The students did the same with lemon juice and milk of magnesia, after cleaning out their pipets and the wells. The students then recorded the color changes on their worksheet. It was rewarding to see students carefully test these substances with great curiosity and care, as they could not guess what the result would be. The more challenging part came when the students had to mix acidic and basic solutions, including vinegar and baking soda, and lemon juice and milk of magnesia together and record the results. This was to show how when an acid is added to a base, its acidity level falls as it becomes neutralized, changing the color of the red cabbage water. The opposite occurs when a base is added to an acid. The students were encouraged to try their own mixtures of different substances on hand.

A left the classroom feeling that the students had enjoyed the activity, had learned which substances were acidic and basic and gained greater confidence using laboratory tools. This was a good introduction to the scientific method and process of discovering something, rather than...

I am not sure they understood why it was important to know certain things were acidic and basic. I might have talked more about how and when certain acidic and basic substances are used, like how milk of magnesia is used to treat an acid stomach. I would also bring more ordinary household substances for the students to use in their own experiments.
Overall, I enjoyed working with the students, but I think that for students this young the school could use more hands-on experiments, especially given the students' age. This is not the fault of the school, however, but more my opinion of how I think that scientific education should progress in the younger grades in general. But I also think that as a teacher I need to set up a scientific experiment in a fun and engaging way more clearly, so students understand the purpose of what they are doing, so that they are truly learning while they are doing.

Works Cited

Juice for Sleuths." Chemistry 3090. Retrieved 25 Jan 2008 at http://science.csustan.edu/phillips-stone/CHEM3090/Juice4Slueths.htm