WHAT’S THE MATTER? Grade Level: Elementary

Subject: Physical Science

Level Of Difficulty: Intermediate

Student Inquiry Question: What happens when different substances are put together?

Objectives: 1. Students will learn to make and record observations, and to use a microscope to extend their senses. 2. Students will learn that a mixture does not result in the formation of new substances. 3. (Optional – Advanced Segment) Students will gain a basic understanding of atoms, molecules and the formation of new substances. National Science Standards: Fundamental Abilities: a. Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry. b. Think critically and logically to make the relationship between evidence and explanations. c. Ask a question about objects, organisms, and events in the environment. d. Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses. e. Use data to construct a reasonable explanation. f. Communicate investigations and explanations. g. Understandings about scientific inquiry. Content Standards: a. Objects have many observable properties, including size, weight, shape, color, temperature, and the ability to react with other substances. Those properties can be measured using tools… b. Objects are made of one or more materials… Materials And Equipment: For Segment 1 1. A scope with 30/50X lenses. © Real Curriculum 2008. No part of this document may be copied or transmitted in any form, physical or electronic, without express written permission from an authorized representative of Real Curriculum, Inc.

2. The activity book CD, and a means of projecting their images. 3. Three, dark-colored paper plates of any size. [Note: a darker color as a background will create better images with the scope.] 4. One paper/plastic bowl. 5. One plastic spoon. 6. Enough sugar to fill the bowl about half-way. 7. About 10 teaspoons’ worth of cinnamon. 8. About 10 ounces’ worth of candy sprinkles (the kind used for cookies, ice cream, etc.—the small, round ones being the best.) 9. Any old (dark-colored) cloth or tee shirt that will not be needed after the inquiry is done. 10. Enough bleach to make a noticeable white stain in the cloth.

For Segment 2 1. About 25 (preferably dark-colored) small paper plates, about 6 inches in diameter. . [Also, ensure that the plates aren’t completely flat but curve up to some degree at the rim.] 2. About 10 Plastic spoons 3. About 10 paper or plastic cups 4. Any small, non-flammable surface (such as a glass or ceramic plate) 5. A small bottle of vinegar 6. A small container of salt (equivalent to about 30 tablespoons) 7. A small box of baking soda. 8. One roll of tape 9. A few wooden matches. [These need to be matchsticks made of wood, not the kind found in folding packs.] For (Optional) Segment 3 1. About 6 sheets of paper for each student to write on (preferably light-colored construction paper, but any type of paper will work) 2. Scissors. [Each student will be cutting paper, so ideally there’d be a scissors to share for each group of about 4 students.]

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Length: About 30 minutes per segment (segments don’t have to be done on the same day) Preparation: 1. Read the sheet, “What’s The Matter? - Background Information for the Teacher.” 2. Set up the Scope, CD and a means of projection. 3. Set up a table where you put the materials. 4. Make sufficient copies of the Student Inquiry Guide and Student Report form (or simply opt to have students write their responses to these on their own, separate sheets of paper).

PROCEDURE **SOAR (Set the stage; Observe; Analyze; Report)** Set the Stage 1. Ask your students to name different substances that they observe in the room (plastic, ink, wood, glass, etc.) Even if they can’t specifically name a substance, have them note differences (e.g., “Is the substance of that crayon the same as the substance of that chalk?”) 2. Tell them that they are going to look at what happens when certain substances are mixed together.

Observe & Analyze Segment 1: A Mixture or a New Substance?

A Mixture 1. Put a couple of teaspoons of sugar on a paper plate and scope it with a 30X/50X lens.

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Figure 1: Sugar

2. Have the students draw a simple picture of what they see (Student Inquiry Guide #1). 3. Now put a couple of teaspoons of cinnamon on a paper plate and scope it.

Figure 2: Cinnamon

4. Have the students draw a simple picture of what they see (Student Inquiry Guide #2). 5. Now put a couple of teaspoons of sprinkles on a paper plate and scope it.

