What is chemistry? Review matter and matter’s subgroups of mixtures (homogeneous and heterogeneous), substances (elements and compounds), the scientific method (data and analysis), properties and changes of the physical and chemical kind, numbers and units, dimensional analysis, the metric system, and significant figures. This is first of three units. See Unit 2: Atoms and the Periodic Table and Unit 3: The Mole for more.
| Grade Level | Content | Author |
| 10-12 | Chemistry | Leslie Rhinehart |
- Objective
- Driving Questions
- Duration
- Materials/Apps
- Entry Event
- Public Product
- Formative and Summative Assesments
- Project Calendar
- Notes
- About the Author
- About the Fellowship
Objective
This unit is designed to prepare students for the mathematics involved in chemistry as well as a comprehensive review of terminology and concepts of prior knowledge expectations. Without this unit, most chemistry classes would have a high failure rate. It also allows the introduction to a selected overarching idea of sustainability – a real world application of science.
Driving Questions
- What is chemistry and how do we connect it to our world?
- How do we describe matter and how is it measured?
- Why are numbers (measurements) and units important?
Duration
1.5 weeks
Materials/Apps
- Goosechase app or paper versions of Goosechases
- Flipgrid app
- A composition notebook
- One gallon bag containing:
- 1 ruler
- 1 wooden block (from Jenga),
- 2 magic markers,
- 1 glue stick,
- Sticky notes (various colors and sizes),
- 1 self-inflating balloon (Whack a Pack – Dollar General),
- 1 sheet of filter paper,
- 3 notecards and 1 paperclip
- A marshmallow model kit (one large, 8 small colored, 7 toothpicks)
- A Makerspace card kit (copper tape – Amazon, diode – Amazon, coin battery – Amazon).
Entry Event
The Goosechase scavenger hunt is conducted after the concepts have been covered and practiced. Within the Goosechase app are numerous missions that evaluate the students’ understanding and mastery of concepts learned within the unit through discussion on Flipgrid, hands-on measurement activity, seeking real-life examples and researching a local company’s stance on sustainability.
Public Product
A portfolio filled with completed missions that the student and teacher can both reflect upon, regarding the learning and the concepts taught and learned.
Formative and Summative Assesments
As the missions are submitted on Goosechase, each mission is graded via rubric for “level of completion”. The missions are then summed to give an overall grade for the Goosechase Unit Summative Assessment. Formative Assessments have already been completed in class via activities and quizzes.
Individual Summative Assessment
- Mission (Sig Figs) – use Flipgrid to explain the significant figures in three different numbers, focusing on the different zeros.
- Mission (Chemical Nomenclature) – make a real-world connection of chemistry to products in your home by finding a chemical compound in an ingredients list, research the chemical formula (compound) and list the elements by name. Connecting chemical symbol to name.
- Mission (Does It Matter?) Find four objects in your home that can be defined as matte and state why you know it can be defined as matter. Find one thing in your home that cannot be defined as matter and state why.
- Mission (Do You Measure Up?) Find the volume of a paper cylinder (toilet roll or paper towel) by making PRECISE measurements using the ruler provided in centimeters and calculate the volume to the correct significant figures as per your measurements.
- Mission (Element or Compound) – find a pure element and a pure compound in your home – connecting chemistry to real-life. Write the name, symbol, formula and one interesting fact. Developing base knowledge of elements and compounds.
- Mission (Trash Comes to Life) – Connecting science, chemistry and “sustainability” to real-life. Choose an item that usually goes in the trash or recycling and make a new item using creativity and practicality. Describe how this new item has been transformed and how long it will keep the item out of our landfill. What is the term for this conversion (upcycling)? Vocabulary building and creativity expression.
- Mission (What Can Be Recycled?) – Addressing the idea of “sustainability” into the curriculum. Examining how trash is dealt with in your community by researching what can be recycled and composted. Collect your personal trash for 48 hours to view your contribution and “carbon footprint”. Introduction to decomposition and “sustainability”.
- Mission (Sustainable World) – Utilize a Venn Diagram (study method) view the three pillars of sustainability through the lens of your school.
- Mission (Physical or Chemical?) – Find 3 examples of each around or in your house, explaining how each of the three is an example of physical or chemical change. What clues did you observe (scientific method) that lead you to that conclusion? Embedding pictures into a document.
Misson (Local Company and Sustainability) – Writing across the curriculum. Reading a statement from the Chairman of Eaton Corporation and answering a set of questions about the world view of sustainability and how US companies like Eaton see themselves in a world market.
Project Calendar
| Day 1 | Open Goosechase app. Students are free to complete at their own pace. Missions are stand alone and can be completed in any order. |
| Day 2 | Leaderboards can be monitored to see progress of students and their work. Missions can be observed individually through submissions to monitor for technology errors, such as no sound on video. Students can be notified so corrections to videos can be made. Same for pictures that are too blurry or too dark. |
| Day 3 | Leaderboards can be monitored to see progress of students and their work. Missions can be observed individually through submissions to monitor for technology errors, such as no sound on video. Students can be notified so corrections to videos can be made. Same for pictures that are too blurry or too dark. |
| Day 4 -7 | Leaderboards can be monitored to see progress of students and their work. Missions can be observed individually through submissions to monitor for technology errors, such as no sound on video. Students can be notified so corrections to videos can be made. Same for pictures that are too blurry or too dark. The leaderboard allows the students to self-monitor their progress. Teacher can monitor and prod those that are seemingly behind. |
| Day 8 |
Notes
The theme of sustainability could be replaced with any real-world connection to bring the idea that chemistry is not just elements and compounds, but also an economic and world issue and concept that has broad connections.
Baggie contents can be whatever you have available. Since my students were in-person and remote, I gathered materials for a once a semester distribution. If all in-person, your missions and activities could encompass in-class time and resources.
Goosechase for Educators does have a cost, but is much more reasonable than their usual fee and was worth the cost for the ease of use for both students and myself.
About the Author
Leslie Rhinehart, a 2020-21 Kenan Fellow, has been teaching high school chemistry for 17 years. She has a B.S. in chemistry from UNC-Asheville, and a masters degree in Organometallic Analytical Chemistry from UNC-Charlotte. She loves teaching and sharing her passion for chemistry and science.
About the Fellowship
Leslie Rhinehart interned with Eaton Industries in Forest City, NC, and her fellowship was supported by Facebook.