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Science Practice: Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Aqueous red cabbage extracts: More than just a pH indicator

Iain Smellie | Wed, 09/02/2020 - 09:35

The use of anthocyanins in red cabbage extracts as pH indicators has long been a popular classroom activity. Flowers, fruits and vegetables contain a diverse range of anthocyanins. This investigation explores further applications of plant-derived dyes including reversible reactions based on oxidation/reduction chemistry and other reactions to illustrate colour changes that are not solely dependent on pH change. By using household materials and plant dyes, this investigation may potentially be completed at home if necessary.

Color Changing Coke and Mentos

Tom Kuntzleman | Wed, 09/02/2020 - 03:07

What's a better way to start the new school year than with some new experiments? Learn how to use a variety of color changing experiments to teach students about the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment, acids, bases, chemical and physical changes, and climate change.

Airbag challenge

ACCT Admin | Wed, 08/12/2020 - 14:40

In the “Airbag challenge” the students are tasked with developing a safe airbag for a car company. This formative assessment explores students’ thinking about the question “How can chemical changes be controlled?” The central concept in this challenge is the application is stoichiometry. Students are expected to use the numbers of moles of reactant consumed or product formed in a balanced chemical equation and to determine the change in the number of moles of any other reactant and product. Students need to use molar mass to convert mass of a reactant or product to moles for use in stoichiometric calculations or to convert moles from stoichiometric calculations to mass. Students use the ideal gas law equation to determine the numbers of moles in a sample of gas not at standard conditions.

Salt vs. Sugar – A Dissolving Problem

ACCT Admin | Wed, 08/12/2020 - 13:51

This formative assessment looks at two household chemicals (table salt and sugar) and compares their properties while looking at how they dissolve in water. The “Salt vs. Sugar” formative assessment explores students’ thinking about the question “How does structure influence reactivity?” The main idea that is being targeted is for students to think about what is happening at the molecular level during the solution process. This activity is important for students because it helps create a context for what some of the vocabulary and concepts mean by providing tangible examples of these concepts (such as the concept of saturation).This formative assessment looks at two household chemicals (table salt and sugar) and compares their properties while looking at how they dissolve in water. The “Salt vs. Sugar” formative assessment explores students’ thinking about the question “How does structure influence reactivity?” The main idea that is being targeted is for students to think about what is happening at the molecular level during the solution process. This activity is important for students because it helps create a context for what some of the vocabulary and concepts mean by providing tangible examples of these concepts (such as the concept of saturation).

Filling the Void: Options for Authentic Investigations Online

Ben Meacham | Wed, 07/29/2020 - 10:28

With the school year quickly approaching, science teachers will at some point need to decide the role of laboratory investigation within their new learning environment. To help this decision-making process, the author focuses on two available options that he believes have the greatest potential for offering a legitimate approach toward authentic investigations in a digital environment.

NGSS during e-Learning Part 1

Stephanie O'Brien | Tue, 05/26/2020 - 11:17

With the end of school upon us and the possibility of remote instruction in the fall, here are some techniques  to address four NGSS science and engineering practices; Planning and Carrying out Investigations, Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Developing and Using Models, Analyzing and Interpreting Data.

 

Making a (big) eruption with chemistry!

Scott Balicki | Wed, 03/11/2020 - 16:44

As teachers, we can leverage fruitful discussions about chemical control with students to elicit more about students' initial ideas and ways of reasoning. From asking students to clarify their own thinking, we can identify students’ own productive ideas that we can capitalize on to advance their thinking.

Limiting Reagents and Gases

Chad Husting | Sun, 02/02/2020 - 06:53

This unique microscale gas collection technique provides students with reasonably good data in a short period of time. Students have more time to analyze the data and communicate their findings.