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Figure 3: Sprinkles

6. Have the students draw a simple picture of what they see (Student Inquiry Guide #3). 7. Now take a paper bowl. Fill it with a good amount of sugar (about half full). Then add in cinnamon and sprinkles and mix it together well with a plastic spoon. 8. Ask the students, “What do we have now? Is it a new substance? What happened to the cinnamon?” 9. Now scope the mixture. [Note: to get a well-focused image, scope a thin layer of this mixture.] In doing so, show that each of the elements in the sugar (the cinnamon and sprinkles) still exists and hasn’t changed. Explain that a mixture is putting different things together (like a sandwich or a salad) without making a new substance.

Figure 4: Mixture (Sugar, Cinnamon, Sprinkles)

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A New Substance 10. Tell the students that you will again be putting together substances. 11. Take a small, colored piece of cloth. Scope it.

Figure 5: Cloth

12. Now take a small amount of bleach and put it on an area of the cloth, which will change color. [WARNING: This step must be done by the teacher, not any students. There are hazards associated with bleach. The bleach must not be inhaled nor gotten on the skin or eyes. Bleach can also generate highly toxic substances when mixed with other substances. Be sure to fully read and apply the directions on the bleach container and to take all appropriate safety precautions.] 13. Ask the students, “What happened?” Scope the bleached area. Note that they can’t see any of the cloth as it looked before. The bleach created a new substance in the spot where it was put together with the cloth.

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Figure 6: Bleached Area of Cloth

14. Explain to students: In the earlier mixture, a person could physically separate out all of the cinnamon and all of the sprinkles. It might take a long time, but it could be done. Removing the cinnamon and sprinkles would leave the sugar all by itself, just like it looked before it was mixed. However, a person would not be able to physically remove the bleached part and get the cloth to look just like it did in the beginning. 15. Have students answer #4 of the Student Inquiry Guide (“When you mixed sugar, cinnamon and sprinkles, did you create a new substance?”) 16. Have students answer #5 of the Student Inquiry Guide (“When the teacher put bleach on the cloth, did that create a new substance?”) 17. Segment 2: More Observations of How Substances Can Change A Mixture 18. Arrange students into teams of about 5. Select one person from each person to handle the supplies for this activity. 19. Have each team leader acquire 2 paper plates from the supply table. Have them put about 3 tablespoons of salt on one plate, and about 3 tablespoons of baking soda on the other plate. 20. Select a sample plate of salt and a sample plate of baking soda. 21. Scope the salt and record an image of it. Scope the baking soda and record an image of it.

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Figure 7: Salt

Figure 8: Baking Soda

22. Have students observe and note down any differences between the two (#6 of the Student Inquiry Guide). 23. Now have each team leader go back to the supply table. Have them take a third plate and put onto it an equal amount of salt and baking soda (about 3 tablespoons of each.) Have them take the third plate to their team. Now have them use any workable instrument (even a covered pen could work) to gently—but thoroughly--mix together the salt and baking soda. Have them note that it now looks like one substance—not two. 24. Select one of the plates that contains a mixture of salt and baking soda. Scope the mixture. Have students identify individual salt particles and individual particles of baking soda. [Note: again, the thinner the layer of salt and baking soda is, the better the image will be.]

Figure 9: Mixture (Salt, Baking Soda)

25. Discuss whether or not they have created a new substance by mixing together the salt and baking soda. Have them fill out #7 of their Student Inquiry Guide. [“When you mixed the salt with the baking soda, did you create a new substance? How do you know?”] A New Substance 26. Tell the students that they’re now going to put a different substance together with the baking soda (instead of salt). Students will discover if putting these two substances together creates a new substance.

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27. Have each team leader take a paper cup from the supply table, and have them put a small amount of vinegar in the cup (they’ll only need about a tablespoon). 28. Have each team identify the plate that only has baking soda on it. Have them carefully pour about a tablespoon of vinegar on the baking soda and observe what happens.

