Experiment #1 - Test your Breathing
Materials: graphic organizer to keep track of data. The chart should have four columns titled: breaths while sitting, breaths after exercising, holding my breath, and holding my breath after deep breaths. There should be a row for students to enter a prediction of what they think they will do in each of the 4 categories.
Clock, or timer with second hand
Procedure: Working with partner students
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1. Students will each have a graphic organizer (chart). After explaining each column, the students will write down their prediction of what they will do.
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2. Student keeps time while the other student sits quietly and counts breaths taken in 1 minute. Record on the chart. Partners exchange places.
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3. Student keeps time while partner runs in place for 2 minutes. Then partner counts breaths taken in one minute while student keeps time for 1 minute. Record on the chart. Partners exchange places.
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4. One student keeps time while partner holds his breath. Records number on the chart.
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5. Student immediately takes 6 deep breaths and then holds his breath again. Record the time on the chart. Partner now does steps 3 and 4. Records data.
Experiment #2 - People Exhale Carbon Dioxide
Materials: limewater, glass, drinking straw
Procedure:
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1. Fill the glass half-full with limewater and blow bubbles of air into the water through the straw. After a short time the water will turn milky white. This shows that there is carbon dioxide in the bubbles of air blown into the water.
Experiment #3 - People Exhale Water Vapor
Materials: small mirror
Procedure: Breathe on the mirror to show that you are exhaling water vapor. The water will condense on the mirror leaving a moist haze on the glass.
Experiment #4 - There is more than one gas in the air
Materials: two test tubes, two wide mouth jars or beakers, steel wool
Procedure:
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1.Make sure that the steel wool has been rinsed off to remove any rust inhibitors. Put the piece of the steel wool at the bottom of the test tube.
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2. Fill a jar with water and invert the test tube upside down into the water without letting any water bubbling into it.
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3. Fill the other jar and invert the second empty test tube into the water like the first.
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4. Let both tubes stand for a few days. As the oxygen combines with the steel wool to make rust, water will enter the tube to take the place of the oxygen. How much of the steel wool test tube becomes filled with water? What happens in the second tube? What accounts for the differences?
Experiment #5 - Leaf Shape Influences Water Evaporation
Materials: four paper towels, wax paper, paper clips, water
Procedure:
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1.Take a sheet of wax paper approximately two to three feet long and put it flat on a table.
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2.Dampen the four towel papers so they are wet but not dripping. Lay the first one flat on the wax paper. Fold the second one in half, then in half again, and put on the wax paper. The towel papers should not touch one another. The third one fold and fasten the ends with two paperclips and put it on the wax paper. Finally, take the last sheet and put it on a piece of wax paper the same size and roll up the two sheets (wax paper on the outside) and fasten with a paper clip on each end. Place that also on the larger wax paper.
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3.Take the wax paper with the four towel papers on top and put it near a sunny window.
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4.Observe the wetness the next day. The flat sheet should be dry, the folded sheet may have a damp spot near the edge, the third paper will have several wet spots, and the last towel paper wrapped in wax paper should be damp all over.
Experiment #6 - Transpiration – Plants Lose Water
Materials: Leafy plant, sandwich bag, tape
Procedure: Put the sandwich bag over one of the leaves and seal the bag securely around the stem. Put the plant in the sunlight for several hours. The bag should become cloudy as water collects and, eventually water droplets should appear on the bag.
Experiment #7 - What happens to a plant if the stomata are blocked?
Materials: petroleum jelly, leafy plant (geraniums work well)
Procedure:
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1.Keep the plant in the dark for a few days.
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2.Pick two leaves and coat the underside with the petroleum jelly.
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3.Place the plant in a sunny window for a week and observe. The leaves will begin to die as time goes on because there is no way for air to enter.
Experiment #8 - Plants Grow Toward The Light (Phototropism)
Materials: paring knife, large carrot, plate, paper towel, wooden toothpick, thread or string, water
Procedure:
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1.Cut off two to three inches of the carrot.
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2. Put the carrot on a moist towel and put the plate in the sun.
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3. Once shoots begin to grow, cut out the cavity of the carrot and stick a toothpick through the sides.
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4. Attach the thread and hang the carrot top upside down in the window.
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5.Fill the cavity with water and keep it filled. More shoots will appear and they will all grow up toward the light.
Experiment #9 - Testing for Acids and Acid Rain
Materials: Red cabbage, sauce pan, grater, water, hot plate
Procedure:
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1. Finely grate red cabbage until you have two cups.
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2. Put cabbage in the pan and fill with water until cabbage is covered.
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3. Simmer the cabbage for about 15 minutes.
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4. Let it cool, and then strain and save the liquid.
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You now have an acid tester. You can use it to test different things. Take a small amount of the liquid and add a teaspoon of vinegar. It should change to pink for acids. If you do the same test with baking soda the mixture will turn green for alkaline or bases. To try it on rainwater put out a clean jar when it rains. Do a test.
Experiment #10 - The Greenhouse Effect
Materials: two trays to hold soil, flower seeds, water, plastic food wrap, two thermometers, large rubber band, and ice cream sticks, or wooden skewers
Procedure:
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1. Fill the seed trays with soil, and plant a few flower seeds. Make sure the soil is moist.
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2. Put a thermometer in each tray.
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3. Cover one tray with plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band.
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4. Expose both trays to full sunlight but not rain.
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5. As the seed lings begin to grow use the ice cream sticks or skewers to keep the plants from touching the plastic. Keep track of the temperature. You should find that the closed environment is warmer than the other tray.