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The Granite Lab is the wet lab of the Science Center. Exceptionally well stocked with professional glassware, microscopes, scales, lighting, counter top equipment and safety gear, it provides a wonderful extension for our science classrooms.
Current projects in the Granite Lab:
Rainbow Lab
Rainbow Lab
September 2024
As an introduction to the Chemistry Lab, 6th graders experiment with measurement. The word of the day is 'meniscus'!
Density, Density, Density
Density, Density, Density
September, 2024
Does shampoo float? What is the relationship between density and floating and sinking in water? Does the amount matter when it comes to the density of a substance?
Students answered these questions, and generated questions of their own while we worked through a series of investigations involving density.
Massachusetts STE Standards:
6.MS-PS1-7(MA). Use a particulate model of matter to explain that density is the amount of
matter (mass) in a given volume. Apply proportional reasoning to describe, calculate,
and compare relative densities of different materials.
Lego chemical reactions
Lego chemical reactions
October, 2024
6th graders investigate the question 'What defines a chemical reaction?' During the wet lab, students combine chemicals and observe a reaction. Student pairs are then asked to choose among the chemicals used in the first chemical reaction to make two more mixtures/reactions. The goal of these experiments is to determine which combination of materials creates a temperature change (heat), a color change (yellow), and which combination produces a gas.
The key understanding of the lab is that not all chemical reactions create heat, a color change or a temperature change. The one thing that all chemical reactions have in common is that a new substance is produced.
On the second day of the lab, students tackle separating the solution of products from the reaction. Using the property of solubility, students use filter paper to separate salt and chalk. Lego bricks are used to model the reaction at the molecular level, demonstrating how atoms can be combined to make a multitude of compounds, each with unique properties. Modeling the reactants and products lets students visualize the Law of Conservation of Mass which states that in any chemical reaction, mass is conserved.
A final day of investigation involves looking at the salt crystals under the microscope and shaping the chalk into a usable stick.
Massachusetts STE Standards:
6.MS-PS1-6. Plan and conduct an experiment involving exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions to measure and describe the release or absorption of thermal energy.
6.MS-PS1-8(MA). Conduct an experiment to show that many materials are mixtures of pure substances that can be separated by physical means into their component pure substances.
8.MS-PS1-1. Develop a model to describe that (a) atoms combine in a multitude of ways to produce pure substances which make up all of the living and nonliving things that we encounter, (b) atoms form molecules and compounds that range in size from two to thousands of atoms, and (c) mixtures are composed of different proportions of pure substances.
8.MS-PS1-5. Use a model to explain that atoms are rearranged during a chemical reaction to form new substances with new properties. Explain that the atoms present in the reactants are all present in the products and thus the total number of atoms is conserved.
WHAT IS A WAVE?
October, 2024
6th graders experiment with mechanical waves in a fluid. Can you explain the behavior of the pom poms?
Massachusetts STE Standards:
6.MS-PS4-1. Use diagrams of a simple wave to explain that (a) a wave has a repeating pattern with a specific amplitude, frequency, and wavelength, and (b) the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy of the wave.
light wave mini golf
light wave mini golf
December, 2024
Season two of Light Wave Mini Golf in the Granite Lab! 6th grade Science teacher Lisa Warren helped create this challenging activity to reinforce student understanding of wave reflection. Team members work together positioning mirrors to reflect light waves around and through obstacles at each hole. Each team brought its own strategies to the course, where teamwork is key
Massachusetts STE Standards:
6.MS-PS4-2. Use diagrams and other models to show that both light rays and mechanical waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
Clarification Statements:
• Materials may include solids, liquids, and gases.
• Mechanical waves (including sound) need a material (medium) through which they are transmitted.
• Examples of models could include drawings, simulations, and written descriptions.
Modeling winter, noon, new moon @ Good Harbor Beach.
Earth-Moon-Sun System
Earth-Moon-Sun System
December 2024
A day at Good Harbor Beach. With prompts such as 'arrange the elements to show summer, midnight, first quarter moon @ Good Harbor Beach,' 8th graders tested their knowledge of the E-M-S system.
