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ARRRRGGGHHHH!!! Science Homework (HELP!)

16 replies

LoveRoses · 05/03/2010 00:05

DS in YR4 was given a lot of science homework this week. Main focus seems to be on experimenting with temperatures...

Does anyone know where I can get a good affordable thermometer to help with his experiments? i.e: for testing how soluble certain substances are at different temperatures...boiling point/room temperature/freezing point e.t.c

What I need is something that can be dipped in water and can be used safely by kids....

There are pages and pages of this stuff to be done and methinks either it's science week or his teacher's indirectly punishing/having a go at parents!

AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!

Suggestions most welcome...

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lovecheese · 05/03/2010 09:20

How about trying a good cookware shop? they will have thermometers for jam making.

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claig · 05/03/2010 09:30

argos sell a range of thermometers, one of those may be suitable

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LoveRoses · 05/03/2010 11:28

Thanks Lovecheese & Claig - will follow up on your suggestions...

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SeaTrek · 05/03/2010 16:28

They are some cheap jam making/wine making ones on ebay.

Are you sure that you need to measure the actual temperature? Surely, it is enough to just record it as just above freezing/room temp/boiling etc?

As a science teacher I find it very surprising that you would be expected to have a thermometer at home.

It is science week starting 15th March.

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LoveRoses · 05/03/2010 22:04

Hi SeaTrek

You know, that's exactly what I thought initially - but on looking closely at the instructions, ds is required to:

  1. Specify the actual temp of each jar of water being used (in o C),
  2. Repeat the tests a couple of times,
  3. Find the average (dissolving) time for each temp and then
  4. Plot a line graph to reflect the results.


That's easy enough to do - but 'tis one of many to be done for ds's homework!

But anyway, thanks for the suggestions and info about science week
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SeaTrek · 06/03/2010 07:02

WOW! I would never set a homework like that! That is very much classwork to me. Well #1 and #2 anyway.

I am impressed that they have mastered line graphs the the extent that this can be set as a homework.

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seeker · 06/03/2010 07:18

I have a year 4 child - I would be amazed if he got this for homework - particularly if it wasn't a project to be done over the holidays or something.

I am also amazed that he has homework that involves dipping things in boiling water - isn't it a bit dangerous to suggest that 8 year olds do this at home unless they are absolutely sure that there's someone there to supervise?

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MmeBlueberry · 06/03/2010 07:20

They are doing that in Year 4? Controlling several variables, calculating averages, plotting line graphs?

This is something I do with my Y6 class and I have to give them a lot of help.

I agree with Seatrek - this is definitely classwork.

If they really want you do do it at home, then they should lend you a school thermometer. You can't substitute a sugar thermometer or room thermometer for this as they will not have the right temperature range.

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piscesmoon · 06/03/2010 07:32

I am a teacher and would never set it for homework. It isn't fair-some will be able to do it and some won't and it isn't the child's fault- it needs the help of an adult. I would be tempted to say that you haven't got a thermometer and leave it at that.

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nighbynight · 06/03/2010 08:03

I hate it when the school sets practical work for homework. Our school (germany) has done it a few times. On the assumption that there is a parent at home all day, with nothing else to do except record temperatures/shadow lengths/whatever they are studying.
Ask the school if you can borrow a thermometer, it is slighly more subtle than going on strike and refusing to cooperate!

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MmeBlueberry · 06/03/2010 08:25

Looking back over these instructions, they are so inadequate.

I would never set this kind of homework, but if I were to, then I would give more direct instructions.

eg, use a cube of jelly (it's easy to tell when it has dissolved and is more fun).

stir the mixture - it will take days if you don't do this, even at one of the higher temperatures.

In the absence of a thermometer, use various blends of boiling water (adult, obviously) and cold tap water - you can still make a meaningful line graph.

You would need five data points to get a meaningful graph. I wouldn't bother with repeats and averages with a child of this age - it makes it too tedious. Leave that to GCSE. You are just trying to show that the dissolving time gets shorter with higher temperatures, so this method is still valid.

Use a graph package to plot the graph, eg this one.

If a child is to do a meaningful investigation, they have to make predictions about the results, so I would make some jelly with them (for eating) so that they can get a feel for how it works (eg you need hot water and you need to stir).