Figure 10: Baking Soda & Vinegar

29. Have them fill out #8 of the Student Inquiry Guide. [“What happened when you poured some vinegar onto the baking soda?”] 30. Explain that the bubbling they observed was the result of the creation of a new substance—a gas. [Some further explanation could include that the gas is called carbon dioxide. You can explain that humans breathe in oxygen gas from the air and that they breathe out carbon dioxide; and you can tell them that when they see soft drinks bubble, that’s because carbon dioxide gas has been put in them.] 31. Now tell the students that they will observe another instance of creating a new substance. Take a match. Scope its wood with a 30X/50X lens and have the students observe what they see.

Figure 11: Match (wood)

Figure 12: Match (wood)

32. Tell the students you want them to observe the match carefully and note any reaction that occurs. Using all appropriate safety precautions, light the match, let it burn for a very short time, and then blow it out. [Note: You can set up the scope in the stand with the 1x lens in order to show this demonstration to your students.]

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33. Did the students observe the release of new substances into the air (the fine particles and gases that comprise smoke)? Does the wood look different now? Scope the blackened wood with a 30X/50X lens. 34. [The blackened material is mostly carbon.]

Figure 13: Smoke

Figure 14: Blackened Wood

Figure 15: Blackened Wood

Figure 16: Blackened Wood

Optional Steps 31-33: Further Analysis 35. Now have students take a single sheet of paper. Have them scribble on the piece of paper. Ask: “Is it still paper?” [Yes.] Now have them crumple the paper into a ball. Ask: “Is it still paper?” [Yes.] Now have them stretch the paper back out. Have them rip the paper into 4 pieces, then pick up one of the pieces. Ask: “Is it still paper?” [Yes.] Now have them cover that ripped piece of paper with tape. Ask: “Is it still paper?” [Yes.] Now ask them: “What if you took that piece of paper and burned it up completely. Would it still be paper?” [No. You would have created new substances. You would not have paper anymore; you would have new substances (such as bits of black matter, called carbon, and gases.] © Real Curriculum 2008. No part of this document may be copied or transmitted in any form, physical or electronic, without express written permission from an authorized representative of Real Curriculum, Inc.

36. Have your students fill out #9 of the Student Inquiry Guide. [“What is the difference between adding salt to baking soda, and adding vinegar to baking soda?”] 37. Give students various scenarios and, for each, ask them if it is/isn’t an example of creating a new kind of substance that’s different from the original substance(s). a. Spreading peanut butter and jelly together in a sandwich. [No] b. Putting milk, banana and ice cream in a blender at high speed. [No] c. Leaving a bike out in the rain, with the result of rust forming on the metal. [Yes] d. Putting honey in one’s tea and stirring it together. [No] e. Putting gasoline in a car, burning it, and seeing that gases exit the exhaust pipe. [Yes] f. Putting cookie dough in the oven, and having cookies come out later. [Yes] g. Grinding a rock until it’s turned into tiny bits of dust that blow away in the wind. [No] h. Putting a spark next to a gas (in a gas stove) and thereby starting a small flame. [Yes] i. Putting many vegetables together in a salad. [No] Segment 3 (Optional - Advanced): Looking Deeper [Note: In this segment, the scope isn’t used. Rather, students engage in simple hands-on activities to better understand what occurred in the earlier segments. Specifically, they will gain some understanding, in an easy-to-grasp manner, of what happens at an atomic level when new substances are created. Having a basic, simple understanding of atoms and molecules can be of benefit to students as an important foundation for further scientific inquiry.] 38. Have the students write down on a sheet of paper the letters a, p, s and t—then cut them out into individual squares. 39. Have them arrange the letters in different ways to make different words. [Examples: as, at, sat, pat, past, spat, tap, sap, asp (a type of snake).] 40. Ask them how many letters there are in the English alphabet. [26] Then ask them how many words there are in the English language. [The methods for counting this are variable, and estimates vary widely, but there’s general agreement that the English language has at least 250,000 words.] 41. Explain that all physical things are made of tiny pieces of matter called atoms. Explain that even though there are only about 100 different kinds of atoms, they can combine in different ways to make different substances (just like 26 letters

