Wednesday September 24, 2014

Explain
TEKS:
5.5C The student knows that matter has measurable physical properties and those properties
determine how matter is classified, changed, and used. The student is expected to demonstrate
that some mixtures maintain physical properties of their ingredients such as iron filings and sand.
5.5D The student will identify changes that can occur in the physical properties of the ingredients
of solutions such as dissolving salt in water or adding lemon juice to water.
I do:
Ask students what a mixture is and discuss examples.
Ask students what a solution is and discuss examples.
Students watch the video Mixtures in StemScopes under Explain for 5.5CD

When the teacher in the video asks, Wanna guess whats in there?, pause the
video and ask students to discuss what they think is in the mixture.
After the teacher in the video finishes stirring the water and sand mixture, pause
the video and ask students, Why does the sand sink to the bottom so quickly
while the oil from the first mixture takes a long time to separate?. Allow
students to discuss their thoughts.
When the teacher asks the viewer to make a list of tools they can use to separate
the dissolved sugar and water, pause the video as students name tools they can use
and how they could use them to separate the solution.
After the teacher in the video expresses that he is happy about finding a way to
separate the mixture (4:53), pause the video and access the Venn diagram.

We do:
The teacher has previously created a Venn diagram activity to be used with the SmartBoard. The
Venn diagram is set to remain stationary. The two sides of the Venn diagram are labeled
Mixtures and Solutions while the overlapping section represents both mixtures and
solutions. The teacher has created about twenty moveable facts that describe attributes of
mixtures, solutions, or both that are to be sorted into the correct category on the Venn diagram.
The teacher access the Venn diagram on the SmartBoard and calls students to sit in a large group
on the floor near the SmartBoard. The teacher explains that the Venn diagram is divided into
three sections that represent mixtures, solutions, and both. They explain that they will read each
fact aloud and will pick one student to move each fact into the correct category.

The teacher reads the first fact aloud and asks a student to sort the fact into the correct category.
After the student returns to their place on the floor, the teacher asks questions to determine
whether the rest of the class agrees or disagrees with the placement of the fact such as, Why did
our friend place that fact into the mixtures category? and Why doesnt that fact belong in the
solutions category?. The teacher also provides verbal support through statements such as,
Good job! That fact does belong in mixtures category because you can separate it with a
magnet and Right! That goes in the solutions category because we would have to evaporate the
water to get the sugar out.
After all the facts have been correctly sorted, the teacher leads a discussion about students
general observations of the completed Venn diagram. The teacher asks, What do you notice
about the diagram? and provides verbal support and encouragement as students explain their
observations.
You do:
The students return to their seats. The teacher provides one prefolded blank All About Book to
each student. The All About Books should be folded to have six internal pages.
The teacher explains that the students will create All About Mixtures and Solutions books that
they can read to remind them about mixtures and solutions. The students are to write the title
All About Mixtures and Solutions and their name on the front cover. On each of the six inside
pages, the students will write six short facts about mixtures and solutions and draw a picture that
represents the fact on each page. They can think of their own facts or use facts from the Venn
diagram sorting activity, which is left on the SmartBoard so students can reference it. The
students must have at least two facts for mixtures and at least two facts for solutions in their
book.
Closure:
Provide one sticky note for each student.
The teacher asks the students to number their sticky note from one to five. Once students finish
numbering their sticky notes, the teacher explains that the students will be asked five questions.
The students will write their answers on their sticky notes next to the number of the question
being asked.
Question 1: What is one tool we can use to separate a mixture?
Question 2: What is one tool we can use to separate a solution?
Question 3: Is saltwater a mixture or a solution? Why?
Question 4: Is a bowl of marbles a mixture or solution? Why?

Question 5: True or false. If you left a glass of sugarwater sitting untouched, the solution would
eventually separate.