Materials:
Lesson Tips
Mineral Cubes hanging in my classroom:
Sample of slides of information for Wavelite by Isabella:
Distance Learning Edition May/June 2020
Mineral Cube 2020 – Distance Learning was not going to stop us from completing this annual tradition! Students chose their top 10 Minerals and we completed the 2020 Draft Pick using a random name picker to determine the order of each pick. We used one of our Live Zoom Sessions for me to explain the project, go over tech issues, answer questions, and to complete the draft pick.
Using Google Classroom, I made a copy of the template for each student and was able to review their work each day. Students then spent 3 days researching and designing their slides, then a few days building their cubes. We then shared our cubes using Google Slides – each student added their info to one slide and were able to see each others completed Mineral Cubes.
Sample Google Classroom directions:
For the next 3 science classes – you will work on your Mineral Cube Research and gather supplies for your Mineral Cube. I will grade 2 slides each day and give you a classwork grade. When we have LIVE classes, you will sign in and I will look at your slides in real time and answer questions and make suggestions.
2020 Update Google Slides Template Link – Mineral Research
Completed Slides Template – Students had the option to upload a video of them holding their Mineral Cube and showing all the sides in addition the images of each side.
Sample Slides of Student Work:
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This activity has become a yearly tradition and I leave the mineral cubes hanging in my classroom from May of one year to the following May, then return it them in 7th grade.
Materials:
Sample of a completed cube with information cut out and cube assembled and decorated:
Balancing Chemical Equations Activity – one of my long time favorite activities. Students will learn how to read formulas, count atoms, create and read chemical equations, and balance chemical equations using a hands on activity with color coded formulas cards.
Lesson Resources: Create one set of materials for each pair of students. Store in a large zip-top bag
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvfHwICgiUfro_4i4_XtVN2oHfiJIbvP_DX8QM0/
Updated 2018 – Spreadsheet that will graph 20 trials, along with the Density of Water
Purpose: Change the density of the film canister so that 97-99% of the canister is suspending under water (very SLOWLY floating from the bottom to the top of the tank).
Materials:
Set up hints – students prep items at their table then come up to the tank. After dunking, dry off with towels (I just drop it onto a thick folded up towel next to the tank). I have a bank of TBBs set up on the side of the classroom – students find the mass on their assigned TBBs then record results. Repeat trials. Towards the end of class, students enter all their data into the spreadsheet then I give them the volume of their film canister. Depending on the type of film canister, the volumes are about 39-41 mL. Confirm with a large graduated cylinder or water displacement tank.
For more details about this activity, please see my original post. If you have used this lesson with your students, please let me know, you can post it on my Twitter feed @MSScienceBlog
Tracy has a nice lesson plan and handout on identifying chemical reactions posted on her website: http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classchem.html#chemreactions . I modified the ppt slides she had posted for her 8th graders to use with my 6th graders as a guided lesson.
I used this lesson after we had already learned how to balance chemical equations using the hands on lesson I created and described below (also found on my Chemistry page):
Balancing Chemical Equations Activity – one of my long time favorite activities. Students will learn how to read formulas, count atoms, create and read chemical equations, and balance chemical equations using a hands on activity with color coded formulas:
We worked through the problems together and I called on students to first identify the chemical reaction and then balance the equation. After a few slides, they began to recognize the types of reactions quickly and had a good understanding of how to identify and balance the equations.
My students have enjoyed the Cabbage Juice Lab over the years – and yes, it does smell!
Materials per group of 3-4 students:
Additional Resources:
Problem: How many colors can be created by starting with red, yellow, and blue solutions?
Updated Jan. 10, 2017 with results:
Materials per group of 3-4 students:
This lab is an updated version of the classic Rainbow Lab (link) that has been around since the 80’s (Measuring Liquid Volume with a Graduated Cylinder 1988). I used this for many years with my 5th graders, and previously with my 6th graders in the early 2000’s. Now that I am teaching 6th grade again, I wanted to make it more open ended and challenging. The purpose of the original version of the lab was twofold: First – could they follow directions carefully to make a rainbow? Second – how precisely can they measure liquid volume?
For the new version of this lab, I created new objectives and assessed the students based on their problem solving, collaboration, and measuring skills.
Objectives:
Materials
This sugar density activity is one I have never tried before, I actually ‘borrowed’ the idea from my son’s HS Chemistry Teacher. He came home and told me they made different colored layers using only sugar, food coloring, and water. I immediately jumped on the computer and thought about how to use this in my 6th grade classes, we are in the middle of our density unit and it would be a perfect opportunity to try it out.
One of my goals for this year is re-examine my lessons and see which activities I can make more open-ended when appropriate. For this activity, most of the resources I found told the students exactly how much sugar to put in each layer and what order to place the colors into the test tube or some other type of container. I didn’t want my students to follow step by step procedures, but wanted it to be more of an exploration type of activity. I had no idea how this would turn out but gave it shot anyway.
I gave them the problem, the parameters, the tools to complete the activity, and sent them on their way. It was great to see them figure out how to solve the problem, talk out strategies, and to see them go through the trial and error process. Each group came up with a different way to solve the problem and some groups struggled more than others. I met with each group to facilitate, ask questions, and had them explain to me what they were doing and why. Overall, it was a successful lesson, they enjoyed the activity, and it really solidified their understanding of density.
I am also incorporating more open ended writing in science and I enjoyed reading their reflections about the activity.
Updated 11/11/18
I modified this lab to use metal cubes and rectangular prisms and had the students identify the metals and some of the blocks from Flinn.
Materials:
For this activity, I used the set of density blocks from Flinn Scientific. Each group of students had 6 blocks made of the same material. Their challenge was to identify the material using their measurement skills to calculate the mass, volume, and density of each block. This activity also reinforced the concept that the density of an object is constant.
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