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can be combined in different ways to make hundreds of thousands of different words). 42. Explain that a combination of atoms (that forms a substance) is called a molecule. 43. Have the students write down on a sheet of paper the word “has” and the word “mop” three times each. Then have them cut out these six individual words. [Note: make sure that they cut out 6 words and that they don’t cut out individual letters.] 44. Tell them to imagine that each letter is an atom, and that they have combined to make molecules: 3 has “molecules” and 3 mop “molecules.” Tell them to imagine that the two types of molecules represent two different substances. 45. Now, have them mix together the 3 has “molecules” with the 3 mop “molecules.” They can pile them together in any sort of fashion. Point out that even though they created a mixture, no new substances were created. They still have 3 has “molecules” and 3 mop “molecules.” 46. Now have them take one of the has “molecules” and cut it up into 3, separate “atoms” (individual letters). Next, have them take one of the mop “molecules” and do the same. Have them set the rest of the molecules aside (that haven’t been cut up). 47. Ask them, “How many total atoms do you have?” [6] 48. Now, tell them that the “atoms” are going to be combined differently to make new “substances.” Have them re-arrange the “atoms” of has and mop “molecules” in order to form the “molecules” sam and hop. Again, ask them, “How many atoms do you have?” [6] 49. Tell them that when new substances are created, it doesn’t mean that new atoms are created or that some atoms get destroyed; atoms just get re-arranged into different kinds of combinations. Scientists have observed that to be the way new substances get formed. [For example, part of the process of rust formation is that atoms of iron get rearranged by combining with atoms of oxygen.] 50. Tell them that they are now going to “make three substances.” Have students make the following individual letters and cut them out: (a) 22 of the letter “H”; (b) 12 of the letter “C”; and (c) 11 of the letter “O.” 51. Tell them that the “H” stands for a “hydrogen” atom. [You can explain that hydrogen is a very light-weight gas. Hydrogen is also found in many substances (such as alcohol, gasoline, water, sugar and more).] Tell them that the “C” stands for a “carbon” atom.

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[You can tell them that carbon is a type of atom that is found in all living things. Carbon atoms can easily connect with other atoms; thus, there are thousands of substances that have carbon in them. These include diamonds (the hardest substance on Earth), graphite (one of the softest materials on Earth—used in making pencils), gasoline, plastics, rubber and much more.] Tell them that the “O” stands for “oxygen.” [You can tell them that oxygen is a gas (found in the air) that we breathe in. Oxygen can also combine easily with other atoms. Oxygen atoms can be found in shells, teeth, bones, water, rust, some detergents and much more.] 52. Have the students “connect” (put together) those 45 atoms. Tell them that they have made one molecule of sucrose (the scientific name for table sugar). Explain that atoms and molecules are extremely tiny. Many people have estimated that at least a trillion atoms could fit in the period at the end of a sentence in a book. Others have estimated that there are about 15 million sugar molecules across one edge of a sugar cube. Thus, the human eye can’t individually see one atom or one molecule. [Note: Also, in doing this demonstration, students should realize that in actuality the atoms must be combined in an exact arrangement/structure in order to make the substances. For the demonstration, they are “connecting” them in any manner.] 53. Now have the students “connect” 12 hydrogen atoms, 6 carbon atoms and 6 oxygen atoms. Tell them that this arrangement could be a molecule of fructose. Explain that fructose is a type of sugar found in many fruits (and in honey). [Note that it so happens that a C6H12O6 molecule can be structured in different ways (analogous to how a child could take the same Lego pieces but connect them in different ways). Depending on how the atoms are arranged together, C6H12O6 could be a molecule of glucose (simplest sugar, made by breaking down certain foods, and used as the body’s primary fuel); galactose (type of sugar found in dairy products and sugar beets) or fructose (fruit sugar). This, however, is a more advanced concept that should only be introduced if developmentally appropriate.]

