THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF USING EXPERIMENTAL TOOL
“5 IN
1” MADE OF WASTE PLASTIC BOTTLES
IN
TEACHING ABOUT ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA
Mujahidin Agus
SMA Negeri 3 Palopo
Jln. Andi Djemma No. 52 Kota Palopo
Email: jidint.agus@gmail.com
ABSTRAK
Karya tulis ini memperkenalkan dan membahas satu
jenis alat percobaan sederhana yang terbuat dari botol plastik bekas hasil
rancangan penulis sendiri. Fenomena alam yang ditampilkan adalah elastisitas
udara, tekanan udara terbuka,
tekanan udara tertutup, peristiwa angin atau perpindahan kalor secara konveksi, dan peristiwa hujan. Melalui penggunaan alat percobaan ini, guru dapat menerapkan pembelajaran dengan metode inkuiri, yaitu pembelajaran yang memungkinkan siswa dapat menemukan sendiri substansi pengetahuan yang dipelajarinya. Siswa dapat melihat dan membuktikan langsung proses kejadian fenomena tersebut yang sama dengan kejadian sebenarnya di alam.
tekanan udara tertutup, peristiwa angin atau perpindahan kalor secara konveksi, dan peristiwa hujan. Melalui penggunaan alat percobaan ini, guru dapat menerapkan pembelajaran dengan metode inkuiri, yaitu pembelajaran yang memungkinkan siswa dapat menemukan sendiri substansi pengetahuan yang dipelajarinya. Siswa dapat melihat dan membuktikan langsung proses kejadian fenomena tersebut yang sama dengan kejadian sebenarnya di alam.
Penggunaan alat percobaan pada empat kelas paralel di kelas X menunjukkan
hasil yang memuaskan. Alat percobaan tersebut dapat meningkatkan semangat dan
keaktifan siswa dalam belajar. Semua siswa terlibat dalam pembuatan dan
penggunaannya. Di bawah bimbingan guru, mereka belajar secara aktif, menemukan, dan memahami materi ajar secara mandiri
melalui eksperimen sendiri. Siswa dapat
membiasakan diri bersikap ilmiah melalui kegiatan pengamatan, analisis, dan penetapan
kesimpulan terhadap fenomena alam yang diperagakan. Siswa dapat mengerti apa
yang dipelajarinya dan tidak sekadar mengingatnya. Selanjutnya, melalui
pembuatan laporan dan diskusi siswa dilatih dalam mengemukakan ide dan
pendapatnya sehingga aspek kognitif, afektif, dan psikomotoriknya dapat
berkembang secara simultan. Sebagai hasil, penguasaan siswa terhadap materi
ajar yang disajikan lebih meningkat.
Kata Kunci: Alat percobaan,
inkuiri, fenomena alam
1.
INTRODUCTION
The using of good and right experimental tool is an
important factor to fulfill teaching purposes. However, the teacher faces a
common problem, the lack of experimental tools. The school cannot realize all
of teacher’s need.
Actually, the problem can be solved if teachers have
creativity. In fact, teachers have to be designed and used experimental tool or
media in teaching, especially for science. Then, some of the needed teaching
aids can be fulfilled without buying the built-up things. The alternate effort
is create experimental tool by using waste or disposal materials in order to reduce
the expenditure.
The
experimental tool is useful to present the real of natural phenomena in to the
classroom, especially which cannot be witnessed directly in the real world or
difficult to be seen and observed without sophisticated equipment. For
examples, the difference of air pressure according to the air temperature, air
elasticity, wind occurrence and heat transfer by convection process.
Even though
now a day there are too many kinds of computer-base learning sources, but not
all of schools have those facilities, mainly which located in remote area.
Besides that, those facilities cannot serve adequately the students’ need of
affective and psychomotor activities.
The
making and using of experimental tool – especially made by student – could
enhance students’ idea, creativity, innovation, curiosity, and analyzing
capabilities.
