Mixtures & Solutions
Investigation 1
Part 1
Making and Separating Mixtures
Solids and water are mixed and separated with screens and filters. Students find that the solution of salt and water can't be filtered.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Properties of Substances (PR01 1.1.1)
Use properties to sort natural and manufactured materials and objects, for example, size, weight, shape, color, texture, and hardness. Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.
Use physical and chemical properties to identify and describe substances; for example: density, boiling point, and solubility. Grades 6, 7, & 8.
Structure of Systems ( ST01, STI02, STI03, & STI04 )
Know that matter is made of small particles called atoms and molecules. Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5. (ST01 1.2.3)
Understand that all matter is made up of atoms, which may be combined in various kinds, ways, and numbers to make molecules of different substances. Grades 6, 7, & 8. (ST01 1.2.3)
• A mixture combines two or more materials that retain their own properties.
• A solution is a mixture in which one material seems to disappear in another.
• A crystal is the solid phase of a material that forms in an identifiable shape or pattern (solid form of matter).
• When a solid dissolve in a liquid, the solid seems to disappear.
• When liquids evaporate, they change into a gas and disperse into the air.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
If you did not make a packet as mentioned in the FAQ section, copy Handouts #2 and #3. Handout #2 should be done in class, and Handout #3 is a great homework assignment.
Make sure each group has a tub with the standard equipment as listed in the FAQ section. Use stations to decrease student lines. Set up 2 chemical stations in the room. Have a container of each substance, and a 5ml spoon for each container. Have a water station with 2 - 3 containers of water. Students can get water with their syringes at this station. This works better than using the sink. Make sure there are rolls of paper towels in several areas of the room for easy access.
Student Management:
• The teacher should select the collaborative groups rather then have the students decide. Try and match students with a variety of strengths and reading abilities so they can help each other.
• For this first lesson, it is important to have a mini lesson about lab safety and materials management. Doing this up front saves time and frustration later.
• Remind students to wear goggles when mixing chemicals and to keep their hands away from their face. Review and then refer students to the safety poster that comes with the kit.
• Tell students what you expect for clean up and where they can find replacements for consumables like filters and post-it notes (set up one spot in the room for this).
• Give students a time-line for the science period, and tell them that their tubs will be returned to a designated spot in the room with all equipment clean and dry before the end of the class period.
• Instead of an inquiry chart for the class, I have the students keep a lab journal in a spiral notebook. In the journal, students include new words and concepts they have learned. Later, they use this journal for planning their own inquiries.
• Start the next lesson with a discussion of what the students learned and what they recorded in their journals.
• The Thinking about Mixtures sheet is homework after the lesson is complete. Check these at the end of the week. Lab journal and packets are always due on Fridays. That way, the students know and are ready to turn them in each week.
The most important tip is to use the manual for the assessments, handouts and instructions. These parts are done very well. Read the manual and do the investigations yourself before having the class do them. At the beginning of each set of investigations is an At a Glance section, which gives a very helpful overview.
Using packets, written procedures, and tubs makes classroom management so much easier. Also, having a consistent due date helps organize your time.
As mentioned, the assessment section in the Teacher's Manual is very well done and matches the state EALRs. Don't reinvent the wheel!
Use the scope and sequence provided in the manual - the times are pretty accurate. The manual is well done. Reading it through and watching the video will help get you organized. Remember, the most important thing is that the students explore and learn to be excited about science. You will adjust your lessons every time you do them, don't panic!
Writing Support:
By keeping a lab journal, the students will write their ideas and new questions, encouraging journal keeping as an important part of science. Make sure that on the response sheets included in the module, that you require students to use complete sentences for their answers. Foss provides a scoring rubric for each response sheet in the new teachers' manual.
Reading Support:
The FOSS Mixtures and Solutions: Science Stories readings are a great way to encourage non-fiction reading. I also check out a variety of library books to keep in the classroom for the students to use for further research.