We are all scientists!

First visit!

Today some scientists, Dr. Maureen Griffin and Dr. Norah Warchola,  came to visit your students. Dr. Griffin has a Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering. She earned her degree studying muscle cells and how they attach themselves to other cells and to the extracellular matrix, which is the stuff in our bodies that is in between the cells. Dr. Warchola is an ecologist who works at Tufts University studying endangered butterflies. 

In today’s visit, the scientists explained what the students can expect when we come visit and went over our rules, including our safety rules. The scientists and the students signed a pledge promising to behave respectfully and to be curious scientists whenever we visit. After that, we were able to get to the fun part: the science!

Scientific Observation: Mystery Tubes

Today students learned that to become a good scientist, we introduced the steps of the Scientific Method and learned how to write a great hypothesis, test it, and rework it until their observations matched their hypothesis.

For our activity, students had to make observations about what was happening in a sealed PVC ‘mystery tube’ without being able to see inside. Once they made their observations and wrote a hypothesis to explain what they observed, they worked in groups to build their own working models of the mystery tube. We finished up by talking about why many types of scientists also use models in their studies to help explain a phenomenon.

This lesson was exciting, challenging and great fun to complete.

Observación: Tubos misteriosos

Hoy los estudiantes aprendieron que para ser un buen científico hay que realizar observaciones muy específicas y detalladas para que otras personas puedan entender lo que has hallado o comprobado.  En la clase introducimos los pasos del Método Científico, aprendimos cómo plantear hipótesis de manera correcta, las comprobamos y finalmente trabajamos reelaborando las observaciones para que coincidieran con las hipótesis.

En la actividad, los estudiantes tuvieron que hacer observaciones sobre qué es lo que pasa dentro de un tubo de PVC sellado (el tubo misterioso). Una vez que hicieron sus observaciones y escribieron una hipótesis para explicar lo que observaron, luego trabajaron en grupos para construir sus propios modelos del tubo misterioso. Finalizamos la clase con una discusión acerca de porqué la mayoría de los científicos utilizan modelos para facilitar la explicación de un fenómeno en sus investigaciones.

Esta clase fue un gran reto y muy divertida de realizar.

 

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Author

Dr. Maureen Griffin

Maureen earned a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 2003. While at Penn, she developed a novel micro-mechanical technique called micropipette peeling to investigate the role of muscle cell adhesion in normal and diseased skeletal muscle cells. After graduating, Maureen worked full time as a post-doctoral researcher and then a staff scientist a SelectX Pharmaceuticals. She joined the teaching staff in 2008 and was excited to be made an executive staff member in 2009. Maureen also continued to consult part time for SelectX until her daughter's birth in 2009; now she is focused on Science from Scientists and, of course, her children. Maureen uses her spare time to read, blog, cook, and renovate her house.

2 Comments:

  • avatar
    Jessica Diaz / Reply

    Are their any more photos of the fourth grade student my child’s name is Elijah Lee

    • avatar
      Dr. Maureen Griffin / Reply

      There aren’t any more from our first visit, but we will continue to take pictures throughout the year! Keep checking!

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