Science Teaching and Sharing Day/Analysis

Sylvana Sproule
Cohort 2

Lesson Title: Density and Lava Lamps Date: October 28,

2016
Grade: 5/6 Name: Sylvana Sproule Subject: Science

Rationale: To represent density and explain mixtures in a fun,

interactive, and visually appealing way.
Curriculum Connections:
Big Idea:
Everyday materials are often mixtures.
Solutions are homogenous.
Curricular Competencies:
Make observations
Make predictions about the findings of their inquiry.
Compare with predictions and develop explanations for results.
Transfer and apply learning to new situations.
Content: Density and mixtures.
Learning Intentions:
I can identify what density is.
I can identify why water and oil do not mix.
Prerequisite Concepts and Skill:
Knowledge of what mixtures and solutions are.

Materials and Resources with References/Sources:

Pop bottle
Water
Oil
Food colouring
Paper
Pencil
Alka-Seltzer tablets

TEACHER STUDEN
TS

Differentiated Instruction
Students that have a hard time writing can draw the
experiment and explain it in diagrams and pictures.
Assessment and Evaluation
I will assess their engagement with the experiment, as well as
their pre- and post predictions and reflections for critical
thinking.

Organizational/ Management Strategies:

Have students sit at desks when writing and predicting, and
then gathered on the floor when conducting the experiment.

Introduction: (7min)
Review: What is the difference between solutions and mixtures?
(In mixtures all parts of visible, in solutions, all parts are
blended.)
Get students to write the title What is Density? into their
books.

Body: (20)
Get students to write the definition of density in their notebooks.
(The amount of molecules in a specified space. It is a way to
measure how compact an object is)
Tell them they can refer back to and think about density as they
watch the experiment
Hook: Ask students to guess what is under the blanket with 3
hints (it has to do with water, its edible, and colorful)
Have the lava lamp covered with a cloth and get students to
drum roll to unveil the experiment.
Explain that the water has sunk to the bottom of the lava lamp
because it is denser than the oil.
Share with students that today we are going to learn if oil and
water can mix together
Write in notebooks to predict: Do you think that water and oil
can mix together?
Drop food coloring into the lava lamp, and explain that because
the food coloring is water based it sinks through the oil and to
the bottom with the water.
Explain that in order for the water to travel up it needs help
from our friend chemical reaction (alkaselzter tablets).
Drop the chemical reaction in, and shut off the lights.
Have many alkaselzter tablets ready so that students can try as
well.
Talk about how the water will only travel up to the oil with some
help because it is a lot denser than the oil.
 Is the lava lamp a solution or mixture?
Talk about how the lava lamp is a mixture because you can see
all the parts.
Closure: (7min)
Get the students to write the three Ws in their notebooks:
What? So what? And Now what?
Encourage them to try this at home with their parents. (Safe and
Easy)