Hands-on Physical Science Activities By: Brooke Britt – Hobbton High School
Classifying Matter Lab: Is it a solution, suspension, or colloid? • Prep materials:
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o ~10 mixtures such as sugar, sand, sweet tea, Jell-O, Italian salad dressing, coffee, shaving cream, marshmallow, Yoohoo, mustard, etc. o Small containers to put a little of each mixture in to distribute among groups with labels Ideas for implementation: o You may decide to place students in groups of 4-5 or to partner the students in a gallery walk/stations. This activity is about discussing mixtures and collaboratively figuring out how each substance should be classified. Students may struggle with some substances (I like to use “slime” from Dollar General & watch students’ try to figure it out) – just remember it’s a productive struggle J Goal: SWBAT classify everyday mixtures as homogeneous or heterogeneous & as a colloid, solution, or suspension by their physical properties
Separation of Mixtures Challenge • Prep materials: •
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o Substances like sand, sugar, pepper, salt, iron filings o Separation tools like tweezers (forceps), balloon, funnel, coffee filters, strainers, water, & a magnet Ideas of implementation: o This activity is wide open. For example, you may decide to have students separate pepper and sugar first. Students work in small groups & may use all the tools provided to separate the pepper from the sugar. It will take time before students realize that if poured in water, the pepper will float, thus separating the mixture. You may also use a mixture of pepper & salt in which the students may use the balloon & static electricity to pull the salt from the pepper. There are MANY ways to do this experiment, and it definitely encourages critical thinking & the scientific process. Goal: SWBAT separate homogeneous & heterogeneous mixtures based on their physical properties such as size, color, magnetism, density, conductivity, etc.
Groovy Homemade Lava Lamp • Prep materials: •
o Alka-Seltzer tablets, food coloring, 2-liter plastic bottles (or smaller), funnel, vegetable oil, flashlight, water Ideas for implementation: o Separate students into small groups & instruct them to drop the AlkaSeltzer tablets in the water & oil mixture. Students will enjoy watching the “lava” rise and fall – as they watch, encourage them to discuss: § §
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Why doesn’t the oil & water mix? Why does the oil float on top of the water? What causes the bubbles to form? Why do they rise?
Goal: SWBAT identify & discuss phase changes, mixtures, & the chemical change occurring. Link: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/bubbling-lava-lamp 1