TITLE: Density Online
TASK DEVELOPER: V. Anderson
GRADE AND CONTENT AREA: Chemistry - Grade 10
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE: Unit 1 -- Matter
TARGET TEACHING DATE: September 15, 2006
SCHOOL: Mergenthaler Vocational Technical Senior High School
STANDARDS:

Objective: The students will use the internet while determining the mass, volume and desity of objects. They will then describe how to use density as an identifying factor for matter.

Drill # 12:
List 3 physical properties of matter.

Materials:
Worksheets-1/student
Computer lab (submit lab request 3 days prior)

Maryland Core Learning Goals, Expectations, and Indicators
Science: Grades 9-12

Goal 4 Concepts Of Chemistry: The student will demonstrate the ability to use scientific skills and processes (Core Learning Goal 1) to explain composition and interactions of matter in the world in which we live. (NT, NTB = Not Tested)

Expectation 4.1: The student will explain how the observation of the properties of matter forms the basis for understanding its structure and changes in its structure.

Indicator 4.1.1: The student will select and use appropriate devices to measure directly or indirectly the length, mass, volume, or temperature of a substance. AT LEAST: centigram balances, graduated cylinders & pipettes, metric rulers, thermometers & temperature probes

Indicator 4.1.2: The student will gather and interpret data related to physical and chemical properties of matter such as density and percent composition. AT LEAST: constructing data tables, graphing linear relationship, appropriate technology to analyze data

Expectation 4.5: The student will investigate the impact of Chemistry on society.

Indicator 4.5.4: The student will recognize that real problems have more than one solution and decisions to accept one solution over another are made on the basis of many issues.

Expectation 4.6: The student will show that connections exist both within the various fields of science and among science and other disciplines including mathematics, social studies, language arts, fine arts, and technology.

Indicator 4.6.2: The student will recognize mathematics as part of the scientific endeavor, comprehend the nature of mathematical thinking, and become familiar with key mathematical ideas and skills.

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SETTING:

Real World Setting:

You are an antique expert for the Antique Road Show. You are faced with an individual who has an old "gold" brooch that was owned by her great-grandmother. You must determine the vaue of the brooch - but you don't know if the "gold" is real or not. There are no hallmarks on the piece. How would you go about determining the composition of this "gold brooch" so that you can give a reasonable appraisal?

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PREFERENCES:

Task Approach - The students will complete the task individually using the Internet.

Task Delivery - The task will be organized and delivered as a teacher-facilitated set of hands-on activities.

Assistive Technology Accommodations - Students with special needs will require the following presentation of information: Extra processing and response time.

Use of Resources - The school will provide computer hardware and software and classroom time to complete the task.

Use of Resources - The students will provide classroom materials such as pencils, paper, notebooks.

Customer for Student Work - The student will present their work as evidence of task completion to teachers.

Assessment of Student Work - The student's teacher will be involved in assessing student work generated to complete the task:

Reporting Results - The assessment results will be reported as a score point on a rubric and as the total points for a checklist.

Timeline - The estimated time needed to plan, teach, and score this task is two planning periods and one class meeting.
INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Five Es Model of Instruction

Activity 1. Engagement: The activities in this section capture the students' attention, stimulate their thinking, and help them access prior knowledge.
(20 minutes)

  1. Complete the Drill
  2. move to lab

Activity 2. Exploration: In this section, students are given time to think, plan, investigate, and organize collected information.
(10 minutes)

  1. Pose "real world setting" to students:

    You are an antique expert for the Antique Road Show. You are faced with an individual who has an old "gold" brooch that was owned by her great-grandmother. You must determine the vaue of the brooch - but you don't know if the "gold" is real or not. There are no hallmarks on the piece. How would you go about determining the composition of this "gold brooch" so that you can give a reasonable appraisal?
  2. Discuss student suggestions for solving this problem.

Activity 3. Explanation: Students are now involved in an analysis oftheir
exploration. Their understanding is clarified and modified because of reflective activities.
(10 minutes)

  • Review Density (def) and how to calculate. (from board)

Activity 4. Extension: This section gives students the opportunity to expand and solidify their understanding of the concept and/or apply it to a real world situation.
(40 minutes)

  • Internet activity: http://www.sciencejoywagon.com/explrsci/media/density.htm
    Students will individually complete the interactive density investigation from the website and fill in the corresponding worksheet.

Activity 5. Evaluation: Evaluation occurs throughout the lesson. Scoring tools developed by teachers and students target what students must know and do. Consistent use of scoring tools improves learning.
(15 minutes)

As a BCR, the students will answer:

You are an antique expert for the Antique Road Show. You are faced with an individual who has an old "gold" brooch that was owned by her great-grandmother. You must determine the vaue of the brooch - but you don't know if the "gold" is real or not. There are no hallmarks on the piece. In detail, explain how would you go about determining the composition of this "gold brooch" so that you can give a reasonable appraisal?

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SCORING:

WORKSHEET: The worksheet will be scored based on accuracy of measurements and calculations--%score recorded.

BRIEF CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE (BCR):
HSA RUBRIC FOR CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE ITEMS: SCIENCE

LEVEL 4
There is evidence in this response that the student has a full and complete understanding of the question or problem.

  • Pertinent and complete supporting details demonstrate an integration of ideas.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology enhances the response.
  • An effective application of the concept to a practical problem or real-world situation reveals an insight into scientific principles.*
  • The response reflects a complete synthesis of information.

LEVEL 3
There is evidence in this response that the student has a good understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are generally complete.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology strengthens the response.
  • The concept has been applied to a practical problem or real-world situation.*
  • The response reflects some synthesis of information.

LEVEL 2
There is evidence in this response that the student has a basic understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are adequate.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology may be present in the response.
  • The application of the concept to a practical problem or real-world situation is inadequate.*
  • The response provides little or no synthesis of information.

LEVEL 1
There is evidence in this response that the student has some understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are only minimally effective.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology is not present in the response.
  • The application, if attempted, is irrelevant.*
  • The response addresses the question.

LEVEL 0
There is evidence that the student has no understanding of the question or problem.

  • The response is completely incorrect or irrelevant or there is no response.

* On the High School Assessment, the application of a concept to a practical problem or real-world situation will be scored when it is required in the response and requested in the item stem.

Updated 2002

Source: http://www.mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/science/assessments.html

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RESULTS:

Organize: I developed the following chart to show the data for this lesson and learning standard(s):

Percentage of students who performed at or above
the proficient level on my scoring tools.
Internet Worksheet
Brief Constructed Response (BCR)
97%
62%

Analyze: In scoring the activities I noticed that the students have accquired a good undersanding of the mechanics of finding density. They can use the formula D=m/v to find the density of objects. They can do this with provided data as well as with data they find themselves. They seem to still have a problem with applying the information in a real world setting, even after extensive classroom discussion of the problem. Their BCR's were dissapointing to me due to the fact that we had gone over the question in great detail. I believe part of the problem may lie in the students' unwillingness to elaborate in a BCR. This will reqiure more work and practice with both peer and teacher review and feedback.