Element of the Day! Friday, May 30th

Who am I? I am a steel-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. I am use to give a shiny finish to metals and to prevent corrosion. The human body needs trace amounts of me.
E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us Include the element's chemical symbol.
Image taken from: spin-caps.com

Fun With CO2!

In today's activity, we mixed two compounds, Sodium bicarbonate (Baking soda) NaHco3 and Acetic acid (Vinegar) CH3COOH in a large beaker. In the beaker was a burning candle. A chemical reaction occurred generating lots of bubbles. A few students noticed that the bottom of their beaker turned colder, indicating an endothermic reaction. The candle flame went out! The bubbles contained the gas Carbon dioxide, CO2. When the students went to relight the candle in the beaker, they were unable to. This was because the beaker was filled with the CO2. CO2 is heavier, or more dense, than air so it pushes the air out of the way. The air has Oxygen, O, in it. Without the Oxygen, you can't have a fire. Take a look at the video of this chemical reaction.

Element of the Day! Thursday, May 29th

Who am I? I am a dull, bluish-gray, non-magnetic metal. I am the fourth most common metal in use and am used to coat steel to prevent rust and corrosion. I am also used in the alloy brass. In addition, I am used in some batteries and compounds of me are also used in deodorants and sunscreens. Small amounts of me are necessary for the human body. Pennies made after 1981 are made of of mostly me with just a thin copper coating.

E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: electronicsnmore.com

Element of the Day! Wednesday, May, 28th

Who am I? I am a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. I make up 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere. I am an essential part of amino acids and nucleic acids, both of which are essential to all life - plants, animals, insects, etc. - on Earth. When I am in my liquid state, my temperature is -321 degrees F below zero and I can then be used for cooling and freezing things. E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us Include the element's chemical symbol.
Image taken from: wikipedia.com

The Hydrogen Balloon

Take a look at this video of today's "Hydrogen Balloon" demonstration!
You may need the latest version of Adobe Flash to see this.
http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander!

On Sunday, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander landed on Mars! Phoenix is on a three-month mission to excavate the soil on Mars using its 8-foot-long robotic arm to reach the ice believed to be buried inches to a foot deep. The lander will study whether the landing site could have supported primitive life. Among the things it will look for is whether the ice melted in Mar's history and whether the soil samples contain traces of organic compounds, one of the building blocks of life.

Go to NASA's Phoenix Mission web page for more information and photographs sent from the lander to Earth!

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/main/index.html

Element of the Day! Monday, May 27th

Who am I? I am a malleable, dull, gray, toxic metal. I am used in car batteries, bullets, and fishing & diving weights. I am in the alloys solder and pewter. My density is 11.35 g/cm3. E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.usInclude the element's chemical symbol.Image taken from: waldrenphoto.com

Element of the Day! Friday, May 23rd

Who am I? At room temperature I am a red liquid. I am the only non-metallic, liquid element. Compounds of me are used in fire retardants, some medicines, swimming pool maintenance, and photography. E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: aqua-pool-warehouse.com

Element of the Day! Thursday, May 22nd

Who am I? I am a hard, slivery-white, grayish, magnetic metal. I have been used since ancient times. 30% of the world's supply of me comes from Canada. I am used in alloys, coins, magnets, some kinds of batteries, and plating (covering) other metals. E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us
Include the element's chemical symbol.
Image taken from: wholesalebatteries.us

Element of the Day! Wednesday, May 21st

Who am I? I am a pale, green poisonous gas that is 2.5 times as dense as air. I am found in bleach and common disinfectants. I am used in swimming pools to keep them clean and sanitary. E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us

Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: entweb.clemson.edu

Working with compounds

Today in class we investigated compounds. Compounds are 2 or more elements that have been chemically combined. We used Manganese dioxide (MnO2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). When mixed together, a chemical reaction occurred. A chemical reaction is a process in which substances undergo chemical change. One of the indicators of a chemical reaction includes bubbling, or the release of a gas.
When we poured the H2O2 into a beaker with some MnO2, bubbling occurred. We slowly lowered a glowing wood splint into the beaker and the splint burst into flames. this "glowing splint" test showed that the gas released was oxygen. Take a look at this video of the activity.

Element of the Day! Tuesday, May 20th

Who am I? Under regular conditions I am a dark-purple/dark-brown solid. I am primarily used in medicines to clean and disinfect wounds, photography, and in dyes. Table salt is often fortified with me. I am rare in the solar system and Earth's crust, however, compounds with me in them are very soluble in water and I am concentrated in seawater. I am necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland in the human body.

E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us Include the element's chemical symbol in your answer.

Image taken from: usavsus.info/Images

Element of the Day! Monday, May 19th

Who am I? I am a colorless, oderles, non-toxic that is gas much lighter than air. I am the second most abundant and second lightest element in the known universe and am one of the elements believed to have been created in the Big Bang. I am used in balloons and blimps.

