Jon A. Beck 11.22.2012 Term III- Science Methods Core Decisions of Lesson Design What?

The students will engage in an experiment in which they will stack liquids of varying densities in a graduated cylinder. The denser liquids will be towards the bottom of the graduated cylinder, the less dense liquids on the top. This will be a spectacular way for students to visualize the concept of density. The students will engage in estimation, organizing data, observing, and reflecting. This hands-on lesson will be a great opportunity for students to visualize and make connections to previous mini-lessons, and Jackies term III lesson, on density. They will be able to draw upon previous knowledge as well as solidify their current conceptual understanding. How? The first portion of this lesson will be a brainstorming reflection on the concepts of sinking and floating. I will guide the conversation towards a discussion on liquids vs. solids, and then the density of liquids. We will then engage in estimating and predicting the density of the liquids that we will use in the experiment. Then for the main activity, the students will work in teams to create the density tower. The density tower will be a phenomenal way for students to visualize the concept of density. Finally, the students will complete an exit ticket that is a hypothetical, condensed, version of todays lesson that applies what they learned from the lesson and how they can use that knowledge to predict the density levels of other liquids. Why? My sixth grade students curriculum and daily schedule greatly lacks sciencein any form. At best, my students will spend a portion of their afternoon reading out of the landforms or astronomy textbooks and completing a worksheet. So, it has been a challenge to come up with a lesson thats relevant to the work that they do in class. After weeks of brainstorming, and changing topics for this lesson, Ive come to the conclusion that a good jumping off point for the students will be a follow-up lesson to a previous sink and float lesson that Jackie enacted. We also each taught less formal small group mini-lessons that didnt incorporate specific goals and objectives, and it served to simply get the students thinking about buoyancy (my lesson) and density (Ms. Kims). So, for this lesson, what Ive crafted is a hands-on lesson that will focus on the density of liquids. I also hope that this type of hands-on experiment will spark some enthusiasm within my students about the subject of science. Lesson Plan Template Goals / Objectives Students will be able to conceptualize the density of liquids. Students will be able to explain how a liquids density level effects how/where it floats. Standards (and Assessment Anchors, if applicable) 1 Scientific and Engineering Practices 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 2 Crosscutting Concepts 6. Structure and functionof density. 3 Disciplinary Core Ideas
Comment [NRB1]: I am counting on you for the spring! Comment [JB2]: Looking forward to it.

1. Matter and its interactions Materials and preparation Graduated cylinder (will likely use a glass cylindrical POM bottle. Karo Light Corn Syrup Water Blue dish soap Rubbing alcohol Honey Small clear cups A baster Post-it notes Measuring cup Masking Tape Sharpie White boards White board markers Paper towels Classroom arrangement and management issues For this lesson, I will have access to one of two classrooms (307 or 304). This should provide me with ample space for conducting this lesson. I will be able to set the room up before I take the students, and I plan on arranging 6 desks together to make up a larger table-type space. For the transition, I will take the students from our classroom during their afternoon block and we will walk together as a group to one of the available classrooms. The only materials the students will need is their science notebooks, their white boards, white board markers and a pencil/pen. Ive been able to use these classrooms for my small lessons and Ive run into no problems so far. Ive planned my lesson timing around this availability. The Lesson Plan Pre-hook For this lesson, I will expect that all students will be silent and raise hands if they would like to answer questions. I will expect all students to act appropriately, and if you dont you, will be returning to Ms. Johnsons classroom. The Hook: 5 min For the hook for this lesson I will open with a conversation that will draw upon concepts from Jackies lesson plan. As the group gets settled, I will I tell them, I would like to hear about your lesson from Wednesday with Ms. Kim. What did you learn about? What did you learn about the density of objects? How do you measure the density of an object? What was your favorite part of your lesson with Ms. Kim? Okay, well for todays lesson we will be further exploring the concept of density, but in todays experiment we will be working with liquids instead of solid objects. -This will be a form of pre-assessment. 4 min Before we get into our main activity, I would like you to respond, in your notebooks, what is the difference between solids and liquids. Take 2 minutes to write.
Comment [NRB9]: If Jackie does what she described she will not have them calculate or measure density. The will be comparing cylinders of the same volume, seeing which will and wont float, and comparing their weights. But then see that a small cylinder of the same material as one that sank will still sink even though it is clearly lighter in weight than several that floated the point being that it is the material that matters. Please reinforce! Comment [JB10]: That was my misconception of her plan. I used this time to have students briefly fill us in on what they did in the lesson then proceeded with our transition/free write on liquids vs. solid (which would be a great topic to explore at another point after hearing their answers. Comment [NRB11]: Nice! Comment [JB12]: I gave them closer to 3 minutes which was ideal. Comment [NRB3]: Nice Comment [JB4]: I ended up using a large smart water bottle that I cut out. I actually ended up using the top part that I cut off as a funnel for pouring the liquids in. Comment [JB5]: Used 3 ounce paper cups. Comment [JB6]: Didnt need this as the self-made funnel worked perfectly.