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LoveRoses · 08/03/2010 01:31

Thanks all for your comments & suggestions - I do appreciate them.

I've practically spent my WHOLE weekend running from pillar to post just to help DS with his science homework - and I can definately say without a doubt that, I'm very much the worse for wear.

Regarding the thermometer, I did finally get one with a good range (-40 oC to +150 oC) at my local cookware shop as suggested. So happens this was a digital thermometer costing £9.99

MmeBlueberry - you were spot on in mentioning that the normal sugar/room (or even the freezer) thermometer won't have the reqd range...what I saw on offer at the shops were temp. ranges from -30 oC to +50 oC.
Good point about the school lending out their thermometer to get assignments like this done at home - will raise it with ds's teacher. As for the specifics - instructions were to dissolve 3 spoonfuls of sugar, stir gently and use a stopwatch to record the times it takes to dissolve at diff. temps...

Piscesmoon, I agree with you about such homework being unfair on the child - esp. as an adult would definitely be needed to help out with it. Infact - having trudged through the whole lot, it feels more like my homwork than ds's. check this out:

[1] SEPERATING MIXTURES:

(a.) Write the correct process next to it's definition....
--> Decanting
--> Evaporating and Condensing
--> Magnetism
--> Filtering
--> Sieving

(b.)Write process to seperate:
--> rice + pasta shapes
--> paperclips + sawdust
--> salt + water
--> flour + rice
--> sugar + water
--> sand + water

(c.) Are each of these processes reversible or non-reversible? how do you change each material to the next (another set of 5 given here e.g: Paper > ash, sand + gravel > sand, e.t.c)

[2] INVESTIGATION

To cut a long story short, here goes: Tinky-winky had an accident. He's cleaned up and placed his mess in a bucket. Can you help him seperate the different materials again?

(a.) The mixture contains: Salt, Sawdust, Paperclips, Gravel.

(b.) Use 4 step plan to show how you'll do this

[3] SATURATION

Add 1 spoonful of salt to some water and stir. Add 1 spoonful of sugar to some water and stir. Repeat until no more will dissolve...
(a.) The water dissolved __ spoonfuls of salt.
(b). The water dissolved __ spoonfuls of sugar



[4] HEATING: REVERSIBLE OR NON REVERSIBLE CHANGES?

Here ds is reqd. to heat the following but b4 doing that must:
(a.) predict whether or not the change would be reversible
(b.) Describe the material BEFORE heating
(c.) Describe the material AFTER heating
(d.) Allow to cool then specify whether or not the change was reversible.

[5] CONDENSATION AND EVAPORATION

Based on Solids, liquids and gas. More experiments (quite frankly, was at this stage expecting to be told to use Methane/Propane/Butane but thankfully, not!), labelling diagrams, e.t.c...

[6] TESTS OF/ON SOLUBILITY

(a.) Reqd to complete table based on the following materials:
--> sand
--> sugar
--> chalk
--> flour
--> rice
--> gravy granules
--> coffee granules

(b.)Define the terms soluble and insoluble

(c.) Classify the materials tested into the right category...

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LoveRoses · 08/03/2010 01:44

nightbynight - your comment about your school in Germany having done something similar a couple of times and expecting parent(s) to record temp/ shadow lengths did make me grin..lol!!

And yes, I would sorely have loved to refuse corporating - but ds would be the one to loose out. So I just had to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in. I tell you, I am a very, very frazzled parent!

Oh, and b4 I forget, thanks for the graph links MmeBlueberry...ds and I had fun eating the cooked eggs/melted chocolate/cheese...need to make an appointment with the treadmill now

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MmeBlueberry · 08/03/2010 06:05

That is a seriously outrageous amount and level of homework for a Y4 or even a Y6. It is more Y7 level, tbh. But I still wouldn't get them to do it at home.

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seeker · 08/03/2010 06:23

I would talk to the teacher about this - it's seriously unreasonable. Actually I wouldn't have done it then talked to the teacher this morning.

Not fair to assume parents have the money, time, knowledge and interest to help.

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LoveRoses · 08/03/2010 10:48

I know it's crazy - was really upset about it. Fustrated I didn't get to see ds's teacher this morning but spoke to head about it and then requested to book an appointment with ds teacher.

Infact, I intend to speak to ds's teacher tommorow morning - with or without the appointment...

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