With the 6th grade at Isai Ambalam we have did some experiments with measuring the pendulum as an application of decimal numbers (and division by 10). I use my watch as a stop watch for the measurements and kids were having a little bit of fun trying to find out the shortest time they can start and stop a watch. We were talking about time and measurement when Saj asked how often I change the battery in my watch.
I mentioned that I hadn't changed the battery since I bought the watch so it should easily last a year. Saj immediately got back with the fact that I have been around for 1-1/2 yrs and he has always seen me with this watch. Observation (check).
Then he says, wow, that watch must have "very low Watt". Wait where did this come from?
Vij who is new to the class enquires what is Watt. Saj replies that we did it last year, its the energy that the watch takes. Ani corrects him that its the power. Saj concurs and reminds himself that it is indeed the power. He goes on to tell Vij that the light consumes 40W and the fan 70W of power and its only when it is multiplied by time that it becomes energy, actually Wh. Recall (check), application (check).
Last year I had asked the 5th graders to go around the school and look at the number of lights and fans in each class and estimate the power and look at the time it was on for in a day to estimate the energy (as application of multiplication).
I said the power is very, very low and you would need to split a Watt many times. Oh said Saj, does this mean it will be a decimal point followed by many zeros? Decimals (check).
I actively look to connect concepts that we have done in the past, but it was interesting to see the seeds that were planted a while back come forward as a regular conversation without any planning.
I mentioned that I hadn't changed the battery since I bought the watch so it should easily last a year. Saj immediately got back with the fact that I have been around for 1-1/2 yrs and he has always seen me with this watch. Observation (check).
Then he says, wow, that watch must have "very low Watt". Wait where did this come from?
Vij who is new to the class enquires what is Watt. Saj replies that we did it last year, its the energy that the watch takes. Ani corrects him that its the power. Saj concurs and reminds himself that it is indeed the power. He goes on to tell Vij that the light consumes 40W and the fan 70W of power and its only when it is multiplied by time that it becomes energy, actually Wh. Recall (check), application (check).
Last year I had asked the 5th graders to go around the school and look at the number of lights and fans in each class and estimate the power and look at the time it was on for in a day to estimate the energy (as application of multiplication).
I said the power is very, very low and you would need to split a Watt many times. Oh said Saj, does this mean it will be a decimal point followed by many zeros? Decimals (check).
I actively look to connect concepts that we have done in the past, but it was interesting to see the seeds that were planted a while back come forward as a regular conversation without any planning.
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