| Science teachers are often faced with the difficult | | | | Why Does Metal Sink, but Boats Float? |
| task of trying to use science questions to teach | | | | This question is a great one to teach the principles of |
| complex or abstract concepts to students who are | | | | density. A steel bar will certainly sink in water, because |
| often bored or uninterested. Students, in general, will | | | | it is much more dense than the water is. However, |
| have a great deal of other subjects on their mind | | | | because of the U-shaped design of a boat, the "inside" |
| during class, such as love interests, issues with friends, | | | | of the boat is actually mostly air. The air inside the boat |
| or what sort of fun the weekend will bring. | | | | makes the entire vessel much less dense than the |
| In order break through this wall of indifference, science | | | | surrounding water. Any object that is of lesser density |
| teachers must take a creative approach, with science | | | | floats to the top of a liquid with greater density. This is |
| questions that are both educational, and entertaining. | | | | why as people (or water) enters the boat, its density |
| Capture Their Funny Bone, and Capture Their Minds | | | | increases and the boat sinks further down into the |
| The only way to capture the interest of a student who | | | | water. If the boat becomes to dense (fills with water), |
| feels indifferent to science, especially a high school | | | | it will start to sink down below the water. |
| student, is by presenting them with science questions | | | | Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall? |
| about things related to common objects or events | | | | A great question to teach kids about plant biology is to |
| from everyday life. The following questions are so | | | | discuss what happens to leaves in the fall. In fact, even |
| mundane that it will drive students up the wall | | | | many adults don't realize that those colors were |
| attempting to come up with the correct answers. Use | | | | present in those leaves all throughout the summer. The |
| these to science questions to spark lively classroom | | | | green color comes from the process of |
| conversation and to spark interest in science among | | | | photosynthesis which the trees use throughout the |
| your students. | | | | spring and fall to generate food and energy from the |
| What Makes Popcorn Pop? | | | | sun. The tree generates chlorophyll, a green pigment, |
| Everyone loves eating popcorn, but few people really | | | | which enables photosynthesis. However, in the fall, this |
| appreciate the science involved in the process of | | | | process ends, and trees begin their "hibernation" phase. |
| popping corn. While it's common knowledge that a | | | | Since photosynthesis is no longer taking place, |
| popcorn kernel is a seed, it's what's inside that seed | | | | chlorophyll is no longer produced, and the true colors of |
| that is often a mystery. The very center of the kernel | | | | the leaves come out. |
| is a planet embryo surrounded by a very soft material | | | | Get Students to Ask Questions |
| that consists of starch and water. Around this inner | | | | Even better than asking students these questions, is to |
| core is the hard shell of the seed. Heating the kernel | | | | prompt students to ask questions about things that |
| over a fire, or in a microwave, eventually causes the | | | | they've never really considered before. Have them try |
| temperature of the kernel to hit 400 degrees | | | | to come up with science questions about things in |
| Fahrenheit. At that point, the evaporation point of | | | | everyday life that no one else in the class can answer |
| water is reached, and it transforms into steam. The | | | | (sometimes, including the teacher!) Generate enough |
| steam pressure causes the starch and water mixture | | | | questions for everyone in the class, or groups of 2 or |
| to burst through the outer shell - giving you tasty | | | | 3, and assign them the task of finding the answers |
| popcorn! | | | | using the Internet or their local library. |