Unit Plan Overview

Heather Alexander
Unit: Solutions
Stage 1- Desired Results
Connections to Context:

Solutions are used all the time in the students

daily lives, but few of their properties are
actually understood to begin with. The school is
dedicated to educating and inspiring students
in a faith based environment; this unit on
solutions not only incorporates important
laboratory skills, but also knowledge essential
for everyday living.
(How does this fit with students experiences, the
school goals, and the larger societal issues?)

Established Goals

Michigan Merit CurriculumContent

Expectations for Chemistry:
C1.1C Conduct scientific investigations using
appropriate tools and techniques
C1.1D Identify patterns in data and relate them
to theoretical models
C4.3B Recognize that solids have a more
ordered, regular arrangement of their particles
than liquids and that liquids are more ordered
that gases
C4.7x Solutions: The physical properties of a
solution are determined by the
concentration of the solute
C4.7a Investigate the difference in the boiling
point or freezing point of pure water and a
salt solution
C4.7b Compare the density of pure water to
that of a sugar solution
(What content standards and program- or missionrelated goal(s) will the unit address?
What habits of mind and cross-disciplinary goal for
example 21st century skills, core competencies- will
this unit address? Include source and number)

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Identify what is/ is not a solution outside of the laboratory setting
Dilute various materials correctly
Conduct an inquiry-based experiment
Interpret given data and present data findings clearly and concisely
(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand
Students will keep considering
Solutions are important components of the science of
The relationship between solutions and other
daily life and of research scientists
components of chemistry (states of matter, reaction
kinetics)
The process of solvation including all three states of
matter
The applicability of different means of quantifying
concentration both in the lab and in real life
Molarity and molality are two of many ways to
describe the concentration of a solution
How knowledge of solutions can be used in daily life
food, drink, travel, etc.
That different factors effect solutions and solubility in
varied, but predictable ways
Colligative properties depend on the number of solute
particles in solution and can change other physical
properties of the solvent/ solution such as B.P. & F.P.
(What specically do you want students to understand?
What inferences should they make?)

(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry, meaningmaking and transfer?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions

Students will know
Students will be skilled at
Students will exhibit
Properties of a solution and the
Preparing solutions based on
Diligence in exploring physical
factors that affect a solutions
Molarity and molality calculations
properties and mathematical
solubility
equations pertaining to solutions
Diluting solutions by a designated
How to quantify concentrations of
factor or to a specific volume
Support and encouragement for
solutions in Molarity (M) and

Using scientific inquiry and critical

their peers as they all learn
molality (m)
thinking to design an experiment
together

Colligative Properties: vapor

Creativity, collaboration, and
pressure lowering, boiling point
critical thinking while designing
elevation, and freezing point
and analyzing various
depression
experiments
(What facts and basic concepts should
students know and be able to recall?)

(What discrete skills and processes should

students be able to use?)

(What values and commitments and attitudes

should students acquire or wrestle with?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum

Evaluative Criteria
(What criteria will be used in each assessment to
evaluate attainment of the desired results?)
A unit test will be given after all the instruction
is complete, and will be based on learning
targets students were given at the beginning.
This unit includes three laboratory experiments
with accompanying lab reports; the criteria for
these are expressed in lab report rubrics
produced by the VanAndel Institute. For
informal assessments, mostly in the form of
discussion, the criteria will remain simple
participation from each student at some point
and some evidence of mastery of the material.
Objective homework will be evaluated based on
four components (but the grade will be taken
based on completion): correct equation,
mathematical process, answer, and units.
Subjective homework will be graded based on a
rubric I have created.
(Regardless of the format of the assessment,
what qualities are most important?)
Clear understanding and ability to recall and
articulate the subjects
Involvement from all members of the class

Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Individual and collaborative quizzes
Homework assignments (for completion/ understanding not necessarily correctness)
Laboratory experiments and follow-up lab reports
Final test
Possible application mini-essay
(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex performance?)

OTHER EVIDENCE:
Evidence of knowledge will also be displayed in group discussion of the topics, though that tends not to include the
entire class
Students will also demonstrate mastery of the information by peer teaching mini-bits of a homework assignment or
note section, with involvement from everyone in the class
(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Pre-assessment: Online (Edify) or paper pre-quiz (or both); general discussion about knowledge of solutions from previous classes/ general life knowledge
Question & answer about lab techniques/ lab report writing skills. After they do the intro lab, their original lab conclusion will act as pre-assessment.
(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)
(Toward which goal does each
Learning Events
learning event build?)
Acquisition
Meaning
Transfer

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their participation in
these learning events
Students will complete transfer goals in part during laboratory experiments. In one
instance, they will be pushed to think outside the normal chemistry lab curriculum to
create an investigation of their own (inquiry-based) and use this to collect and analyze
data. Gaining familiarity with this will lead to success at some of the transfer goals. The
others will be accomplished during in class lectures and their accompanying discussions.

Progress Monitoring
(How will you monitor students progress
toward acquisition, meaning, and transfer
during lesson events?)
To monitor the students progress I will
begin by asking questions to the entire
class to judge their knowledge on the
whole, but also asking smaller groups
questions, and circulating around the
classroom to ask students individually
certain questions or see if they need help.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum

Meaning goals will be achieved in students who pay attention to the basics during times of
gaining information in class and considering those ideas in ways that relate outside the
classroom. I will encourage students to keep considering real life applications and
connections to other chapters in chemistry.
Students will complete acquisition goals by building on the methods listed above, but also
by diligence and ample practice with the conceptual and mathematical parts of the unit.
Students acquisition of the material to analyze and synthesize the information they have
learned will be achieved in part by a second experiment, a more subjective assignment that
allows them to choose a topic and find a real life example, bringing transfer, meaning, and
acquisition goals together.

(How will students monitor their

own progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer?)

During discussions or by making comments on

their homework, I can let students know if
their line of thinking is on track or if it needs
to be more informed to understand the
material better. When they discuss ideas in
groups or work on practice problems in
groups, they can use each other as resources
and also monitor their progress compared to
their group mates.
(What are potential rough spots and
student misunderstandings?)
Differentiating between the measure of
concentrations Molarity and molality;
understanding the different solubilities of
substances that look alike (sugar and salt
for example) but are very different
structurally; including all four steps of a
dilution in their work to make sure their
thought process makes sense; grasping
the fact that colligative properties depend
on the amount of solute added not their
identity.

Star the multiple means of representation; underline the multiple means of action and
expression; circle the multiple means of engagement
(Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed in the learning
plan?)
(Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?)
(Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

(How will students get the feedback they

need?)
Online quizzes/ assignments provide instant
feedback.
Homework will be checked and answer keys
available.
My cooperating teacher and I will be available
for further questions/ explanations.
Though I will not be available during this time,
during the schools time for office hours, my
cooperating teacher/ tutors are available.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to Curriculum