From the files of Mrs. B

Lately in science, we have been talking about chemical and physical changes.  We had great discussions on each of these earlier this week and discovered the ins and outs of each one.  

Today was the day for us (only one of my science classes) to concentrate on physical changes in which the substance stays the same but it can look a little bit different than when it started. I thought that a perfect and 'cool' way to do this would be to have students experience physical change first hand by making paper from paper.

The process involves you cutting up strips of whatever color paper you have available (preferably paper that has already been used and is waiting to be recycled already), mixing the strips and water together in a blender, creating a mucky beautiful paper pulp puree.

After your puree has been created, it needs to be put in a relatively shallow bucket.  Take a wire mesh and put it in an embroidery hoop and dip it in your puree.  Blot it out with another pice of the wire mesh and set out to dry for about 24 hours.

Yes, I know this sounds so easy.  So simple.  Anyone could do it, right?

Well, not exactly.  It turns out that 6th graders with paper puree and a roomfull of buckets, water, and sponges may turn into a slightly chaotic but fun situation.

A situation in which I found myself looking at all three of my classroom sinks filled 2/3 full of standing water.

Uh-oh.  Apparently I didn't emphasize adaquetely enough NOT to dump any left over pulp into our non-garbage disposaled sink.  Whoops!

After hunting down the "sink-use only" plunger and explaining to the janitor my little problem, he came to my room concerned on just how bad the sinks were.   After a few moments with the plunger, he left to get a bigger plunger.  This was serious.

He brought back the big guns.  The large, black plunger that was NOT a little sink plunger came to the rescue.  After a few minutes of suctioning around, my sinks were rescued.  

I told the janitor that I would make sure kids would never do that again.  He told me "that is a good idea," and left. My hero of 8th Period.

All in a day, all in a day.  

I'm armed and ready for tomorrow.  We're making paper again....