Figure 17: Structural Formulas © Real Curriculum 2008. No part of this document may be copied or transmitted in any form, physical or electronic, without express written permission from an authorized representative of Real Curriculum, Inc.

54. Now have the students “connect” 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms. Tell them that they have made a molecule of carbon dioxide gas. Explain that we breathe in oxygen gas and that we breathe out carbon dioxide gas. As another example, tell them that many soft drinks are carbonated, which means that carbon dioxide gas has been added to them (which is what makes them “fizzy”). Also, remind them that when they poured vinegar on the powdered detergent, carbon dioxide gas was formed. 55. Now have the students “connect” 2 hydrogen atoms with 1 oxygen atom. Tell them that they have made a molecule of water—H2O. Have them note that hydrogen is normally a gas, and that oxygen is also normally a gas. However, when 2 atoms of hydrogen combine with 1 atom of oxygen, it forms the liquid called “water.” 56. Now have them make two more water molecules (so that they have three total). Ask them, “How many water molecules do you have?” [3]. Now, have them remove one of the molecules. Ask, “Do you still have water?” [Yes] Now, have them remove another molecule (so that only one remains). Ask, “Do you still have water?” [Yes] Now, have them remove the hydrogen atoms from the oxygen atom. Ask, “Do you still have water?” [No, now they have hydrogen and oxygen existing separately; they don’t have water.] REPORT Depending upon what is developmentally appropriate for your students, use one or more of the reporting options below: 1. Have students draw a picture that represents something they learned. 2. Have students write down something that they learned. 3. Have students answer the questions of the Report form. (This form is designed to help test the knowledge of this activity, and has along with it an evaluation rubric for the teacher.)

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Student Inquiry Guide (With this version of the guide, students are to write their responses on separate sheets of paper—preferably in their science journals. If you would rather have a version of the Guide on which students write directly, you will find that on the CD-ROM.) What happens when different substances are put together? Part 1: 1. Draw a simple picture of what you see. 2. Draw a simple picture of what you see. 3. Draw a simple picture of what you see. 4. When you mixed sugar, cinnamon and sprinkles, did you create a new substance? 5. When the teacher put bleach on the cloth, did that create a new substance? Part 2: 6. What differences do you see between the salt and the baking soda? 7. When you mixed the salt with the baking soda, did you create a new substance? How do you know? 8. What happened when you poured some vinegar onto the baking soda? 9. What is the difference between adding salt to baking soda, and adding vinegar to baking soda?

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STUDENT REPORT (With this version of the Report, students are to write their responses on separate sheets of paper—preferably in their science journals. If you would rather have a version of the Report on which students write directly, you will find that on the CD-ROM.) For Parts 1 & 2: 1. Give an example of mixing substances together. 2. When two substances are put together, is it possible for a new substance to get formed? 3. What happens when a substance gets burned? Give an example. 4. Suppose a person takes wood from some trees and turns it into a treehouse. Did that person change the wood into a different substance? 5. Suppose a person burns up a log. Did that person change the wood into a different substance? 6. If you could invent a new substance, what kind of substance would you want to create? For Part 3: 7. What is an atom? 8. What is a molecule? 9. If there are only about 100 types of atoms, how is it possible to have thousands and thousands of different substances in the world? 10. In one water molecule, how many hydrogen atoms are there? 11. In one water molecule, how many oxygen atoms are there? 12. What’s the difference between creating a mixture of two substances (like peanut butter and jelly), and creating a new substance? 13. Why do you suppose people might want to learn how to create new substances? 14. Give an example of a new substance being created.

