Bacteria
We learned about the scientific process during a mini-unit on bacteria.
The Scientific Process
1. Ask a question.
2. Make a hypothesis (an educated guess that answers the question).
3. Gather data through experimentation to find the answer.
4. Make sense of the data and draw a conclusion.
5. Communicate your findings.
Question: What cleans hands better - hand sanitizer or soap and water?
Hypothesis: Twenty-two students believe soap and water cleans better; 5 believe hand sanitizer cleans better.
Experiment:
1. Rub dirty hands on a piece of freshly cut apple.
2. Clean hands. Half of the class cleans hands with hand sanitizer while the other half cleans with soap and water.
3. Rub a new freshly cut piece of apple with clean hands.
4. Place apple pieces in separate plastic baggies labeled "dirty hands," "clean hands - hand sanitizer" or "clean hands - soap and water."
5. Let apple pieces sit for six days.
6. After six days, collect data on appearance of apple pieces. Compare the apples rubbed with hands using different cleaning agents.
The Scientific Process
1. Ask a question.
2. Make a hypothesis (an educated guess that answers the question).
3. Gather data through experimentation to find the answer.
4. Make sense of the data and draw a conclusion.
5. Communicate your findings.
Question: What cleans hands better - hand sanitizer or soap and water?
Hypothesis: Twenty-two students believe soap and water cleans better; 5 believe hand sanitizer cleans better.
Experiment:
1. Rub dirty hands on a piece of freshly cut apple.
2. Clean hands. Half of the class cleans hands with hand sanitizer while the other half cleans with soap and water.
3. Rub a new freshly cut piece of apple with clean hands.
4. Place apple pieces in separate plastic baggies labeled "dirty hands," "clean hands - hand sanitizer" or "clean hands - soap and water."
5. Let apple pieces sit for six days.
6. After six days, collect data on appearance of apple pieces. Compare the apples rubbed with hands using different cleaning agents.
Dirty Hands
An up-close image of the "dirty hands apple." The dirty hands apple is disgusting! It has black and red spots on it.
Soap and Water vs. Dirty Hands Apple
In this picture, you can see the apple pieces in the baggies we used. The apple rubbed with hands cleaned with soap and water is on the left.
Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap and Water
This is a comparison of the apples rubbed with hands cleaned by using hand sanitizer (on the left) and soap and water (on the right).
Make Sense of Data and draw a conclusion:
The apples rubbed with hands cleaned by washing with soap and water showed less deterioration than the apples rubbed with hands cleaned with hand sanitizer. Although the hand sanitizer apples look better than the dirty hands apples, soap and water cleans hands better.
The apples rubbed with hands cleaned by washing with soap and water showed less deterioration than the apples rubbed with hands cleaned with hand sanitizer. Although the hand sanitizer apples look better than the dirty hands apples, soap and water cleans hands better.