E-mail with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: abbmoonwalks.com

Element of the day! Friday, May 15th

Who am I? I am a strong, gray, magnetic metal used in the construction of buildings, steel, and machines. My density is 7.87 g/cm3. E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us. Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: mesh-wirecloth.com

Reading Summer Enrichment Academy

If you like science and technology, I have something for you! The Reading Summer Enrichment Academy has three excellent offerings for sixth graders. They are, "Robotics 101", "Engineering Design", and "Rockets in July". All three programs are taught by Reading teachers. I am teaching the "Rockets in July" during the week of July 21 - 25. There are 2 sessions to chose from: 8 -10:00 or 10:30 - 12:30. For more information or to learn how to register, you can try this link:

https://www.edline.net/files/3502048af726f4ca3745a49013852ec4/Microsoft_Word_-_2008_inside_brochure_with_Cover-8.5_x_11.pdf

or see the brochure on Edline. You can even call the Superintendents Office at 781-944-5800.

Getting ready for the PTO Open House!

My two afternoon classes help me organize the classroom to get it ready for this evenings PTO Open House. We hung the Element Cards and put out the LINX Wind Vehicles and the soda bottles rockets for display. Those, along with the students Models of an Atom should make for a very nice visual display!

Photos taken by Maria.

Element of the Day! Thursday, May 15th

Who am I? I am a black, nonmetallic element found in coal, oil, gas, and am present in all known lifeforms. I am the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass. Diamonds and graphite are made of me. E-mail me with your answer. Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: bradleygoughdiamonds.com

UMass Lowell's Design Camp 2008

If you have enjoyed some of the design and building activities we have done this year such as the LINX Wind vehicles, the soda bottle rockets, and the MIT Museum field trip activities, you might be interested in the Design Camp 2008 run by the UMass Lowell. They will have 4 , week-long sessions to select from. Some sessions are for girls only! Course offerings for 6th graders include: Electric Jungle, Carnival Contraptions, Crime Science, Electrical & mechanical Gizmos, Flight School, and TechCreation: Food & Games.

To learn more about this wonderful, fun-filled learning experience, see Mr. Williams for a brochure or visit their web site at: http://www.designcamp.org/

Image taken from: ULowell's Design Camp 2008 web site.

Element of the Day! Wednesday, May 14th

Who am I? I am a colorless, odorless gas that is flammable and explosive. I am the lightest element. I am also the most abundant element in the universe. E-mail me with your answer. Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: zebu.uoregon.edu

Element of the Day! Tuesday, May 13th

Who am I? I am a steel-gray metal that has the highest melting point of the metal elements. I am used in many alloys and compounds but most notably in light bulb filaments. E-mail me with your answer. Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: mirror-us-ga1.gallery.hd.org

Element of the Day! Monday, May 12th

Who am I? I am a lustrous, sliver-colored metal that is very malleable. I am used in coins, photography, jewelry, and tableware. I am an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. E-mail me with your answer. Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: monex.com

Magnesium

Today in class we were discussing various elements and some of their properties. We discussed that magnesium (Mg) is a light, strong, metal that burns very brightly. Here is a clip of the demonstration shot by Dylan.

Sunday, May 11th - Bird Walk

Here is a list of the birds seen on this mornings "Spring Bird Walks in Reading" This third in a series of Spring bird walks was held at the Town Forest and enjoyed by 14 people.

A glorious morning for birding! 49 species of birds seen and heard this morning in the Reading Town Forest. Baltimore orioles were the "Bird of the Day" as they were everywhere, singing and chasing one another.

Great blue heron - 1

Green heron - 2

Canada goose - 4

Wood duck - 1

Mallard - 1

Virgina rail - 3

Spotted sandpiper - 1 sitting atop a Muskrat den

Herring gull - 1

Mourning dove - 6

Chimney swift - 5

Belted kingfisher - 1 hanging around it's nesting hole in a dirt bank

Downy woodpecker - 2

Eastern kingbird - 2

Blue-headed vireo - 1

Warbling vireo - 5

Red-eyed vireo - 1

Blue jay - 7

Crow - 3

Tree swallow - 4

Barn swallow - 2

Black-capped chickadee - 7 2 going in and out of nest hole. 1 took out a fecal sac.

House wren - 1

Winter wren - 1

Ruby-crowned kinglet - 1

Blue-gray gnatcatcher - 1

Bluebird - 1

Hermit thrush - 1

Robin - 7

Gray catbird - 6

Nashville warbler - 2

N. parula - 3

Yellow warbler - 3

Yellow-rumped warbler - 1

Pine warbler - 3 1 carrying nesting material

Palm warbler - 2

Black-and-white warbler - 2

Am. redstart - 1

Ovenbird - 1

Norther waterthrush - new Town bird for me. Along the Ipswich river. Great looks from 15 feet!