The
spirit of competition, togetherness, and respect each other also could be rose
during the learning process. The inquiry method is suitable to be applied. Then
the student can learn something by their own experience and witnessing directly
the real occurrence. They can find, know, and think those phenomena by using
their all capabilities. The student can accustom their attitude and competency
to be more sensitive about scientific process. Therefore, they can be trained
to conduct research, experiment, and make report related to the observation,
analyzing, and conclusion activities. Consequently, the teacher has to be
motivated to create experimental tools or other teaching aids in order to
convey their teaching materials better than before.
According
to the fulfillment of experimental tool, this paper is purposed to introduce a
new plain experimental tool used to teaching about atmosphere phenomena. It
will also be discussed about its effectiveness in enhancing the student’s
participation in learning process and their degree of cognitive competency.
The
experimental tool is designed and made by the writer. It’s attractive and
important enough because of its function to demonstrate nature phenomena
similar to the true occurrence. In other hand, it is easy to make and low cost in
relation to waste or disposal materials using. And the most important is its
multi-function factor, can be use to demonstrate several atmosphere phenomena:
1.
Air
elasticity/simple thermometer.
2.
Air
pressure of opened space,
3.
Air
pressure of closed space,
4.
Wind
occurrence or heat transfer by convection process, and
5.
Rain.
It is expected that the using of this tool
will make the teacher could teach those topics in easier way. This paper is also
purposed to become an inspiration for other teachers to design, make, and use
better experimental tools for their class. It is also purposed that by using
this tool therefore the student’s participation on learning process will more
active. And absolutely, it is hoped that the cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor competencies of students will significantly increase and they can
apply it in daily life.
2.
MODEL,
ANALYSIS, DESIGN, AND IMPLEMENTATION
The model of the recommended experimental tool as seen
on Figure 1.
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Figure
1. The experimental tool, ready to use
2.1. How to Make
It is needed some equipments and materials in making
this experimental tool, i.e.:
a.
Cutter/sharp knife and whiteboard marker.
b.
One piece of
big transparent plastic bottle and its cap.
c.
One
piece of little transparent plastic bottle and its cap.
d.
One
piece of transparent straw of drinking water cup.
e.
Multipurpose
glue.
f.
Disposal sandal.
The
steps of making process are:
a.
Draw
a sketch of 3 x 9 cm rounded corner hole on the side of both bottles. Make
these holes by using sharp knife.
b.
Put
the little bottle on the hole of the big bottle (their hole is up) and adjust
the right position. The position of the little bottle can be the same direction
with the big bottle or not. Make sure that there is no gap between the edges of
the hole with the body of the little bottle.
c.
Apply
the glue to around of the edges of the big bottle then put back the little
bottle on right place to the big bottle’s hole. Lift the little bottle from the
hole and apply glue at the trace of the big bottle’s glue. Apply more glue to
the edges of the big bottle’s hole. Let the glue dry enough.
d.
Replace
the little bottle to the right position on the hole of the big bottle. Make
sure that the edge of hole is fitted and attached to the body of the little
bottle. Add glue to around of the attachment place of both bottles. Let the
glue dry enough before apply more glue to ensure there is no hole anymore.
e.
Make
a hole (1 cm) on the cap of the little bottle. Put back this cap to the bottle.
f.
Make a
little hole on the big bottle, 7 cm from its bottom. The size of the hole is fitting
to the straw of drinking water cup. The hole is the same direction and near
from the little bottle.
g.
Enter the
straw to the hole by its sharp edge first. This edge must reach the inner side
of the big bottle.
h.
Apply the
glue to around of the hole and straw. Make sure there is no leakage.
i.
Check the
leakage of the big bottle. Shut the hole of straw with your finger and blow the
big bottle on its mouth.
j.
Apply
the glue again if there is still any leakage.
k.
