PROFILES Modules
Traffic Accident: Who is to blame?
PROFILES module ,,Traffic Accident: Who is to blame?” is based on a real car accident – a boy was knocked down by a van on a pedestrian crossing linked with traffic lights. The boy was slightly injured. A reconstruction of the accident was under taken in an attempt to determine blame. The aim of this module is to introduce students the laws of motion, study the coefficient of friction based on the example of an actual traffic accident, enable students to measure their own reaction time and use laws of motion to solve every-day problems. To achieve these aims students should carry out research, recording data and analyze them.
Why cans of Coca Cola sink and cans of Coca Cola Zero float?
In this PROFILES module students will have the opportunity to observe and investigate a phenomenon that they know from everyday life such as swimming conditions, energetic value of food, balanced nourishment and etc. Science educations researchers have shown that the research carried out by students widen their science knowledge. With the implementation of this module students will carry experiments to investigated dependence of solution density on the amount of sugar, define the reason of deference between the cans with the same volume, taking in to consideration the swimming conditions of a body in a water and etc. Module „Why cans of Coca-Cola sink and cans of Coca Cola zero float?” is adapted for 7-9 grade and enables students to develop the scientific skills such as making assumptions and planning/carrying out the experiments necessary to test the assumptions, sorting data, making calculations, reconstructing a diagram and comparison the density of drinks on a calibration curve, working in a groups, making relevant/reasonable judgment and decision based on the calculation and analyses. The module can be adapted according to the knowledge of the class.
Cheese making: which to use – modern technology or nature’s way?
The story is based on a real issue following a student visit to her grandmother in a village when seeing a flask with very interesting material in it – this was the abomasums of young calves which are to be put into whey, together with some salt and vinegar, as well as beans, wheat and corn seeds. Students got the answer that this material was for the cheese making in a natural way and they decided to investigate cheese production technology.
The main scientific inquiry question for this module – what are the factors affecting the production of cheese starting from milk?
Implementation – 4 lessons.
What material keeps information for a long time?
The story is based on a real issue when the students who were participating in an intellectual game couldn’t answer the question ’’What is it? It remained stable for 42000 years in the cold Siberian tundra, answered the secret of Napoleons’ death, defended suspected persons in their use of narcotics.’’ Students made hypothesis about the content of the material, found out the information and formulated several questions about the stability of proteins.
The main scientific inquiry question for this module – have all proteins the same stability?
Implementation – 4 lessons.
Is All that shines Gold?
The story is based on a real issue when students saw how people in mountains were extracting gold from the mountain river with the old traditional Georgian method. This raised the question in the student’s mind as to whether all that shines is gold and how could they investigate.
Implementation – 3 lessons.
Why jam, comfiture and salted products aren’t spoiled for a long time?
The story is based on a real issue when the boy asked his elder brother why they only need the refrigerator for keeping some food products?
The main scientific inquiry question for this module – what is the reason that some sugared and salted products aren’t spoiled for a long time?
Implementation – 5 lessons.
Who likes Chocolate?
The story is based on a real issue when the student has a Toothache, teacher and other classmates expressed interest in a reason of pain. It turned out that this student is very fond of chocolate. Students made hypothesis about the consistence of the chocolate and different chemical substance, found out the information and formulated several questions about the nature of different chemical substance. The module supports discussion of the vital importance of fats for health.
The main scientific inquiry question for this module – How much chocolate is bad for your health?
Implementation – 2-3 lessons.