Comment [JB7]: Should add in newspaper or tarp to cover the table that you work on. Comment [JB8]: I got to use room 304. It was ideal.

Please share with the group your response. 2 min Hand out 1 sticky-note to each student. On this sticky note- please respond to the following question can liquids have differing density levels? I will ask each student to share how they got to their answer. Each post it note will be put on the upper right hand corner of the board. 5 min I will then pass out a 9oz. cup of water and ask the students to weigh it in their hands then pass it around. I will then pass around a 9oz cup of honey. Did one cup of liquid feel heavier than the other? Pass them around again so everyone can hold both cups at the same time. As they pass them around I will repeat this questiondoes one feel heavier than the other? They should feel that the honey is heavier than the water. Its imperative that the students make the connection that each liquid is the same amount of fluid ounces. Now weve established that liquids can have different densities. The main activity: Before the main activity, I will have the students set up their tables for observations. 5 min Leave about 5-6 rows on the top of your notebook paper then please copy a table that looks like this I will draw this on the board. Liquid Etc. Now lets go back to the top of your notebook. I would like you to make a heading that says predictions. At this time I will bring all of the 9 oz cups filled with the various liquids (they will be labeled) to their table of desks. At this time, you will all have the opportunity to hold each cup of liquid. Your goal is to predict, on the top of your piece of paper, which liquids have the highest density levels and the lowest. Number 1 on your piece of paper should be the object with the lowest density level, and on the bottom should be the object with the largest density. Why are we setting up the table this way? --This should go back to Jackies lesson in which they learned that objects with higher density levels (than water) will sink, and lower levels will float. Lowest density 1 2 3 4 5 Color Density
Denser/less dense than

Comment [NRB13]: I am worried about this. Either they will be test wise and say, He would not have asked or planned this lesson if they did not, or they will simply have no idea. Comment [JB14]: I scrapped this portion of the lesson per your insight. Comment [NRB15]: Oh good! I was worried that you would not be controlling volume or not use weighing and it is fine with me that they are weighing in their hands although Jackie has a balance if you want to be more definite just put your cups in the balance cups. Comment [JB16]: Wasnt able to get organized enough to get the balance/scale, but having the students weigh them in their hands was successful. Comment [NRB17]: Or milliliters but great!! Comment [JB18]: We stuck with ounces as that was the measurement used for the cups. Comment [NRB19]: Why not have this ready before you have the students so they are not waiting while you draw it on the board. (Also, see multiple comments about charts below.) Comment [JB20]: Great idea. This was on the board before the students came to the class. Comment [NRB21]: What are they going to write here? Comment [JB22]: Scrapped this last column. I wanted them to identify liquids more dense or less dense after we reviewed the density of the various objects. It didnt fit well into the lesson. Comment [NRB23]: I think you should write this (which end of the scale is 1) somewhere, too, either on a worksheet, on the board, or on a piece of chart paper. Otherwise you may have to answer this question 30 times! Comment [NRB24]: I am confused by the use of two charts here. Comment [JB25]: This was on the board.

