Helen's first Pass - Jan 13 2009 - ALSO Attached
LOOPS chemistry curriculum pilot test in May 2009:
The two-week LOOPS chemistry unit on chemical reactions is built upon the hydrogen cars module. We will break the module into small mini-projects and add relevant labs, demonstrations, and activities into the curriculum.
The standards covered in this curriculum are:
5. Chemical reactions are processes in which atoms are rearranged into different combinations of molecules. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know reactant atoms and molecules interact to form products with different chemical properties.
b. Students know the idea of atoms explains the conservation of matter: In chemical reactions the number of atoms stays the same no matter how they are arranged, so their total mass stays the same.
c. Students know chemical reactions usually liberate heat or absorb heat.
A draft of the "scenario":
Day 1
Pretest
Elicit ideas:
Do we need other types of cars? Why?
What is energy? Why do we need energy? Is there any energy involved in a running car?
Present videos about cars, greenhouse gases, and discuss.
Day 2-3
Online assessments about energy, automatic grading, teachers decide whether and how to use the mini-project
Mini-project "Energy makes the world go around" (developed based on Hydrogen cars module Activity 1)
Lab (after Activity 1 Step 4):
Observe the burning of candle, cover a burning candle with a beaker
Discuss what are the reactants, what are the products, conservation of matter, whether this reaction absorb heat, energy change
Day 4
Mini-project "Water molecules" (based on Activity 3)
Practice using ChemSense, create flash animations about the movement of molecules and atoms (Activity 3 Step 6), share with the class
Critique animations, discuss coefficients and subscripts
Day 5 -6
Predict how hydrogen combustion happens (create animations)
Post animations to the discussion forum
Mini-project "How can hydrogen be used as a fuel?" (based on Activity 4 of MW model of hydrogen combustion)
Discuss the function of spark button, and the temperature bar
Critique peers' animations
Modify previous animations
Day 7-10
Mini-project "Why can we use hydrogen as a fuel?" (based on Activity 5 endo/exothermic reactions)
Use temperature probes to investigate an exothermic reaction (burning wood), connect the probe to a MW model
Use temperature probes to explore an endothermic reaction (baking soda + vinegar), link the probe to a MW model
Discuss different temperature change, different reactions, link molecular and observable changes
Day 11-12
Discuss: Can we use hydrogen to power cars? Suggest ways that we can safely use hydrogen.
Mini-project "How can we safely use hydrogen as a fuel?" (based on Activity 6 of the reaction inside hydrogen fuel cells)
Mini-project "How do gasoline powered cars work?" (based on Activity 2)
Day 13
Post-assessment
