YEARS 7–12 IDEAS FOR THE CLASSROOM
Year 7 Practical Skills for Inquiry Learning (continued)
What the students do
• zip lock bags (Glad bags – supermarket) 5-6 per group;
• Work in co-operative groups, and share out the roles using the
cards provided. Use the materials on their bench to assemble
the experiment shown in the diagram below.
• plastic vial (colourless or white if possible);
• 2 plastic teaspoons labelled A and B;
• paper for recorder to write on;
• butchers’ paper strips and pens;
• blue-tac or sticky tape;
• role cards.
• It is helpful if you can have the chemicals, 1 vial, 2 x teaspoons
and 1 zip-lock bag, writing paper on the bench for each
group. Butchers’ paper, pens and extra bags can be on the
front bench if preferred.
Take care not to spill the liquid out of the vial as you press the
air from the plastic bag and close the zip.
• Shake the bag carefully so that all the coloured liquid mixes
thoroughly with the mixture of solids;
• Students work in co-operative groups – these may be the
same as for the first activity although I prefer them to work in
groups of 3 if possible for practical work. Hand each group
the relevant number of role cards and ask them to allocate
roles – roles need to be rotated through activities so that all
students have experience of all roles.
• Make as many observations as you can. The group recorder
should write these on the piece of paper provided;
• When you can make no more observations, the reporter
should write one of your group’s observations on the butchers’
paper or on the white board. Choose one which is not already
listed. When all groups have had a turn, any group may add
extra observations. Do not worry if your group cannot add
an observation – this may happen if many observations have
been added before your group gets a turn.
– Organiser: ensures that purposes and tasks have been
decided and everyone knows what to do.
– Recorder: ensures that work is being done and records
are being kept by each individual or acts as scribe for the
group.
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Each member of the group should record the diagram and all
the observations in their Science Journal.
– Equipment/resources manager: ensures that equipment,
reference books and other materials are available and are
put back – the only one who can collect equipment etc.
What the teacher does:
– Reporter: ensures the group reaches a consensus; reports
the group’s findings to the teacher or class; asks the teacher
questions and answers the teacher’s questions.
For this experiment it is useful to give the students written
instructions i.e. what is written under ‘What the students do’. This
gives you a chance to see if they can follow written instructions
accurately – if they do not the bag will not inflate very much (which
is not nearly as much fun!)
– Safety officer: checks safety requirements and makes
sure everyone adheres to them. Writes the risk assessment
if one is needed.
Requirements: per group
• sodium hydrogen carbonate (bicarbonate of soda, labelled
solid A) – in a lidded plastic container;
Choose the roles you think are relevant for this activity and
according to the group size.
• The students carry out the above activity and collect their
observations on their paper and on the butchers’ paper/board.
Your task is to circulate round the groups; watch and question
where necessary to help their thinking and encourage their
co-operative group skills; keep them ‘in role’ and adhering to
good lab behaviour; then bring the class together to discuss
the results. At this stage make sure that all students also have
the information from the butchers’ paper jotted down in their
science journals.
• anhydrous calcium chloride (labelled solid B) – in a lidded
plastic container;
• universal indicator solution (labelled coloured solution)
already diluted – needs to be quite deep green in colour to
get a ‘vibrant’ colour change – in a plastic container;
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 1