Bubbles Demonstration Rationale

Context:

The Bubbles Demonstration can be used in kindergarten, first, second, and sixth grade science classes.  The Bubbles Demonstration was created at Appalachian State University under the advisement of Jeff Goodman, Elementary Education Block II instructor.  I presented the Bubbles Demonstration to the Appalachian State University 5^th Dimension program for elementary students who attend Watauga County Schools.  I completed the Bubbles Demonstration as a requirement for CI- 3543, Elementary Science Methods. 

The Bubble Demonstration used homemade bubble solution with the following ingredients dishwashing liquid, tap water, and glycerin.  The demonstration had students answer higher order thinking questions about bubbles such as what determines the round form bubbles take when they are released.  The Bubble Demonstration also had students think of what real life situations required the knowledge of bubbles.

Impact:

The Bubbles Demonstration allowed students to explore bubbles to determine what gives them shape, what makes bubbles break or last, what environmental factors effect bubbles, what causes the colors and patterns in the soap film, and why do bubbles change shape.

The students were able to determine that several reasons makes bubbles pop,  evaporation of its water content, air turbulence, and dryness.  Students also discovered that bubbles have minimal surface structures, which makes bubbles form a round shape.  Another interesting fact that students learned from the Bubbles demonstration is that a bubble reflects color from its surrounding.

Alignment:

This assignment aligns with the following DPI standards:

Standard 7: Elementary teachers use developmentally appropriate strategies to design and deliver instruction in all areas of the elementary curriculum.

*     Indicator 1: As the Bubbles Demonstration was created, it was aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for kindergarten, first, second, and sixth grade science curriculum. 

*     Indicator 4:  The Bubbles Demonstration implemented a variety of teaching and communication strategies to reach all students’ interest and engagement.

*     Indicator 5: Throughout the Bubbles Demonstration, I assisted students in developing critical thinking and problem solving skills to answer higher order thinking questions about bubbles.

*     Indicator 7: I monitored the students during the Bubbles Demonstration, asking questions to determine the students’ knowledge of bubbles.  I also checked the students for understanding by the answers they gave when they were asked questions during the demonstration.

Standard 10: : Teachers provide active inquiry experiences in the teaching of science by using various questioning skills and developing science processing skills (predicting, classifying, measuring, inferring, interpreting, analyzing, and synthesizing).

*     Throughout the Bubbles Demonstration students were asked to make predicts on bubbles’ sizes, colors, and shapes.  Students were also asked analyze their observations after each bubble was formed and busted.

Standard 15: Elementary teachers encourage under represented groups to engage in the schooling process, especially math and science.

*     Indicator 1:  The Bubbles Demonstration used real-world application questions that interest diverse populations.  Bubbles are something that students can create at outside of the classroom and develop more real-world questions about bubbles’ form and texture.