Edible Science- one of my favorite things! Of course, never attempt to eat or taste an actual science experiment- this is a cell model- made of cookies and sweets!

We will be modeling a bacteria cell.. Before we begin, let’s look at the parts of the cell!


Parts of a bacterial cell:

The cell capsule lets some things in and keeps other things out. It includes a cell wall and plasma membrane.  This layer protects the bacterial cell and is often associated with pathogenic bacteria because it serves as a barrier against phagocytosis by white blood cells.

The cytoplasm is the liquid material inside the cell where the functions for cell growth, metabolism, and replication are carried out.

The ribosomes make proteins. Ribosomes give the cytoplasm of bacteria a granular appearance in electron micrographs. Though smaller than the ribosomes in eukaryotic cells, these inclusions have a similar function in translating the genetic message in messenger RNA into the production of proteins.

 

Flagella—The purpose of flagella (sing., flagellum) is to move the cell around.  Flagella are long appendages which rotate by means of a "motor" located just under the cytoplasmic membrane. Bacteria may have one, few, or many flagella in different positions on the cell.

Pili are hair-like structures on the surface of a cell that connect the bacterium to another of its species and build a bridge between the cytoplasm of either cell so that plasmids can be exchanged. 

Nucleoid--DNA in the bacterial cell is generally confined to this central region. Though it isn't bound by a membrane, it is visibly distinct (by transmission microscopy) from the rest of the cell interior.

Plasmids—Along with chromosomal DNA, most bacteria also contain small independent pieces of DNA called plasmids that often encode for traits that are advantageous but not essential to their bacterial host.

Ingredients:

• Sugar Cookies
• Frosting
• Chocolate chips
• Twizzler bites
• M&Ms
• Shredded coconut
• Gummy worms

 
Instructions for building a cell model:

1.     Your sugar cookie is the cell capsule. Lay it flat on the plate.

2.     Cover the top of the cookie with frosting. This is the cytoplasm!

3.     Add a twizzler bite. This is the nucleoid (DNA).

4.     Cover with a few pieces of M&Ms. They are the plasmids.

5.     Attach the flagella by placing a gummy worm on the edge of the cell.

6.     Add pili by sprinkling shredded coconut around the edges of the cookie.

7.     Add the ribosomes or chocolate chips throughout the cell.

I am sure there is an easier way- but I know Photoshop too well to switch to new software! On this nice summer night, I decided to play around a little bit and came up with some fun new Scholar Dollars. :)

This is a fun resource excellent for display during a California Gold Rush unit! Click the picture to link to free download. :)

Below is an older version used in my classroom a few years ago. I have since updated the font and added a frame :)

With summer school finally finished, I finally get a break! A break that I will most likely spend hiking with my dog, cleaning my house, and perfecting the art of Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator! Once I figure Illustrator out I will post some tips- I see a lot of people using PowerPoint to create and edit resources but that has so many limits as far as unleashing your creative side goes!

Wish me luck with my new venture! I spent some time yesterday creating a new banner for the site on Photoshop- my husband insists Illustrator is easier to use so I am excited to dive in!

Here are a few great resources for students during Science Fair Project time.

1. The first is one put out by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control
2. Second, the resource I have been using in my classroom. I have used it in both 4th and 6th grade but it is easily adaptable to other grades!
   The workbook is broken up into parts. This makes the daunting task of turning in a giant Science Fair Project a lot more manageable.
   

In the end, the kids create amazing reports. This is definitely Common Core ready and aligned! It requires kids to read and comprehend non-fiction texts, form and write  opinions, use multiple sources to write a report and of course, revise and edit well structured reports with introductions and conclusions!

This activity is definitely an "adult supervision only" activity. It involves the use of a hot stove and handling hot liquid.

• A wooden skewer or thick string (you can also use a clean wooden chopstick)
• A clothespin(for the skewer) or pencil (for the string)
  
• 1 cup of water
• 2-3 cups of sugar
• A tall narrow glass or jar(a mason jar is perfect for this!)

To start set up the following:

1. Clip the wooden skewer into the clothespin so that it hangs inside the glass about 1 inch  from the bottom. If you are using the string and the pencil, tie the string to the pencil and place it over the glass. The string should hang inside of the glass, also about an inch from the bottom.
   
2. Remove the skewer and clothespin and put them aside for now. You will need this later!

After set up:

1. Pour 1 cup of water into a pan and bring it to boil.
2. Pour about 1/4 cup of sugar into the boiling water, stirring until it dissolves.
3. Begin to slowly add more sugar. Pour a little at a time and stir it dissolves. Keep adding sugar slowly until no more will disolve. (This is when the solution is fully saturated) This  will take time. Each time you add more sugar it will take longer for the sugar to dissolve each time. Have patience! Be sure you don't give up too soon.
   
4. Once no more sugar will dissolve, remove it from heat and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes.
5. While it is cooling dip half of the skewer in the sugar solution and then roll it in some sugar to help jump start the crystal growth. Be sure to let the skewer cool completely so that sugar crystals do not fall off when you place it back in the glass.
6. Carefully pour the sugar solution into the jar almost to the top. Then submerge the skewer back into the glass making sure that it is hanging straight down the middle without touching the sides.
7. Allow the jar to fully cool and put it someplace where it will not be disturbed.
8. Now just wait. The sugar crystals will grow over the next 3-7 days.

When you mixed the hot water and sugar you made a saturated solution.  A solution is saturated when the liquid holds as much of the compound dissolved in it as possible. In this type of solution, the molecules are constantly bumping into each other. As they do this, they sometimes stick to each other. In a saturated solution, the molecules bump into one another frequently because there are so many of them. This begins a crystallization process and is called nucleation. Once several molecules are already stuck together, they attract other molecules to join them. This is a very slow process that makes crystals grow.

