Chemistry lesson plan – Chemistry as a natural science

Elaborated by: Krzysztof Błaszczak

Target group:

Elementary school student (grades 7 and 8)

Core curriculum:

Elementary school. Chemistry.

I. Acquiring, processing and creating information. Pupil:

1. acquires and processes information from various sources using information and communication technologies.

Abstract title:

Everyday chemistry

Subject: Chemistry as a natural science

Duration: 45 min

Lesson objective:

The student explains what the subject of chemistry is and to which areas of life it applies

The criteria for success:

• you will state the difference between chemistry and alchemy

• you will indicate what the subject of chemistry as a science is

• you will list the branches of chemistry

• from among various industries and occupations, you will indicate those that are connected with chemistry the most and benefit from its heritage

• you will match the achievements with relevant names of prominent chemists

Key competences:

• communication in the mother tongue 

• communication in foreign languages

• mathematical competence and basis competences in science and technology 

• digital competence

• learning to learn 

Acquired and improved skills:

• using the digital handbook

• communication

• computer

• inquiry

• creative thinking and acting

• cooperation

• conducting experiments

Teaching aids:

• computers with loudspeakers and Internet access

• multimedia resources included in the abstract (possibly also in the e‑textbook)

• interactive whiteboard/chalkboard and chalk

• table tent or green, yellow and red cards

• equipment, laboratory glassware and reagents – see description of experiments 1, 2, 3 in the e‑textbook and abstract

• posters, felt‑tip pens, adhesive putty

Methods/techniques

• problematic: didactic discussion

• programmed: using the computer, using an e‑textbook

• practical: experiment

• expository: lecture elements

• flipped learning method

• mind map

• talking wall method

• traffic lights technique for students’ self‑assessment, and thus determining the level of mastery of the discussed problem on an ongoing basis

Forms of work:

• activity in groups

• activity in pairs

• individual activity

Lesson plan overview:

Introduction

1. The teacher distributes to the students table tents or cards in three colors: green, yellow and red to be used during the activity using traffic lights method. The teacher presents the lesson objectives in the student's language in the form of a multimedia presentation and discusses the criteria for success (the teacher can send lesson objectives and criteria for success to the students by e‑mail or post them e.g. on Facebook, which will allow the students to keep their portfolio).

2. The teacher and the students work together to determine the subject of the lesson on the basis of the previously presented lessons objectives and then writes it on an interactive whiteboard/chalkboard. The students write the subject down in their notebooks.

3. Health and safety – before starting the experiments, the teacher introduces the students to the safety data sheets of the substances that will be used during the lesson. The teacher points out the need to be careful when working with them.

Realization

1. The teacher introduces the flipped learning method – students were given a homework assignment before the lesson. It consisted in collecting and elaborating information (from the abstract, e‑textbook and other available sources) concerning the following problems:

• What is alchemy?

• What is chemistry about?

• What are the branches of chemistry?

• Which industries are most dependent on chemistry?

• Which professions make the most of chemistry's heritage?

• Who greatly contributed to the field of chemistry and what was contributed?

The teacher can divide students into groups when giving them a homework assignment in the flipped learning method. Each team has to elaborate on a specific problem.

1. In class, students discuss together all the topics they were asked to work on at home, creating posters with the help of a mind map. After the students have finished work using the talking wall method the leaders report the work of the groups.

2. In the form of a demonstration, the teacher performs experiment 1 and 2 from the abstract (or e‑textbook) according to the instructions. Students observe the changes and jointly agree on the conclusions to be drawn from them. They write their observations down in the abstract or in their notebooks.

3. At the end of the lesson, the teacher asks the students to see the gallery of images of famous Polish chemists and then to do interactive exercises from the abstract.

Summary

1. In the multimedia presentation, the teacher displays summary sentences to be finished by the students. The teacher can use the interactive whiteboard in the abstract or instruct students to work with it. Examples of summary sentences to be used (others may also be chosen and added on the board in the abstract):

• Today I learned…

• I understood that…

• It surprised me…

Multimedia:

I, II. Interactive exercises – grouping of elements

III. Interactive exercise – crossword puzzle

IV. Presentation/slider about what chemistry does as a science

IV. Photo gallery

V. Interactive whiteboard for evaluating lessons and self‑evaluation of the student’s knowledge

Methodological note:

The teacher can divide students into groups when giving them a homework assignment in the flipped learning method. Each team has to elaborate on a specific problem. In class, students discuss all topics together, creating posters with the help of a mind map. After the students have finished work using the talking wall method the leaders report the work of the groups.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Everyday chemistry

The origins of chemistry should be sought in alchemy, which was a combination of myths, religion, philosophy and experimental works with the use of laboratory equipment.

Alchemy originates from the practices of the priests of ancient Egypt, who, among other things, dealt with embalming and mummification of bodies of the dead, as well as with production of dyes, ointments and cosmetics. Later on, alchemists searched for the philosopher's stone i.e. a substance that would allow to convert metals into gold. In their research, alchemists often resorted to magic. They tried to discover an elixir of immortality and a medicine treating all illnesses – the panacea. Alchemy flourished not only in ancient Egypt and Europe but, above all, in China and India. Asian alchemists mainly sought recipes for immortality.

How did alchemists describe experiments?

Alchemists used codes, symbols and complicated illustrations of dragons, warriors and monsters to describe experiments. A snake devouring its own tail is the symbol of mysterious knowledge and changes continually occurring in nature.

Chemistry investigates many relationships between substances in almost every area of our lives. It looks for answers to the questions:

• what are substances composed of (i.e. getting to know their structure)?

• what can be obtained from substances (learning their properties, discovering and using them)?

• how can substances be produced (that is, searching for methods of obtaining them)?

• how and why can substances change?

Chemistry is present in almost every area of our lives. When we take medicines, cook and eat meals, conduct medical examinations or choose the right clothes for the given season of the year or sport. Think how the development of chemistry has affected the daily lives of us all.

Which industries are related to chemistry?

Chemistry is a science that examines the properties of substances, especially the transformations occurring in them. It is an experimental science i.e. it is based on observations, much like physics. Both these fields of knowledge belong to natural sciences and form their basis. Information obtained from chemistry and physics is used to explain phenomena occurring in animate and inanimate nature. Basic knowledge of chemistry is very important in everyday life of every human being, and chemical knowledge is useful in many professions.

What is chemistry about?

Chemistry investigates many relationships between substances in almost every area of our lives. It looks for answers to the questions:

• Chemistry is not only a school subject – it is present in every area of our lives. It has a long and interesting history.

• Chemistry is a science that investigates the composition and structure of substances, their transformations and conditions affecting the speed of these transformations.