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WHAT’S THE MATTER? – SIMPLIFIED INQUIRY Only do the “Set The Stage” section and Segment 1. WHAT’S THE MATTER? – ADVANCED INQUIRY (See Segment 3 of this lesson)

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WHAT’S THE MATTER? Background Information for the Teacher In this lesson, you will guide your students through a discovery of what happens when substances come together. Sometimes, the substances make a mixture; each substance stays the same, and they are simply all jumbled in some kind of pattern. Sometimes, substances come together, and as a result a new substance gets formed. The first two segments of the lesson explore (at a simple level) examples of different substances being put together. The third segment is optional; it covers basic information what atoms are, what molecules are, and how they can interact to form new substances. Although, this last segment is explained in a simple, hands-on fashion, its content is more appropriate for advanced students (e.g., in the fifth grade) or gifted students. The information under "Fundamental Concepts," just below, provides the teacher with a wider view of the subject matter that is incorporated into the lesson plan in a simpler, more abbreviated version appropriate for elementary students. Additional background data, which you may choose to share with students in order to enrich or extend the lesson, is provided below that as "Supplementary Information." Note: Keep in mind that only rudimentary information is given in this briefing sheet. There is a great deal more information on the subject matter than is presented here. Fundamental Concepts The first concept to get across is that sometimes when substances are put together, they make a mixture (like peanut butter being mixed with jelly). In this case, even though the two substances have been mixed, one hasn’t made a new substance. Then again, sometimes when two particular substances are put together, a special reaction takes place that results in a new substance being formed. Students will do a hands-on activity to observe these two different phenomena (two substances forming a mixture; two substances interacting to create a new substance). In the third (optional and more advanced) segment, students will engage in a hands-on demonstration that will deepen their understanding. Through this, they will acquire a basic, simple understanding of atoms and molecules. This can be of benefit to students as an important foundation for further scientific inquiry. The rest of this information sheet relates to the third segment of the lesson (you don’t need to read it if you only plan to do Segments 1 and 2). To get a deeper look at what happens when new substances are formed, the students need to understand that all matter is composed of tiny pieces of matter called atoms. Although there are only about 100 different types of atoms, there are thousands of ways that these atoms can be combined. An analogy could be made to the fact that there are only 26 letters in the English alphabet, and yet with those letters we can create hundreds of thousands of different words. © Real Curriculum 2008. No part of this document may be copied or transmitted in any form, physical or electronic, without express written permission from an authorized representative of Real Curriculum, Inc.

Different combinations of atoms create different substances. Atoms combine to form molecules. When two or more atoms join together to form a substance, one has a molecule. For example, hydrogen and oxygen are two types of atoms that are normally gases. However, when two hydrogen atoms join together with one oxygen atom, that makes one molecule of water (H2O). The “H2” represents the 2 hydrogen atoms; the “O” represents the 1 oxygen atom. Students must understand the miniscule size of one single molecule of water. If one had just a drop of water and counted the molecules in it, the number would of course vary (not all drops of water are exactly the same); however, one is easily talking about many trillions of water molecules in that drop. Of course, atoms are even smaller than molecules. Many people have estimated that at least a trillion atoms could fit in the period at the end of a sentence in a book. The human eye can’t individually see one atom or molecule. A molecule is essentially the smallest single particle of a substance. For example, take the substance water. Suppose there were 100 water molecules. Suppose some of that water was removed, leaving only 20 molecules of water. One would still have water—just less of it. Now suppose that more of the water was removed, leaving only 2 molecules of water. One would still have a tiny amount of water. Now suppose that 1 of those molecules were removed, leaving only one molecule of water. One would still have a tiny, tiny amount of water. Now suppose that the atoms of that single molecule of water were pulled apart. At that point, one wouldn’t have water anymore. One would have separated out the hydrogen gas and the oxygen gas. A molecule is the smallest single particle one can have of a particular substance. How, then, are new substances formed? Once again, it can help to use the analogy of letters of the alphabet combining to make words. Suppose one had the following letters: a, h, m, o, p and s. Those letters could be formed into the words has and mop. Then, using the same letters, one could re-arrange them to form the words sam and hop. Without creating new letters or destroying any letters, new words were formed. Similarly, atoms can get re-arranged and thereby form new substances. When new substances are made, no atoms are destroyed or created. As an example of how atoms can get re-arranged, rust occurs when atoms of iron combine with oxygen atoms. Now let’s take the example of carbon atoms, hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms to see how they can be combined in different ways to make different substances. First, let’s take sucrose (ordinary table sugar). One molecule of sucrose contains 12 carbon atoms, 22 hydrogen atoms and 11 oxygen atoms (C12H22O11). One molecule of carbon dioxide gas has 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms (CO2). One molecule of water has 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom (H2O). Sometimes, the same quantity of atoms in the same proportion can result in more than one kind of substance. A crude analogy could be made to Lego pieces. One could take the same 10 Lego pieces and connect them in different ways. Even though the same 10 pieces were being put together, the constructions would not be identical. © Real Curriculum 2008. No part of this document may be copied or transmitted in any form, physical or electronic, without express written permission from an authorized representative of Real Curriculum, Inc.

