Having made and investigated batteries the last two days, it was time to put our knowledge to the test. In class we watched an episode of Gilligan's Island called "X Marks the Spot" in which the castaway's island is in the path of an experimental warhead launched by the US government. The climax of the first act is after the radio batteries go dead, the Professor (a former science teacher :) figures out a clever way to recharge the batteries using pennies, metal strips, and coconuts. After watching the episode, students completed a summative assessment in which they had to explain whether or not they think the Professor's coconut battery charger would work and what kind of energy transfers occur throughout the missile launch, from pressing the ignition to its eventual deactivation. If you missed class, you can download this assessment below and turn it in when you return to school. The episode we watched is Season 1 Episode 18 available on amazon.com
Today was all about graphing. We graphed Distance vs. Time and Speed vs Time for all of our Speedy Lab trials. Tomorrow we will finish this lab with a conclusion that ties together our tests, data, and graphs.
Mr. Powell is an 8th grade Science Teacher in Western Colorado.