Cut
the sandal and make one square about 7 x 7 cm. Divide it in two triangles by
cutting its diagonal. Cut one of their edges to parabolic shape. Apply the glue
on its parabolic edge. Apply also the glue to the middle sides of the big
bottle – the little bottle must on the top position. Put the triangles to the both
sides of the big bottle and ensure it is strong enough to hold the bottles and
cannot overturned.
l.
The
experimental tool is ready to use.
2.2. How to Use
Prepare these equipments and materials before using
the experimental tool:
1.
Plastic cup,
one piece.
2.
Spoon,
one piece.
3.
One
bowl of hot water.
4.
Ice
block and one bowl of cool water.
5.
Food
coloring, one spoon.
6.
Anti
mosquito stick and matches.
Because
of this experimental tool has some functions, therefore its using is also varies.
However, it is suggested that all of those will better if be done inside a
room, free of wind.
1.
Experiment of
elasticity of the air and air pressure on closed space
The
steps of this experiment are:
a.
Pour
the food coloring into the hot water and stir it well. Take the ice block and
mix it into the cool water.
b.
Put
the experimental tool on its bottom to upright position. Pour the hot water
into the big bottle until the water level near to the straw and then close the
big bottle using its cap.
c.
Put
down the tool on its sandal holders to laying position (the little bottle lying
on it).
d.
Observe
what happen to the water inside the big bottle and the straw.
e.
If
the hot water is finish to discharging out, pour the cool water into the little
bottle. Keep that the level of cool water is below of the hole on little
bottle’s cap.
f.
Observe
what happen to the water inside the straw.
The occurrence phenomena are the hot
water will spewing out through the straw. However, it will stop and the water
inside the straw slowly descending back to the big bottle. When the cool water
is poured into the little bottle, the water in the straw will down faster then
it will make bobbles at the end of straw in the water of the big bottle. This
experiment is proved that the volume of the air expanded (flexible) and
produces force to push the hot water and make it ejected through the straw.
2.
The experiment
of air pressure on the opened space and wind or heat transfer by convection
process on the air
The
ways to do this experiment are:
a.
This
experiment is sequence of previous experiment.
b.
Burn
the anti mosquito stick to get its smoke. Put its smoke on the mouth of the
little bottle. Observe the motion of the smoke. Move the stick to above of cool
water in the little bottle. Observe again its motion of smoke.
c.
The
next step, replace the cool water in the little bottle with hot water (colored
or not). Put the smoke stick like earlier experiments then observe the motion
of smoke. Compare both experiments.
d.
Compare
the velocity of smoke motion in to or out of the bottle if the bottle’s cap is
moved (the bottle’s mouth is opened).
By these experiments, it is shown that
the smoke will not entering the mouth of the little bottle, the smoke is blown
away. In contrast, when the smoke is placed on above of the cool water, the
smoke will blow away through the hole of bottle cap. In the other side when the
little bottle is filled of hot water, the smoke will sucked into the bottle
through the cap’s hole. In contrast, the smoke will moving up to the opened air
when the smoke is put on above of hot water (the smoke will not entering the
mouth of the little bottle). This experiment is shown how can the wind occur or
how the heat is transferred by the motion of molecules of gas and the
difference of the air pressure in opened space because of different temperature
between two places.
3.
The experiment
of rain
This
experiment is sequence of the first experiment:
a.
When
the tool has been laid on its holders, observe inside of the big bottle.
b.
Compare
it when the cool water is poured into the little bottle.
This experiment will shown that the
vapors of the hot water will appeared and attached at the inside of the big
bottle and at the body of the little bottle inside the big bottle. When the
cool water is poured into the little bottle, the size of these vapors will
increase. If its size are big enough and weight, it could not attached anymore
at the bottle and then flow down to the water in the big bottle. This occurrence
could be connoted to the rain process.
4.
Demonstration of
thermometer
This
experiment is sequence of the first experiment:
a.
When
the tool has been laid on its holders, let it become normal temperature. No
motion in water level at the straw and no bobble anymore.
b.
