Scientist Comix

While looking for cartoons connected to the science and technology curriculum, I came across so many really funny strips / panels.  Many of them were hilarious to me, and yet are they kid-friendly? 

And so, I present you a few strips instead of just one. (The more the merrier!!)

theawkwardyeti.com

This one is pretty great.  I like it because it looks really silly at first, but it's actually a pretty good introduction to the basics of the water cycle, technically part of the Grade 2 curriculum: Air and Water in the Environment. Water exists in bodies of water found on the earth. Water gets evaporated by the heat of the sun, and "goes up into the sky" where it becomes clouds.  Eventually the clouds become saturated and it will rain, bringing the water back down to the ground.  In this image, the sun literally lifts the water up the the clouds, and then the water goes down a water slide! ha! I think this image might actually help students remember how the water cycle works. 

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I have two other comic strips to share, just as an aside. Both are Calvin and Hobbes, created by Bill Watterson, which is my all time favourite comic strip ever.  Both of these aren't related to specific curriculum topics, but do relate to the idea of developing research skills and other science skills like making observations. 

In the first, we see Calvin going to his dad with a scientific question; why does ice float?  His dad answers him by coming up with a rather creative, and untrue, idea.  When Calvin expresses his skepticism in his dad's explanation, his dad makes the point that doing research is a better way to answer questions than asking people who aren't exactly experts. In the end, Calvin learns from his dad, but not the lesson he expected. 

In the second, Calvin and Hobbes meditate on the nature of scientific observation.  Calvin erroneously assumes that observation = looking with our eyes, and questions if we can really prove the existence of something we cannot see.  The very astute Hobbes is quick to point out that all our senses are used when making observations. 

I suppose my hesitation in using these would be:  is Calvin and Hobbes too sophisticated for the average.. 6th..7th..8th grader? Is the humour lost on kids? I've loved Calvin and Hobbes since grade 7, if not grade 6. In any case, I would certainly test these out and see how they're received in the very least!

Science RULES!!!

haha.  i love that. 

As per everything we know about classroom rules, less is more - less rules are more effective that having many rules.  However, I think there is a fine line between have too many rules, and having just a few rules that are too vague to be effective, so care must be taken in the wording!  Also, rules should as much as possible be positively phrased to place emphasis on the right, rather than the wrong, behaviours and attitudes.  

1. Always practice safe science!

When we're in the lab, there are a bunch of specific safety guidelines; some will vary according to the activity, and some exist all the time.  Some all the time guidelines:  Tie back hair and protect your body, We walk (not run) in the lab, never put anything in the lab in your mouth... 

I originally wanted to have a rule JUST about not putting things in the lab into your mouth, but depending on the students this could be perceived as condescending, plus I think it is more important to have a general rule about following safety guidelines rather than focusing in on the no-digestion idea only...

2. Be Alert, be Aware, be Engaged!

It's really important to pay attention and be on your toes when doing a science activity.  Be aware of what's going on around you, and if the teacher is talking to you or the class, do stop what you're doing and listen. Your safety could depend on it!

Student safety is not just about specific safety guidelines. Essential to their safety is that students are paying attention and being alert at all times. The lab is no place to drift off or stop attending to the teacher.  Students who don't listen could miss very important guidelines, or not notice what is happening around them (at other tables, for example.)  This always makes me thing of waitressing;  when I worked in a busy restaurant, I learned that waitors and waitresses often alert other staff of their physical presence by saying "behind you" or something similar, in order to avoid collisions that could result in dropped plates, or spilled drinks, and burns even! 

Conveniently, being alert goes hand in hand with being engaged, so this one is win-win!

3. Read, Think, and Ask before you act.

Before taking any actions in a scientific activity or experiment, we will read  the instructions, think them through and anticipate any safety needs, and ask any questions we might have. 

Students are individually accountable in the science lab; for their own actions, and how those might impact others.  Beyond being alert to their surroundings, students should always be anticipating and looking for potential sources of danger.  In order to do this, they must read instructions fully, think about the context they are in, and also not be afraid to ask questions!!