Let’s take the example of 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms. It so happens that a C6H12O6 molecule can be structured in different ways. Depending on how the atoms are arranged together, C6H12O6 could be a molecule of glucose (simplest sugar, made by breaking down certain foods, and used as the body’s primary fuel); galactose (type of sugar found in dairy products and sugar beets) or fructose (fruit sugar). In very simple terms, the subject of chemistry is about (a) examining substances to find out what atoms its molecules are made of (and how these atoms are joined together); (b) studying and discovering exactly how atoms and molecules interact with each other to form new substances; and (c) finding out how to join atoms together to make molecules of different substances and developing/applying technologies to do so. Following are a few chemistry terms that are applicable to the activity you will be doing. These terms are not given in the lesson plan itself, but you may choose to introduce them and explain them if developmentally appropriate for your students: Mixture: A combination of two or more substances that are blended together without the formation of any new substance. The individual substances in a mixture can still be separated back out again by physical means. A salad is a typical example of a mixture. Even though tomatoes, avocados and onions are all thrown together, they can still easily be separated back out. Chemical Reaction: A process that results in two or more substances combining to form a new substance(s). A chemical reaction always involves the transformation of at least one substance into another substance. Chemical reactions occur when atoms get re-arranged. When iron atoms combine with oxygen atoms to form rust, that’s a chemical reaction. One can’t separate out the iron and the oxygen atoms in a molecule of rust by ordinary physical means. Physical Change: A physical change is a change that doesn’t involve the formation of a new substance. For example, one could change water into ice—then turn that ice back into water. It’s still water. Another example of a physical change would be tearing up a piece of paper. It’s still paper. If a rock were ground up into tiny bits of dust that blew away in the wind, that would be a physical change; the tiny bits of dust would still be rock. Chemical Change: A change that involves the re-arrangement of atoms to create a new substance. For example, if a piece of paper is burned, new substances (such as gases) are created. You can’t reverse the process by ordinary physical means (e.g., you can’t “unburn” the paper). When metal rusts, that’s a chemical change. Oxygen atoms combine with iron atoms to form a new substance (which is called rust). Element: The basic definition of an element is one type of atom. There are two ways the word element is used: a. There are about 100 different types of atoms. [A chart called the Periodic Table lists them all.] Each type of atom is called an element. For example, carbon is an element; hydrogen is an element; oxygen is an element; helium is an element; chlorine © Real Curriculum 2008. No part of this document may be copied or transmitted in any form, physical or electronic, without express written permission from an authorized representative of Real Curriculum, Inc.

is an element; etc. These are types of atoms. They can be combined with other atoms to form molecules. b. One single atom all by itself would be considered an element. This single oxygen atom (represented by a sphere) can be referred to as an element.

Figure 18: Oxygen Atom

However, one can also use the word “element” to refer to a molecule that has only one type of atom in it. For example, think of the oxygen gas that’s in the air. The oxygen in the air isn’t actually composed of individual oxygen atoms. Each unit of air is a molecule that’s composed of 2 oxygen atoms.