Rub
your both hand palms together until warm enough. Touch the body of the big
bottle on two sides without pressing it. Observe what happen to the level of
water in the straw.
c.
Make
comparison if your palms are soaked in cool water for a few minutes before
touch the big bottle.
d.
The
warm or cool palms can be substitutes by fire of anti mosquito stick and block
of ice.
By this
demonstration it will shown that the level of the water inside the straw is
change. The water level will rising if the big bottle is touched by warm
palms. However, its level will down when
touched by cool palms. This could be connotes to the principle work of
thermometer. The heat of warm palm makes the volume of the air in the big
bottle increasing and pushes the water then the level of the water in the straw
is rising. In other side, the cool palm will makes the volume of the air
decrease and the water level is down.
.jpg)
Figure 2. One
kind of students’ experiment
2.3. The Steps
of Learning Process in Using the Experimental tool
The implementation of the experimental tool in
learning process requires several steps, i.e.:
1.
The making
of experimental tool and construct the lesson plan are done by the teacher.
2.
Before the
time of learning day, the teacher tells the students about the experiment
activities for next meeting. The teacher divides the students into groups; each
group has five persons in maximum. The teacher asks every group to bring the
equipments and materials for making the experimental tool.
3.
On the
meeting day, the teacher shows his/her experimental tool and tells how to make
it. The teacher gives direction in detail and checks their steps in making the
tool. The teacher notes/checks about the students’ activities to get affective
and psychomotor degree.
4.
If the experimental
tool is ready to use, the teacher explains how to use it or gives direction
sheet. Then, each
group uses their own tool to demonstrate or conduct experiment and notes all of
their observation results.
5.
The teacher notes/checks
about the students’ activities.
6.
If the experiment
is finished, each group discusses their own results to explore, analyze, and
conclude the phenomena.
7. The teacher leads class discussion
by asking each group to convey their paper.
8. The students collect their paper. Evaluation
of students’ competency of cognitive aspect is done by evaluation.
Several considerations those must become attention and
requirement in implement this experimental tool are:
1.
Because of time
consuming in making the experimental tool related to drying time of glue, maybe
it is needed more than one session. Therefore, the student has to finish their
tool as homework and then the tool can be used on next session.
2.
It is better
if the member of group is five persons in maximum. Thus, every student has
chances to participate in learning process; making the tool, experiment, note,
discuss, and construct paper report.
3.
It is needed
to give caution to the student about using sharp knife, hot water, matches, and
classroom clean.
4.
It is
recommended that the report of experiment must be done individually. Therefore,
every student can express his/her own capabilities and the teacher could evaluate
more authentic.
5.
To get more
authentic data about students’ activities, it needed involvement of other
teacher.
3.
RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION
According
to the research in four classes (103 students), it gives results that almost
all students (84,5%) give high attention when the teacher explain how to make
the tool. The higher activities is shown in making process (95,2%) and everyone
active in experiment. They looked very enjoy and motivated to know what happen
to their experiments. They were yelling to express happiness when their
experiment is work.
High
participation was also shown in writing paper and discussion. About 76,7% of
students are high actively. This condition higher than other learning process
(without experiment). See Table 1 for more detail.
Table
1. Students’ Response to the Experimental tool
Kind
of Students’ Response
|
Degree
of Students’ Response
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High (%)
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Moderate (%)
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Low (%)
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Σ (%)
|
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Students’ attention
when the teacher explain how to make the experimental tool
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84.5
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10.6
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4,9
|
100
|
Students’
participation in making the tool.
|
95.1
|
2.9
|
2.0
|
100
|
Students’
attention when the teacher explains how to do experiment.
|
90.2
|
4.9
|
4.9
|
100
|
Students’
participation in using the tool.
|
99.0
|
1.0
|
0.0
|
100
|
Students’
participation in writing paper and discussion.
|
76.7
|
18.4
|
4.9
|
100
|
The role of using experimental tool as substitution to present of atmosphere phenomena into classroom is very important. The student can learn natural occurrence directly in a simple way. They can learn to observe carefully, witness, think, explore, analyze, and conclude what they do. They learn through inquiry process by their own experiences. The students can be trained to do research, write papers, discuss, and brave to express their idea and competencies. They can be motivated to develop their curiosity, courage, self confidence, creativity, and respect each other.
