Thread:Final edits (3)

This looks good. I love the simplicity of the approach. Anything involving snow appeals to VT kids, and the connection to roads and road salt is also valuable. And what a cheap idea with excellent results!

Most important: You need photographs. And your handout needs a caption:

Group materials
Mark the specific materials with an astrix, and add a foot note explaining that almost any granular material can be tested.

Suggest jars as cheap alternatives to beakers; glass jars might work better because the nail will make a satisfying clink once the snow melts.

Handouts
. Add a caption (see above)

Description of activity

 * I think it is important to mention that the nail should go point down into the snow. Otherwise you risk having the nail balance indefinitely on it's own head.

inclass activities
In a full classroom situation one could allow student groups to select from a group of available materials or bring (safe) materials in from home (no black powder please).

There is a lot of white space. Cut that back and turn it into a bullet list (place a single astrix at the beginning of each line).

Hypotheses, correct/incorrect etc
. I think it is better to discuss hypotheses in terms of being supported or rejected. Incorrect too easily equates with wrong, and a child's hypothesis is never wrong. We should emphasize that correctly rejecting a hypothesis is successful science (it's a little tough for many professionals, let alone a first grader, but worth establishing early).

17:58, 11 February 2009 (UTC)