Massachusetts STE Standards:
8.MS-ESS1-1b. Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun system to explain the cyclical pattern of seasons, which includes Earth’s tilt and differential intensity of sunlight on different areas of Earth across the year.
8.MS-ESS1-2. Explain the role of gravity in ocean tides, the orbital motions of planets, their moons, and asteroids in the solar system.
Two thumbs up from Eric Leigh, Gloucester High Science teacher.
Professional Development
Professional Development
November 5, 2024
A fabulous day of teacher led professional development organized by Assistant Superintendent Amy Pasquarello. The Science Center offered 4 courses throughout the day:
Drawing Science-A comfortable and approachable investigation with our resident botanist. Drawing life from a variety of perspectives.
Habitats/Nestboxing-Since 2010, O'Maley students have been building and installing Eastern Bluebird nest boxes around Cape Ann as part of a massive habitat restoration project. Join us for an hour and build one to take home yourself.
Sail Cars 101-Learn the basics of how sails work while you and a partner build a 1/4 scale model with fabric, dowels, string and tape to construct a small rig for experiment on our 'wind floor'.
The Case of the Poisoned Dinner-Work in the Science Center chemistry lab to solve a food truck science mystery. (2 sessions)
Moon Phases
Moon Phases
December 2024
Following a tasty classroom activity, 6th grade students move through the phases of the moon as seen from Earth. Moon rise and moon set modeling helps solidify our understanding of when we see the moon in the day and night sky.
Aquaponics-serial dilutions
Aquaponics-serial dilutions
March 2025
8th graders are putting their math skills to work in the Granite Lab making serial dilutions. In order to quantify the amount of bacteria in their aquaponic systems, students are setting up serial dilutions of their tank water, creating dilutions from 1:10 through 1:10,000. Each dilution is plated on nutrient agar and incubated. After 24-48 hours, the cultures are observed and the bacteria colonies counted. Using conversions, the students estimate the number of bacteria in their systems.
# of colonies counted 1,000 uL Dilution = bacteria
volume in uL plated x 1 mL x 1 ml
Total system bacteria: Bacteria/ml x 20,000 ml (5 gallon tank)
OR
Bacteria/ml x 40,000 ml (10 gallon tank)
aquaponics-gram staining
aquaponics-gram staining
April 2025
The 8th graders are learning a procedure developed in 1884 by Hans Christian Gram.
Gram staining is a method used to determine the chemical makeup of the cell wall of a bacteria, which is useful in identification. Many bacteria have a thick outer layer of peptidoglycan, which helps protect the cell from the environment. This layer will stain purple (gram positive). Some bacteria have a thinner layer of peptidoglycan inside an outer membrane. The outer membrane does not pick up the purple gram stain, and will instead appear pink after being counter stained (gram negative).
The 8th grade aquaponic systems depend on populations of nitrifying bacteria to convert ammonia from the fish into nitrates that the plants can take up. These bacteria are gram negative and rod shaped.
Aquaponics-under the microscope
Aquaponics-under the microscope
April 2025
The gram stained slides are dry and ready for the microscopes. After a quick review of microscope use, we went to work looking for bacteria. The light microscopes provide 40x, 100x, 400x and 1,000x magnification. The 1,000x lens requires oil immersion for proper focusing. Students added this technique to their growing list of lab skills.
Using identifying characteristics such as size, shape and arrangement, students communicate what they observe in words and drawings.
Possible nitrosomonas siting! These bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite.
Aquaponics-Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
Aquaponics-Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
April, 2025
A few images from student slides.
The 8th grade aquaponic systems depend on populations of nitrifying bacteria to convert ammonia from the fish into nitrates that the plants can take up. These bacteria species are gram negative and rod shaped. In addition to gram stain, the size and arrangement of the bacteria can help in identification of the species.
The diagram shows the role each type of bacteria plays in the conversion of nitrogen in the aquaponic systems.
Gram positive streptobacillus undergoing binary fission, a form of asexual reproduction.
Gram negative cocci.
Gram negative diplobacillus are viewed as potential nitrobacter species.
Local Rocks
Local Rocks
April 2025
A generous donation of rock samples brings the rock cycle to life for 6th graders. Using dissecting scopes and magnifying lamps, students get an up close look at the composition and complexity of a variety of rock types.
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