Have you ever popped popcorn in a beaker?
Why do I do this as part of Biology you ask?
It is part of my lesson on biodegradable materials and environmentally friendly practices. We compare styrofoam and cellulose packing peanuts, and popcorn. The students rate how well they are able to keep an egg from cracking, how much volume is lost when moisture is added, and expense. When I first started the project a few years ago a student volunteered to bring in the bags of popcorn and said we could pop it in the home economics room. I said, "Why not pop it in the lab?" They were surprised to find out that you can pop popcorn in something other than a microwave. The excitement that this component added to the experience made a lasting impression. However, trying to get the baked on grease off the beakers was almost impossible.
Lab is a fundamental part of any high school science program. My students, like many others, enjoy science because of the hands on experiences that it provides. However there is a lot of equipment that is needed to have lab, and at times it may be consumed or broken or just wear out.
Without good clean glassware (beakers, flasks, and graduated cylinders) it is nearly impossible to measure substances, mix solutions, watch chemical reactions, and heat substances. The rubber stoppers will be used in the flasks for some experiments. This proposal will allow my students to continue to have experiences like the one mentioned above.
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