hydrogen peroxide + dishwashing soap mix.stand back and watch as the exothermic reaction takes places, causing the creation of “elephant toothpaste”

Ways to explore Elephant Toothpaste:1 Feel the bottle2 Touch the “toothpaste”3 Watch the reaction take place4 Waft/smell the

- Follow-up Questions:

What do you think will happen when we combine the two mixtures? (prediction before the experiment)

What do you notice about the foam? What do you think the bubbles could be made of?

Where did this oxygen come from? Did the yeast play a part?

Did you make any observations during the process?

If heat was created, what kind of reaction was this?

Would the amount of yeast change the amount of foam produced?

Would the experiment work if you added dry yeast without mixing water?

Does the size of the bottle affect amount of foam produced?

During the follow-up questions students may present explanations to these questions that differ from what actually occurred. It is important that these students are still positively reinforced for thinking through what happened and attempting to provide an explanation. However, teachers also need to be able to guide this student to the right answer. This does not mean that the student should be told exactly what happened, but instead the teacher should continue to ask questions that help the child to think about this activity differently. These guided questions will differ depending on the student and the explanation they originally provided.

•CleanupWash the spoons and measuring cups.Empty any extra water in the cups into the sink.Collect, wash, and dry the measuring cups.Collect all the materialsThrow bottles, containers, and extra trash away.Use paper towels, baby wipes, and rags as needed to make sure our table and area is clean.

Assessment/Evaluation4. EvaluationA. Evaluate the effectiveness of the activity. How will you know the students gained additional information during this experience? Did they engage in inquiry? Did they gain additional information about how the world works? How will you know?B. Develop a scoring guide that you can use for evaluating students. The scoring guide should evaluate how well the students met the goals and objectives?C. Which station was the most interesting to the students? Which station stimulated the most questions? What did students experience? What information did you provide?What questions can you ask as a quick informal assessment?

One of the moms said to us “This is the best station I have seen! All the others are kind of eh...” And the students were very receptive too. They enjoyed the activity and the joy was evident on their faces. They wanted to touch and feel and explore the substance after the exploded and some students wanted to do it again. At the end, we would ask questions, but frequently, students had questions for us. To be honest, more than the students, the parents/guardians had a lot of questions. A majority of our people wanted to know how to do it at home and took pictures of our display board.

Our main form of assessment will be questions because this will allow us to assess all age groups in a similar manner. We will create a few questions for each age group that will encourage higher level thinking, inquiry, and predictions.

If heat was created, what kind of reaction was this?

Would the amount of yeast change the amount of foam produced?

Would the experiment work if you added dry yeast without mixing water?

Does the size of the bottle affect amount of foam produced?

Scoring Guide:On a continuum of 1 to 4 students will be given a grade based on their ability to successfully communicate observations, predictions and explanations. Through this activity we want students to engage themselves in the process of scientific inquiry using key process skills and methods.

4 = ready to be a scientist

3 = well on their way (currently a lab assistant)

2 = still practicing, but has fundamental components

1 = needs more exposure to science education

Reflection/CommunicationOur Photo “Essay”

http://prezi.com/ls3sokd1s3q1/untitled-prezi/