Common yellowthroat - 3

Chipping sparrow - 2

Swamp sparrow - 4

Cardinal - 1

Rose-breasted grosbeak - 1

Red-winged blackbird - 17

Grackle - 15

Brown-headed cowbird - 1

Baltimore oriole - 15

Goldfinch - 12

House sparrow - 2

Baltimore oriole image taken from: chandra.as.utexas.edu

Element of the Day! Friday, May 9th

Who am I? I am a gold-ish colored, non-magnetic metal, that is malleable, and used in coins, jewelry, electrical wires, and cookware. It has been used by man for thousands of years. E-mail me with your answer and include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from:

Element of the Day! Thursday, May 8th

Who am I? I am a soft metal that combines with chlorine to make table salt (NaCl). Sodium is found in nature only as a compound and never as the free element. It is an essential element for life.

E-mail me with your answer. Include the element's chemical symbol.

Element of the Day! Wednesday, May 7th

Who am I? I am a soft, silvery-white metal. I am a key component of many fertilizers and am needed by the human body to help muscles function well. Sometimes people eat bananas so that they get enough of me. Who am I?

E-mail me with your answer. Include the elemnet's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: stke.k12.nf.ca/science

Elements Project

To help you learn more about a particular element and familiarize yourself with the Periodic Table of the Elements, you will select one element and research it. We will do all the research during science classes by using the laptops in the classroom. You will have to do the art work at home. Each student will research a different element, so have a second and a third choice ready. The work is due on, or by, Tuesday, May 13th

You may use paints, markers, cut paper, stencils, downloaded pictures, word processed writing, whatever you want in putting the information on your card. Make sure you are neat!

Make use of the following sources to help you:
· Periodic Table of the Elements in the back of your agenda.
· the 4 web sites contained on Edline.



1. On the front side of the card, centered at the top, put the name of your element.__________

2. In the center of the card, in big letters, put the chemical symbol. ______

3. Then place the following information anywhere else on the front of the card:
· Atomic number _________
· Atomic mass _________
· State of matter _________
· Metal, Metalloid, or Nonmetal ____________
· Number of protons, electrons, and neutrons ____________
· Density _________
· Color _________


4. On the back of the card, put the following information:
* Date of discovery ___________
· Discoverer ____________
· Natural or synthetic (man made) ______________
· Origin of name _____________________________________
· Obtained from _______________________________________________
· Uses _______________________________________________________
· Other interesting facts about the element___________________________
· Picture/drawing of the element

Parker Community Day

The Parker Community Day was held last Sunday in cold, misty conditions. Nevertheless, many parents and students showed up to help clean up the school grounds. Weeds were pulled, mulch was spread, and a great pancake breakfast was served to all.

These photos are of the Bird Garden being cleaned up as part of Community Day. Four years ago volunteer parents and students designed and built this wonderful garden. It was designed with birds in mind. The plantings provide natural food and shelter for the birds. Teachers can take their students outside to make use of this garden for Art, Science, or Language Arts activities.

Element of the Day! Tuesday, May 6th

Who am I? I am the second most abundant element (after oxygen) in the Earth's crust. I am used in making glass and ceramics, however, I am most well known for being the principal component of most semiconductor devices, especially microchips.

E-mail me your answer. Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: thewrangler.com

Model of the atom projects!

The model of the atom projects were great! They showed alot of thought and effort! Here are several photographs of some of the projects. All models are on display in my room.

Element of the Day! Monday, May 5th

Who am I? I am a colorless, inert gas that, while common in the universe, I am rather rare on Earth. I am used in advertising signs and lights.

E-mail me with your answer. Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image from: global-b2b-network.com

Element of the Day! Friday, May 2nd

Who am I? I am a light, but strong, silver colored, non-magnetic metal used in buildings, sports equipment, and pots and pans.
E-mail me with your answer. Include the element's chemical symbol.

image from: i.ivillage.com

Model of an Atom Project

I would like you to make a model of an atom. It should clearly show the major parts of an atom: the nucleus which is made up of protons and neutrons, and electrons which travel around the nucleus in a “cloud”. Your model should show that there is empty space between the nucleus and the electrons. Label each part or make a key. Refer to the “All About Atoms” handout you received and use the Periodic Table of the Elements in your agenda for information.

Use your imagination and creativity in selecting materials for this project. It can be presented as a free standing model, or suspended from something like a coat hanger, or mounted on a poster board. Feel free to use gumdrops, mini marshmallows, jelly beans, Styrofoam balls, paints, fabric, cut paper, etc. to represent the parts of an atom.

Your grade will be based on:
* Demonstrating a knowledge and understanding of the parts of the atom
* A neat and creative visual presentation
* The model is original. It presents a familiar topic (the parts of the atom) in an unfamiliar way.


This project is due on, or by, Monday, May 5th, 2008