Saturday, April 14, 2012

The Great Mixing Bowl - Z Daily Journal -- Day 2

     A thousand apologies for not posting, yesterday.  The second grandchild was born, yesterday, and grandpa had to go fuss over him.
     On Friday, my science classes finished researching background on the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay, and learned that by viewing my daily journal they were able to answer several difficult questions in their packet.
     I pause to reflect on how several students became angry with me because I would not tell them the answers to their questions, but, rather advised them to use their laptop computers to query for an answer.
     Many groups completed the first packet, which I graded and returned to them.  Those grades are recorded in parent portal.
     The second packet involves using a drinking straw, clay, BB's, masking tape and scissors to construct a working hydrometer - a device that floats higher in the water, the denser the water, becomes.
     Students will make comparisons of typical ocean water versus freshwater and then, make brackish water - a combination of both salt and freshwater, to simulate bay conditions.
     This activity is rather fun and easy, but, lends itself to better understanding of the varying ecosystem that exists in the bay.

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