Last week was kind of slow, so I went back into my archives for a #ThrowbackThursday post. I searched "Halloween" and found this post from November 2, 2007. Funny thing is, I remember this day. It was a cool assignment. And the kiddos behaved as eighth graders would for such a thing.
As you know, Wednesday was Halloween. And I covered an 8th grade science class.
The teacher left them a lab assignment. "Bubble gum physics." The object was. . . Well, I think the ultimate object was to learn about speed (measuring it and figuring out how to find it) and all the calculations that go into it. What they actually did, though, was to chew gum.
Gum is not allowed in school. So, using gum in a class experiment was a treat. It's just that it would probably have been a better treat if the assignment wasn't overseen by a substitute teacher!
Well, all things considered, it went pretty well. I actually spent the day reminding them how to round numbers and how to take averages. And I had to make sure that they didn't take more than one piece of gum. Unfortunately, at that I failed. How do I know? I was given 380 pieces of gum. By the end of the day, I had four. 35 students per period, 5 periods. . . The math just doesn't work out, kind of like most of the math they were trying to do.
Not surprised that the math didn't work out.
ReplyDeleteMe neither.
DeleteNot the least bit surprised lol!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of such a thing. Interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt was a great lab assignment.
DeleteWhat a cute assignment!!
ReplyDeletebetty
I hate gum even when I was a kid. Oh, and I hate those math problems...more than the gum. It makes sense that the gum would disappear.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember precisely what they were measuring, but if you had done it with a group, you probably could have gotten away with just taking their data. I'm not a gum chewer myself.
DeleteI like cinnamon gum, as for school once we hit middle school and on. It was up to each teacher.
ReplyDeleteStay Safe and Coffee is on
That's an innovative way to teach physics and math.
ReplyDeleteI would use brownies. :)
ReplyDeleteThe assignment had to do with chewing, so I don't think brownies would work.
Delete