Term III - Science

Jackie Kim

Density Core Decisions of the Lesson Plan As I myself initially misinterpreted how density works, I want to make sure to set up the lesson so that the students leave with a clear understanding that density is a property of a material that remains consistent even if the material changes in quantity or form. Furthermore, I want them to understand that density cannot be directly observed or measured, but it is a relationship of mass to volume. My goal is to make my lesson open to student exploration, yet teacher-guided to ensure that the students are correctly interpreting what they are doing and finding and have clear take-aways from the lesson. In order to support this to occur, I need to make sure to create an experiment in which the density of the materials is the main explanation for why they sink or float. To do this, I will use two sets of cylinders that contain cylinders of the same size but different materials, and therefore different masses. The students will first experiment with the larger set of cylinders, predicting and testing whether they will sink or float. Afterwards, I will build off of this initial test by having the students explore how a much smaller cylinder made of the same material as one of the larger cylinders that sank also behaves in water. As the initial experiment may lead students to believe that weight is the determining factor in whether the cylinder sank or floated, experimenting with the smaller cylinder will show that weight is not the main factor, as a aluminum cylinder will still sink even though it is much lighter than the large wood cylinder, which will float. [Excellent!] In order for the students to keep track of their predictions and the results, I have created a worksheet for them to use (see attached). Rather than having the students make a chart like my previous sink and float experiment, I want them to fill in the charts themselves and have the data from the first experiment to look at during the second experiment. In addition, as this lesson involves a lot of discussion and speculation, I need to make sure to set up the situation and ask questions to point them in the right direction and make sure that the students feel comfortable making guesses and participating even if they are not sure about their answer. [Very nice] Goals / Objectives SWBAT understand that density is a property of material that is based on the relationship between its mass and its weight. Standards Students will differentiate between volume and mass and investigate that equal volumes of different substances usually have different masses. 3.2.6.A1 Materials and Preparation 5 large cylinders (Aluminum, Acetyl Delrin, Acrylic, Polyethylene, Wood) [I really like how you gave the name of the material and included the color for reference in your worksheet] 5 small cylinders (Aluminum, Acetyl Delrin, Acrylic, Polyethylene, Wood)

Term III - Science

Jackie Kim

Tub Water Balance Worksheet Have students bring a pencil Chalk (in case I need to write on the board) Paper towel

Classroom arrangement and management issues The five students will be seated around a large table facing a chalkboard. I will have the materials next to me and will bring them out when it is time to use them. Plan 1. Remind the students of the sink and float we did earlier and tell them we are going to do another one today. Bring out the five larger cylinders and have students predict which ones will sink and which will float (10 min) a. Make sure the students know they are the same size (volume) b. Allow students to touch the objects and try to get them to make observations c. I am assuming that the students will use weight to determine which objects will sink and which will float when they do come to this conclusion, take out the balance d. Show them how to use the balance and allow them to use it to compare the cylinders e. Once the have ordered the cylinders by weight or made their predictions, give out the worksheet and have them fill out the first table with the names and predictions [I like that you are open to using or not using the balance here as student see the need.] 2. Have the students test whether the objects sink or float (3 min) a. Have each student test one cylinder b. Have them fill out the results in their worksheets 3. Discuss the results of the sink and float (7 min) a. Were you surprised by the results? Why or why not? b. Why do you think these cylinders floated and the other sank?

4. Bring out the small acetyl delrin cylinder and have the students predict and test how it behaves in water (5 min) a. This [small] cylinder is made of the same material as this [larger] one. Do you think it will sink or float? Why? b. Why do you think it sank? c. Use the scale to show that the small acetyl delrin cylinder is much lighter than the large wood cylinder [You might want to make an effort to dry the wooden

Term III - Science

Jackie Kim

cylinder as soon as it comes out of the water. You dont want water that has soaked in to change its weight.] i. Dry cylinders with paper towel after 5. Bring out the other four small cylinders and have the students predict and test how they behave in the water (5 min) a. Tell the students that these are all the same size (volume) b. Have students discuss their predictions for the small cylinders as a group and then fill out their predictions on the worksheet c. Have students test them in the water & then fill out the results on the worksheets 6. Discuss why the wood and polyethylene cylinders floated and why the aluminum, acetyl delrin, and acrylic cylinders sank bring density into the conversation (10 min) a. Why do you think these cylinders floated and these sank? b. Not about size (volume) they are all the same size c. Not about weight (mass) small cylinders are clearly lighter than the big ones, but they behaved the same way d. Take away: Density is the relationship between mass and volume density! [I think it would be worth making sure that the students understand that what they have experienced with these cylinders is not limited to them. No matter how small a piece of aluminum they would have, it would have the same density so it would sink. No matter how big a piece of polyethylene they have it would still float right at the top of the water. (You should probably do this with questionsWhat if we had a whole swimming pool to work with and a huge piece of polyethylene.] i. Ask questions to check to see if understanding transfers (i.e., What if a tree fell into a swimming pool, would it float?) e. Take away: Density is a property of the material thats why the large and small cylinders made of the same material behaved the same way [I agree that this may be enough. The kids may be totally satisfied, but this is the place where if you wanted to pull out that little bucket and show them where the weight of the same volume of water fits in their ordering of the large cylinders. Someone might even ask if there is a cut off point and the water is the answer.] i. Bring up the importance of relativity if students ask or it fits into the conversation objects that were more dense than the water sank and vice versa Total estimated time: 40 minutes Assessment of the goals/objectives listed above I will use the students responses during discussion and their predictions for whether the small cylinders will sink or float to gauge their understanding of density. I will focus on the second set of predictions to see whether the students realize after seeing that the small acetyl delrin cylinder sink that weight does not determine if an object sinks and that the small cylinders will behave the same as the large cylinders that are made of the same material. Furthermore, I will not simply tell the students the properties of density in the last part of the conversation, rather, I will try to get

Term III - Science

Jackie Kim

them to come to these conclusions on their own. [I think that those questions I suggested above will both help them consolidate the knowledge and serve as an assessment for you. I dont know that I think we should really expect students to fully understand/accept this after one lesson.]

Anticipating students responses As I am assuming that the students do not know that my end goal is to discuss how an objects density plays a factor in whether it sinks or floats, I will have to adjust my focus if they realize this early on. If we get through the material faster than I planned for, I will have them use the bucket that is the same size as the large cylinders to see how you can predict whether an object will sink or float based on whether or not it is more dense than water. [That is fine, but also, if you are done you are done. It is a whole group lesson. Students are not going to be way ahead or way behind each other.]

Term III - Science

Jackie Kim

Will It Sink or Float?

Materials: Acrylic (clear) Wood Experiment #1 Material Experiment #2 Material

Polyethylene (white) Aluminum (silver)

Acetyl Delrin (black)

Prediction

Result

Prediction

Result