Mixtures & Solutions
Investigation 4
Part 4
Choosing Your Own Investigation
Students review their past investigations and design their own investigations to further explore concepts they have learned in the unit.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Questioning (IN01 2.1.1)
- Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events in the environment. Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.
- Generate questions that can be answered through scientific investigations. Grades 6, 7, & 8
Planning and Conducting Investigations (IN02 2.1.2)
- Plan and conduct simple investigations, using appropriate tools, measures, and safety rules. Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.
- Plan, conduct, and evaluate scientific investigations, using appropriate equipment, mathematics, and safety procedures. Grades 6, 7, & 8.
Explaining (IN02 2.1.3)
- Use data to construct reasonable explanations. Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.
- Use evidence from scientific investigations to think critically and logically to develop descriptions, explanations, and predictions. Grades 6, 7, & 8.
The students are able to apply methods used in previous lessons, and the scientific process, to plan and demonstrate an experiment on their own.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
If you did not make a packet as mentioned in the FAQ section, copy Handouts # 17 and #18.
The students may ask you to use the chemicals from the kit. There should be some left over from the investigations. They may also use chemicals from home, however they must clear anything they use through you and you should see the original container. Do not let the students use any cleaning products. A good rule is they can use anything that they can eat.
Student Management:
This is a long-term project. The writing of the plan can take place in several writers' workshops. Have the students draft their proposal on Handout #18 and turn that in for approval. The final plan should be written in their journals.
Plan at least a week of class time for student demonstrations. Select names at random for presentations so that everyone is ready on the due date.
Writing Support:
I make this a formal lab write up, and have the students include their Question ; Hypothesis (call it possible outcomes if you haven't introduced hypotheses); Procedure , including materials; Observations ; and a concluding paragraph summarizing the demonstration.
Reading Support:
There is no specific reading for this lesson.