Hello!

Attached is the draft of my plan for a two lab sequence.  The first lab is pure inquiry:  having the students, working in groups, examine a mixed-up unknown and plan a procedure for separation.  The follow on lab is the separation itself.  I've included two rubrics:  one to evaluate the inquiry and another to evaluate how their group worked together.

Does the Data section need more work?  Do you have any better ideas how the cleanup might be managed (there are 15 students doing this lab)?

Thanks!

Mark

Mark_Bell_Lesson_Plan_Physical_Science2.doc
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Filesize	46 kb

Hi Mark,

i am a bit lost. I saw the material list below and it intrigued me, but what is the procedure? How open-ended is it? Clean up does look like a mess, but I will know more when i see a procedure.

Thanks,

Nate

Each group of four students will have a stoppered 250ml Erlenmeyer flask with the unknown (to the students) mixture.  That mixture consists of
•    40ml 5000ppm iron nitrate solution.
•    20ml mineral oil.
•    6 black high density polyethylene (HDPE) squares.
•    6 red HDPE strips.
•    1 aluminum cylinder

Each group of four will have a kit of lab materials to handle and evaluate for their procedures.  This kit contains:
•    2 pairs plastic forceps.
•    2 droppers.
•    1 funnel.
•    2 pieces of filter paper.
•    1 metal screen.
•    1 piece of steel wool.
•    1 SEPUP tray (a clear plastic tray with ten small wells and five large ones).
•    3  125ml flasks with stoppers.  Some stoppers have holes.
•    Three test tubes.

Nate,

D'oh!  Where is the procedure?  Well, that's why we have mentors!  I've attached the newer version of the lab with the actual procedure.  This should be a little better!

Cheers --  Mark

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Mark_Bell_Lesson_Plan_Physical_Science3.doc
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Filesize	48 kb

Hi Mark,

I say let it roll! I really enjoy lesson design, so I confess to having a couple of reservations. I think it is counterproductive for me to share them since Effective Labs and all inquiries rely on reflection. if you have reservations prior to the lab share them and we can chat, otherwise let it roll and reflect afterward!

You asked about data and clean up. The data section suggests that the text has questions (which implies thta this is more long the lines of analysis). I would be sorely tempted to have the students share their procedures and write a critique. As they read the other group's procedure they could comment of whether it would work, whether the instructions are clear enough, etc.

I do messy labs like this fairly frequently. I used to watch as one member of each group crowded around my one or two sinks and the rest of the group goofed off here and there in the classroom. They found it entertaining, I ound it less so.

Now I divide clean up into two parts:

1. Group clean up. Have each group do what they can at their lab stations. This should invlove eevery group member. Are their certain items that get thrown away? Can the table be wiped? Can the screen be just dried with a paper towel?

2. Then I grab one or maybe two kids and have them finish the cleaning up. These kids miss out on a little instruction, so I choose the students who I feel will be impacted the least and try not to use the same kids repeatedly. I try to use my super bright kids, but I confess that if the lab is really high level I sometimes use my lowest students, too.

I hope this helps with the details.

Nate