Vanessa Vihnanek

 What did you learn this week? This week we continued to work on explaining the "why" behind phenomenons. We chose the topic of melting. Our group worked on finding an explanation for what happens during the melting process. Also, we worked on explaining the difference between melting or dissolving specifically between the different states of matter. When the temperature increases, a solid can melt into a liquid. It doesn't change the object itself but it changes the particle makeup. When something melts to a liquid, the particles spread out and move faster. It's important to use precise language when explaining these topics. If the wrong words are used, it can change the meaning completely.  How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I can apply what we learned to help introduce important vocabulary in the future. Before starting a unit, I can provide my class with a list of vocabulary words that will come up throughout the unit. This w...

What did you learn this week? This week we continued to learn about matter. We did another experiment with M&Ms to test if certain colors spread faster than others. In order to do this, Leah and I tested each color separately. We timed the amount of time it took for the color to dissolve off the bottom half of the M&M that was submerged in the water. Once we recorded this time, we used a ruler to measure how far the color spread on the plate. Based on our results, we concluded that yellow was the fastest to spread and brown was the second fastest. We continued this experiment by testing how sugar in the water affected the spreading. We learned that the higher the sugar level in the water the slower the color spread on the plate.  How can you apply what you've learned to your teaching in the future? I can apply what I have learned to my teaching by incorporating this experiment into a lesson. This experiment can be adapted for different grade levels. I can look at the NGSS t...

What did you learn this week? This week we did an experiment to learn about the properties of matter. We were learning about the mass, volume, shape, color, what makes something float, etc. These objects were tested by using a scale, graduated cylinder, a battery, lightbulb, wires, and more. It was interesting to make hypothesis and then get to test them out. A lot of my predictions were incorrect. But, it was helpful to think about what made the results go in a different way than I imagined them too. I loved the hands on activities today because it makes the lab very engaging.  Are you able to relate what you learned to what you already knew? I was able to relate what I already knew to this week because I have done some of the experiments before. I remember measuring the volume of items in Chemistry sophomore year of high school. We used water to measure the volume in a graduated cylinder just like we did today. The level the water increased after the object was placed inside is t...

 What did you learn this week? This week our lesson was focused on matter. We went around the room completing six different stations. I really liked this activity because it got me thinking. I needed to think from both the teacher and the students perspective which was very beneficial. I learned how to reword or rephrase my observations to explain in a way that students will understand. Also, it helped me learn about my own understanding of the topic. I was able to make a list of things I understand and the other things I still want to learn before I teach on my own. The big ideas are often lost amidst a lesson, so it's important to focus on specific ones for the students to understand rather than overwhelming them with multiple at once.  Are you able to relate what you learned to what you already knew? I was able to relate what I learned to what I already knew. When doing the experiments, I could predict what was going to happen at most of the stations. Based on what I alread...