Figure 19: Oxygen Molecule

This molecule of air could be called an “element,” because it is composed of only one type of atom. Compound: A molecule that is composed of 2 or more types of atoms. For example, an oxygen molecule (O2) is an element, because it has only one type of atom. A water molecule (H2O) is an example of a compound; it has more than one type of atom. Chemical Formula: A concise way of expressing what kinds of atoms (and how many of each kind) make up a particular molecule. Examples: a. The chemical formula of water is H2O. b. The chemical formula of carbon dioxide gas is CO2. c. The chemical formula of table sugar (also referred to as “sucrose”) is C12H22O11. Letters are used as symbols to indicate the elements (e.g., “O” stands for “oxygen). Subscripts (numbers written in small font at the bottom) are used to indicate the amount of a particular atom (e.g., O2 stands for two oxygen atoms). Supplementary Information: The Periodic Table of The Elements The Periodic Table of the Elements (sometimes referred to as simple the “Periodic Table”) is a chart/table. It lists all known elements. Most of these elements are natural; some are man-made. Following is the table, and a very brief explanation of just a few of the key data it contains.

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Figure 20: Periodic Table of the Elements

You will note that the table is composed of boxes. For example, below is the box for Oxygen.

Oxygen 8

O 16.00 Figure 21: The Element Oxygen

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At the top of the box, the name of the element is given. Below that is the number “8.” That’s called the atomic number. The atomic number of an element expresses the number of protons (positively charged particles) contained in the nucleus (central core) of an atom. Every element has a unique atomic number. In other words, no two elements in the table have the same number of protons. Below the atomic number is a large symbol (in this case the symbol is “O”), and a name. The symbol represents the name of the element. Every element has its own unique symbol and name. Below the symbol and name of the element is another number. That number is called the “atomic mass.” Of course, because atoms are so tiny, one can’t “weigh them on a scale.” However, scientists have developed the means to compute how massive one type of atom is compared to others. They refer to the “atomic weight” of an element. The Periodic Table is also organized in such a way as to provide further information. For example, all of the atoms in the same vertical column of the chart have similar (but not identical) characteristics. Also, each horizontal row tends to follow a pattern. For example, the first element in a row is usually a solid; the last element in a row is always a type of gas. Also, as one moves from left to right across a row, the atoms normally have a progressively higher atomic mass. Additionally, the elements on the left, comprising about two-thirds of the table, are metals. Elements on the right side are non-metals. Between the metals and the non-metals, there is a dividing line of elements that are called “semiconductors.” A semiconductor is a material that can’t conduct electricity through it as well as a conductor (a material, like copper, through which electricity can flow easily)—and which doesn’t resist the flow of electricity as much as a resistor (a material, like rubber, that acts to impede the flow of electricity). At low temperatures, semiconductor material will behave more similarly to a resistor; at higher temperatures, a semiconductor will behave more similarly to a conductor.

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Figure 22: Metals, Nonmetals, and Semiconductors

*Gray area represents metals *Yellow area represents semiconductors *Blue area represents nonmetals

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Color Images

Figure 1: Sugar

Figure 2: Cinnamon

Figure 3: Sprinkles

Figure 4: Mixture (Sugar, Cinnamon, Sprinkles)

Figure 5: Cloth

Figure 6: Bleached Area of Cloth

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Figure 7: Salt

Figure 8: Baking Soda

Figure 9: Mixture (Salt, Baking Soda)

Figure 10: Baking Soda and Vinegar

Figure 11: Match (wood)

Figure 12: Match (wood)

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Figure 13: Smoke

Figure 14: Blackened Wood

Figure 15: Blackened Wood

Figure 16: Blackened Wood

Figure 17: Structural Formulas

Figure 18: Oxygen Atom Figure 19: Oxygen Molecule © Real Curriculum 2008. No part of this document may be copied or transmitted in any form, physical or electronic, without express written permission from an authorized representative of Real Curriculum, Inc.

Figure 20: Periodic Table of the Elements

Oxygen 8

O 16.00 Figure 21: The Element Oxygen

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Figure 22: Metals, Nonmetals, and Semiconductors

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© Real Curriculum 2008. No part of this document may be copied or transmitted in any form, physical or electronic, without express written permission from an authorized representative of Real Curriculum, Inc.