 |
|
 |
 |
 
|
 |
|
 |
|
Teacher’s Guide to
Eureka! The Science of Gold
KNOW #17, September/October 2008
Forget Flowers, Say it with Weeds (page 3)
To learn more about the boto and to see other photos,
go to the Projecto Boto
website.
The National Geographic for Kids site has a great
video of botos, which includes information on their habitat
and how they navigate using echolocation.
Classroom Links: Science, Social Studies (geography)
Skills and Learning Outcomes:
• using technology to find information
• investigate animal habitats and behaviour
Give Dextre a Hand (page 4)
An animated and interactive image of Dextre can be found
here.
For a video of Dextre in action, go here.
Activity
Older students can try building their own robotic
hand following these
instructions.
Extension: Students can learn more about the International
Space Station using the book The Amazing International
Space Station by the Editors of YES Mag (Kids Can Press,
2003).
Classroom Links: Science, Technology, History
Skills and Learning Outcomes:
• learn about Canadian contributions to science
• identify technological tools and devices needed for
space exploration
• use appropriate techniques and materials to make a
mechanical device that performs a useful function
Theme Section: Eureka! The Science of Gold
For more information, as well as photos and activity
ideas, visit the American Museum of Natural History’s
virtual exhibit, GOLD!
The World Gold Council also has a lot of information on its
“Goldipedia”
site.
For more details on how we use gold in our daily lives, visit
this National
Mining Association webpage.
Three in One (pages 12)
Activity
To help students distinguish between an element,
mineral, and metal, show them a periodic table and the location
of gold (Au). Point out other elements on the periodic table,
such as oxygen, sodium, or aluminum, which students may be
familiar with.
Activity
inerals are made up of crystals. Your students
can grow crystals in the classroom. Pour hot water into a
pie plate and add sugar or salt until the liquid is supersaturated
(no more sugar or salt will dissolve). Over the next few days,
the liquid will dissolve, leaving crystals behind.
Activity
Have students observe a piece of granite or
another type of rock made of several minerals to distinguish
between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout)
and rocks (composed of two or more minerals).
Classroom Links: Science
Skills and Learning Outcomes:
• distinguish between elements, minerals, and rocks
• make observations
• observe a change in matter from liquid to solid
Gold Conducts Heat and Electricity (page
12)
Activity
This activity will help students understand
the concept of conductivity. Place a dab of cold butter on
the tips of the handles of a metal teaspoon and a plastic
teaspoon (and, if you have one, a wooden spoon or chopstick).
Place the spoons in a cup of hot water. Since the metal spoon
conducts heat and plastic and wood do not, the butter on the
metal spoon will melt first.
You could also do this activity without the butter and just
have students feel the ends of the spoons’ handles after
they’ve been in hot water for a few moments.
Classroom Links: Science
Skills and Learning Outcomes:
• investigate how heat energy is transmitted
• compare conductivity of different materials
The ABCs of Gold (pages 14-17)
Activity
Have students bring in newspaper and magazine
articles as well as information from other media on gold and
gold mining. While we use gold in many ways, there are controversial
aspects of gold extraction, including human rights and environmental
concerns. These issues could provide points for discussion
in the classroom.
Activity
As a class, create alternate entries for the
ABCs of Gold.
Classroom Links: Language arts, Information technology, Media
studies, Science
Skills and Learning Outcomes:
• describe potential impacts of gold mining on humans
and the environment
• identify positive and negative effects of gold mining
Great Moments in Science: Searching for The Ship of Gold
(page 22)
The website for the search for the SS Central America
can be found here.
The site includes short video clips.
Feedback
We are interested in making this guide as useful as possible.
Please let us know if we've provided enough, too much, or
not enough information. Any other thoughts or comments are
appreciated.
Email: teacher@yesmag.ca
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
