Technolgy

Our world is shrinking due to rapid advancements in technology.  In order for students to be competitive, responsible, global citizens, they need to have an understanding about the latest technologies and how they can improve/change their lives.  As a teacher, I feel the need to incorporate technology in a meaningful way.  Students should be able to navigate the web to find information and solve problems.  The big idea that I have chosen is “What is Energy”?  After researching various websites, one clearly stood out.  The website I chose to share is http://www.eia.gov/ (U.S. Energy Information Administration).  This website has resources for students and teachers.  There are links that share an energy timeline, famous people, virtual field trips and more.  The site features a host called the “Energy Ant” that is pictured throughout and hosts the virtual field trips.  I found this site to have an abundance of energy information and resources that were organized in a visually appealing, fun fashion. 

Insulation

For this week’s application, I was testing the insulating ability of four different materials.  The materials I chose to test were a paper towel, terry cloth towel, aluminum foil and a drink koozie.  The material that I predicted would do the best job insulating was the koozie, because it was made of Neoprene.  I set up four identical mugs with exactly one cup of water at 113 degrees Fahrenheit.  I placed the testing materials over the top of the cups and secured with a rubber band.  After thirty minutes, I uncovered the mugs and took the temperature again.  My results showed that the koozie indeed kept the temperature warmer longer.  This activity would be a great activity to use with my sixth grade students.  Not only would they enjoy being able to decide on the materials used, but would also get the experience of designing a fair experiment and practicing their measurements skills.