Hi, I am Burcu. I am from İstanbul, TURKEY.
I am a Science Teacher at Ali Kuscu Secondary School in Sultanbeyli. I have an activity in STEM DISCOVERY WEEK 2019, which I want to share with you. The name of the activity is “I have fun and learn with dry ice”, in Turkish name “Kurubuzla Eğleniyorum ve Öğreniyorum.” In this activity our goal is to make students feel themselves as a scientist besides learning about science and lab rules. Also, students have a chance to learn and explore sublimation not only in theoretical but also in practice. 160 students who are from 5th grade engaged in this activity. These students participated in as a group around each 20. They wore lab coats and lab glasses so they felt like a scientist and they had high motivation to achieve this activity.
First, I caught their attention by telling about dry ice. Later, I put the dry ice into the colorful hot water and I let them observe it. After that, I introduced some lab materials which we would use such as beaker, graduated cylinder and stirring bar and then all students have these materials. They filled their beaker and graduated cylinder by measuring water. To make more enjoyable this stage, they drew food coloring into syringe and added in their glasses. Next, I added washing liquid into their beakers. and they are supposed to mix them. Then, I added dry ice both their beakers and graduated cylinders. Thus, they observed that solid ice turned into gas state during sublimation event. Besides, students was surprised the time that huge bubbles appeared suddenly. Either they had fun or they learnt the subject by doing in practically.
The other experiment was how to blow up balloons without blowing into them. The aim was here to guide students blow up balloons by using dry ice. For that, we added dry ice into the balloons and tied and shook. So they observed that balloons were getting bigger.
After these activities, pupils visited 7th graders’ stands where 7th graders had lots of experiments about science and so I tried to made them think science is not only for scientists or teachers. They got point of if the other students who are older 2 ages than us carried out several experiments, then we can do as well.
The resources helped me to implement the activity:
7th graders experiments to show 5th graders were supplied from below link: https://www.teacherstryscience.org/tr/kids-experiments
How to include my audiences:
Now, I want to talk about how to include my audiences. Erdem Polat who is another science teacher in our school helped about planning activities and that process. To prepare visual materials and background decorations we worked with Sema Alan, who is Art teacher in our school. Also, Turkish Red Crescent which is called as Türk Kızılayı in Turkish , (you can reach via link https://www.kizilay.org.tr/) supported us both economically and broadcasted posters about our activity. Other science teachers in the school were given information about Scientix and STEM Discovery Week. On the other hand, 7 graders took role as assistants and implemented some of the activities which I mentioned above. And I brought about the activity with 5th graders in the school. Also, I shared posts about our activity on social media like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn; you can check these links:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6522862576530001920
The pedagogical value of my activity:
Now I want to tell about pedagogical value of my activity.
To propose students’ curiosity about science and encourage them scientific study.
To know and get knowledge about lab rules and lab materials such as beaker, graduated cylinder etc.
To make students realize the results of the experiment about dry ice taking heat turns into gas state by sublimating.
Why others should use this or similar methods with their students:
Others should use this or similar methods with their students because in case of theoretical learning on abstract topics to use practical techniques. Besides, students feel as a scientist themselves thanks to wear lab glasses and coats so they can motivate themselves and have a good attitude for Science.
Students notice that science is enjoyable and joyful by seeing activity more colorful instead of just studying with a coursebook. Besides, by implementing activity in school garden, students infer science is everywhere, it doesn’t have borders such as only classrooms.
Title of the activity is Kurubuzla Eğleniyorum, Öğreniyorum in English I have fun and learn with dry ice.
Dates that it took place are April 22, 24, 25 and 26.