Highest density

Everyone can make their own predictions, you dont have to be in agreement. 20 min Now we will complete the experiment. Each student will have the opportunity to pour (using the baster) one liquid into the graduated cylinder. We will fill out each row of the table as we go. First student pours the honey. Please fill out the first row of your color to identify the various liquids.table Second student- Karo syrup Please fill out the second rowetc. Third student- dish soap Fourth- water Fifth student- Rubbing alcohol They will only be able to fill out the first and second columns.1,2 and 4th columns for each liquid. As all of the liquids are poured, they should see that the order is as follows Lowest density 1 Rubbing Alcohol 2 Water 3 Dish Soap 4 Karo Syrup Highest density 5 Honey All of the liquids should be settled at their particular level. After conducting the originally planned experiment, we went back to re-test two liquids. (to answer the question above). We put the less dense liquid on top and the more dense liquid on the bottom and sure enough they swapped positions. -We had a discussion regarding the mixing of liquids as well. Please take out your white boards. Please answer the following question on your white board, you have 15 seconds I will then ask the following questions: Which liquid is more dense Rubbing alcohol or honey? Karo Syrup or honey Dish soap or rubbing alcohol Water or karo syrup? (this will be used as assessment). After we answer these questions I will ask them what is the density of water?- if they know, great, if not I will tell them that it is 1.0. As a hint, I will tell you that all of these liquids have a density between .5 and 1.5. So first, fill out on your table what you just learned about the density of water. Next, please write on your white board your estimate of the density of (as they all guess I will then tell them what the approximate density of each liquid is. Rubbing alcohol Water
Comment [NRB26]: You may have to demonstrate how to use this without blasting either the sample or the whole column. Comment [JB27]: As we used the funnel this simplified things! Comment [NRB28]: How can they do this? They can write in the color but dont they need to wait until it is all in to be able to say what it is above or below? Comment [NRB29]: So when telling them to fill out each row tell them to fill out columns 1 and 2. When it is all in they can fill out 4, right?

Comment [NRB30]: You have had them pour them in the correct order. This could leave them thinking that the order you poured is all that matters. Maybe you should take another jar and add two liquids that dont mix (like oil and water) and show that even if you shake it up, the oil will end up on top after some time to settle. You can tell the students (these are 6th graders after all) that the reason you cannot shake the bigger column is that some of these liquids would mix.

Comment [NRB31]: 1 gram per ml Comment [NRB32]: Since this is important to the estimates I would definitely write this on the board, along with the density of water. Comment [JB33]: I wrote the densities (range) and density of water on the board. Comment [NRB34]: OK

Dish soap Karo syrup Honey Now their table should be complete. There was a discrepancy between whether the rubbing alcohol or the water was less dense as our colors got a little messyeverything turned dark purple. -So we had a moment to retest this and sure enough the rubbing alcohol was less dense. 3 min I will then write the following question wrap up question on the board. (Exit ticket) I have three liquidsmilk, baby oil, and maple syrup. I know each of their density levels syrup 1.37 baby oil- .83 milk- 1.03 Please draw for me on your post it note what my cup would look like It should look like Baby Oil Milk Syrup
Comment [NRB35]: This is terrific!

Make sure to include your name. Assessment of the goals/objectives listed above The first pre-assessment will be the conversation I have with the students about Jackies lesson. This will help me gauge where the students are at in terms of their knowledge of density. During our conversation where students respond to the question- can liquids have different density levels? I will be assessing their answers before and after they weigh the two cups in their hands. The major assessment here in this lesson is the exit ticket. This prompt is a simulated and condensed version of our lesson that applies the main conceptdensity. I will assess using these exit tickets. Anticipating students responses and your possible responses Management Before the lesson begins, I will be speaking with the students about my expectations of them. In another lesson I failed to do this and it made managing the large group quite difficult. Also, if students are unable to behave properly, Ms. Johnson wants me to send them immediately back to the classroom. Content-Ive had a fair amount of practice with this group, and I believe this content should be right at their level. I know that similar lessons to this have been taught to lower-elementary school grades, so I believe that the students should do just fine with the content. Accommodations If any of the students find the material too challenging, I will simply have to move through the lesson at a slower pace. Another go to strategy of mine is that I have the students who have a

very solid grasp on the materials assist the students that are working at a slower pace. Fortunately, for this lesson, the students all work together as a group which will help with the pacing of all of the students work. Again, in this lesson its not applicable for students to get ahead or finish early.