Meriden Public Schools
www.meridenk12.org
• Talk to and encourage
your child to talk and ask
questions.
• Don't give your child
answers! Encourage and
help your child to try and
find out scientifically!
It's easy to help your
child think and speak
scientifically at home.
How?
Asking questions about the world
around you and trying to find the
answer. That's it!
When your child asks you questions
about the world around them, they
are beginning to think like a
scientist. Here is how to help them
BE a scientist in a very simple way!
Science questions your child may ask:
"Mom, I am blowing
bubbles but they break all
the time, why?"
"Why does my brother run
faster than me?"
"What ball can bounce
higher? A tennis ball or a
baseball?"
Science Question:
"Mom, I am blowing bubbles but they
break all the time, why?"
Follow these steps…
First…..
Scientists make a hypothesis (hi-poth-u-sis)
or prediction about what you think
makes bubbles burst:
"I think or hypothesize that
the bubbles break because it
touched
touched something else."
Your hypothesis helps you design a
procedure to help you answer your
question.
Next…
After that…
Scientists design a fair procedure to
follow to test their science question:
1.
2.
3.
Scientists: observe to learn about your
topic.
Scientists use the 5 senses and tools to
observe and record the properties of
the bubbles:
The size, shape, color, where the
bubbles float, the surface of what the
bubbles bump into, how they break.
Bubble Properties
Pic.
Size
small
Shape
StartStarted out
oval
then
bebecame
round
sphere
where
Floated
to the
right.
Surface
Touched
my finger
then
burst.
4.
5.
My Procedure:
Blow 1 medium sized bubble.
Touch it with my finger.
Record Results
Blow 2nd bubble. Touch it
with a ruler. Record Results.
Blow 3rd bubble. Touch it
with a spoon. Record results.
Blow 4th bubble. Touch it
with a wet finger. Record
results.
Then…
1. Scientists think and question
about what they want to know
after their test:
1. What causes the dry surface
to burst the bubble?
2. What is the surface of the
bubble made of?
3. Why doesn't a balloon burst
when it touches a dry surface,
but a bubble does?"
What other ways can you help?
1. Contact your child's teacher and
offer to help with science
Finally….
lessons.
Scientists analyze the results draw a
2. Encourage your child to take a
conclusion, and communicate to
risk and don't give answers. If
others:
your child doesn't know the
The bubble burst on steps 2,3,4, but
answer, that is a scientific
not on step 5,
5, the wet finger. In
learning opportunity!
steps 2,3, and 4 my finger, ruler, and
3. Use Online resources:
spoon were dry. On step 5, I know
that the bubble was wet,
wet, and my
finger was wet. Based upon this
evidence, I found out that when a
bubble touches a wet surface it
does not burst. A dry surface
causes the bubble to burst. I should
run the test again and touch the
bubble with only wet objects.
Meriden Board of Education online classroom
http://courses.meriden.k12.ct.us/
student log in and password, K-5 Science.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/
http://pbskids.org/games/science.html
http://testprepfun.com/Science_Talk_Home.htm
http://www.cool-science-projects.com/science-projectsfor-kids.html
Questions?
contact: Mary Jean Giannetti
[email protected]