As the water cools the sugar is forced out of the water solution. The skewer (and sometines the glass itself) gives the sugar something to grow on. With some luck and a whole lot of patience you will have a tasty scientific treat! Enjoy!

This is a fun at home craft to do as a family- Make your own paper!

Materials:

• 4-5 sheets of newspaper
• glass bowl
• hot water
• cornstarch
• measuring spoons
• aluminum foil
• wooden spoon
• scissors
• sharp pencil
• decorations for your paper, like construction paper scraps, dried flowers, confetti, or

• glitter

Instructions:

1. To make your own recycled paper, you need to turn paper into pulp, and then back into new paper. Here's how to do it.
2. Start by cutting the newspaper into small pieces. About 4 or 5 sheets of newspaper will be enough to make two small pieces of recycled paper.
3. Put the newspaper scraps into bowl, cover them with hot water and mix it up until all of the paper is wet.
4. Let the paper sit for a few hours, until it's all mushy. Stir it occasionally. When it looks and feels like oatmeal, you're ready to make new paper.
5. Add a few tablespoons of cornstarch and a little more hot water. Mix it all up once more.
6. Now you have a pulpy, watery mess. Pulp is what you need to make paper, but you need to get rid of extra water first. You can make a strainer to help you do that.
7. Take a piece of aluminum foil and fold into a square or rectangle about the size of the paper you want to make. Punch holes in the aluminum foil with a sharp pencil.
8. Now it's time to make the paper. Take a new sheet of aluminum foil and put it on top of extra newspapers.
9. Then, spoon some pulp on top. When the aluminum foil is covered with a layer of pulp, use your strainer to press out the extra water. The pulp that's left behind will become your new sheet of paper.
10. Add decorations to your paper, if you want. You can use dried flowers, confetti, or anything else you find.
11. Pinch together any holes in the paper. You're almost done!
12. Finally, put aluminum foil and books on top of your paper and press it flat. Then take off the books and the top layer of foil and leave it out overnight so that it can dry.
13. When it's done, peel the paper from the aluminum foil. You can leave the edges rough or trim them to look like a card you buy in the store.

I made this for my district- thought I would change a few things and make it suitable for California state! This is a great little brochure to hand out during Back to School Night! 4th and 5th grade are available for download.

Back in September I was asked to teach a summer Robotics Class. Nine months later, here I am in a quaint little classroom filled with robots, challenge boards, computers, and future programmers.

Using Lego Mindstorm robots, I gave the kids a choice between two programming platforms: NXT and RobotC.

NXT is a picture based software aimed to fit the needs of younger students and is best suited for grades 4th and 5th. Using NXT, kids are able to program their robot to perform various tasks in order to complete challenges. They do this using a sequence of blocks with more advance skill sets involving the use of loops and "if then" statements.

For older students, or more ambitious younger kids, I highly recommend using RobotC. RobotC is a programming language similar to C+.  Students are able to program the robot using the same skill sets used in NXT, but will do so using actual code. This software can absolutely be more frustrating than NXT but is absolutely worth the time and perseverance. Students using RobotC will need more help, guidance and encouragement as it can become frustrating quickly. Leaving out one semi-colon or neglecting to capitalize one letter can and will through off the entire program and mistakes are often hard to spot- even for seasoned RobotC programmers like myself. This summer I gave students a chance to try about both. Students who stuck with RobotC comment on how "boring" NXT was after they got used to RobotC.

Pictured is the summer class' "Ultimate Challenge." The challenge incorporates every skill students learned over the summer and involves the use of every sensor on the Lego Mindstorm. The challenge board is harder than it looks! Students were asked to follow lines until the robot touched or saw an obstacle, they had to circle around the world before crossing a bridge, stop at the line, spin around while the robot shouts "Hooray!" before finally having the robot continue to the finish using the sound sensor. "Clap your way to the finish!"

It took the kids an average of nine days to complete the challenge. Working in teams, they were able to collaborate and problem solve to get the robot through each check point.

Materials Needed:

• crispy rice cereal
• paper plate
• record album
• wool (A wool sweater will work great!)
  

Instructions:

1. Make sure the record you are using is not important! I suggest picking one up from a thrift shop- they usually run for about $0.50
   
2. Rub the record with wool. You can use a sweater or a scarf, anything made out of wool will do.
3. Hold the record above some cereal. Make sure it is a light cereal, like Rice Crispies!
   
4. See how the cereal stands on end and then jumps from the table and then back again? That's static electricity!
   

First of all, you need to understand that everything is made up of atoms. You're made of atoms; the record is made of atoms, even the cereal is made up of atoms. These atoms are made up of smaller particles; protons, neutrons, and electrons. Electrons have negative charges.

 When the wool rubs the record, electrons from the wool stick to the record. This gives the record a negative charge.  Negative charges don't like to be near other negative charges. In fact, when they come in contact with negative charges, they repel them. On the other hand, when they come in contact with positive charges, they attract to them and stick!

The negatively charged record will push away negative charges and pull positive charges close to it. As you hold the record above the cereal, it will pull the positive charges from the cereal up to the record. The cereal will stick to the record.

When the cereal touches the record, electrons on the record move to the cereal. Now the cereal has a negative charge. Since the record and the cereal both have a negative charge, and negative charges don't like to be near each other, they repel each other and the cereal jumps down from the record.

This will happen over and over again until the charges balance out and become neutral.

To make it start again, you need to rub the record with wool!