One of the main goals of science at the middle school level is to provide a solid foundation of scientific concepts, vocabulary, and skills so that students can confidently understand the world around them to ask deeper, meaningful, and more connecting questions in highschool and beyond. Currently, students are learning about the characteristics of chemical reactions by recognizing when they have occurred.

These types of labs are particularly fun for students as they add a few drops of this to a few drops of that and observe temperature changes, color changes, and the formation of gas bubbles or precipitates.

Upon completing most labs, students are asked to write a CER (Claims-Evidence-Reasoning) using their lab write up.

• The Claim is often the point of the lesson. This week it might be: “The density of a material does not change with volume,” or “Property changes in matter represents a chemical change.”
• The Evidence comes from the results, data, or observations of the lab or activity.
• Explaining the science through the claim and evidence is the goal of the Reasoning section.

Most of the time, science lab experiments are done with one or two partners. Often, partners have to divy up the tasks to be able to complete the lab on time.  Students check their work with one another, ask questions and explain what they witness out loud to clarify for themselves or help each other.

Fun-Yes!
Solidifying Science Skills and Concepts-Yes!
Technical Informational Writing – Yes!
Many science labs also capture the essence of most 21st Century Skills:

• Collaboration and teamwork
• Creativity and imagination
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Flexibility and adaptability

• Information literacy

• Oral and written communication skills
• Technology literacy
• Initiative

Photos from the last two weeks.