The
cognitive result of the students is got from evaluation of paper and block
test. According to the result, the
students’ mastering of learning materials about the atmosphere phenomena is good.
The average of their competency is better than before when they learn other
topic without experiment. Their mastering degree also more identical one with
other which proved by lower of Standard Deviation. According to the t-Test
results, it is derive that the mastering degree of atmosphere phenomena is
significantly different to other learning topic between classes and overall.
The complete results are written in Table 2.
Table 2. Mastering degree by students
Degree
|
Class X-A
|
Class
X-B
|
Class
X-C
|
Class
X-D
|
Overall
|
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No
Tool
|
With
Tool
|
No
Tool
|
With
Tool
|
No
Tool
|
With
Tool
|
No
Tool
|
With
Tool
|
No Tool
|
With Tool
|
|
Average
|
69
|
82
|
81
|
84
|
77
|
81
|
76
|
82
|
76
|
82
|
Max
|
85
|
88
|
89
|
91
|
90
|
88
|
90
|
91
|
90
|
91
|
Min
|
49
|
71
|
74
|
79
|
63
|
73
|
61
|
71
|
49
|
71
|
SD
|
10.99
|
4.61
|
3.97
|
3.73
|
8.02
|
4.81
|
7.39
|
5.50
|
7.59
|
4.66
|
t Result
(α 0,05)
|
4.988
|
2.689
|
2.187
|
3.299
|
7.131
|
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t Table
(α 0,05)
|
1.684
|
1.296
|
1.296
|
1.296
|
1.282
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Source: Paper
and test results of students
4.
CONCLUSION
The experimental tool is really needed
in teaching science because it can present the real evidence and process similar
to the true occurrence. As the result of application of this “5 in 1” experimental
tool is the competencies of students are better than before. They can learn and
train to observe, analyze, and conclude something through inquiry process, i.e.
learning something new by their own experiences. The student can develop their
all capabilities and express it in many ways; written and oral.
The participation of the student as the
subject of learning process also increases, even in making or using the tool,
writes paper, and discuss. In other side, the students’ degree of mastering of
leaning materials is also increasing and better than other learning material
which conveyed without experiment.
As a conclusion, the implementation of
the experimental tool is effective in teaching the students about atmosphere
phenomena. Therefore, it is recommended for other teachers to apply this tool
or modify and arrange better one.
5.
REFERENCES
[1] Direktorat Tenaga Pendidikan, 2001. Menganalisis Hasil Belajar/Bimbingan Siswa,
Guru, dan Sumber Daya Pendidikan. Jakarta: Depdiknas.
[2] Hestiyanto, Y., 2006. Geografi 1 SMA Kelas
X. Jakarta: Yudhistira.
[3]
Kanginan, M. 2007. Fisika untuk SMA Kelas X. Jakarta: Erlangga.
[4] Microsoft Encarta
Premium, 2009. Heat transfer: convection (CD).
[5] Sellers, AH. & Robinson, PJ.
1988. Contemporary Climatology. England: Longman group (fe) ltd.
[6] Tanudidjaja, M.M., 1995. Ilmu
Pengetahuan Bumi dan Antariksa untuk Sekolah Menengah Umum. Jakarta: Pusat
Perbukuan, Depdikbud.
[7] Uli H., M., 2007. Geografi untuk SMA dan MA Kelas X. Jakarta: Esis.
NOTE:
· This research is conducted at SMAN 01
Kamanre (Writer’s former school).
· The writer has more than 10 experimental
tools which have been aplied in teaching.
Attachments:
Figures:
Students’ activities
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