Introduction
Oh No! George, our "evil" class hamster got out of his cage and has made his own mixtures in our Science Lab!
Task
You will work in groups of four (4) to undo what George has done! Working together as a group you will come up with a plan to separate the mixtures that George has made.
As a group you will choose four (4) mixtures you have chosen separate. Based on your webquest, your group will record the best ways to separate the mixtures you have chosen. Once your group has decided on the best ways to separate the mixtures your group will give a brief presentation to the class on the mixtures your group chose and how your group would separate those mixtures.
Here is a list of the mixtures and solutions that George has made in our science lab:
1. A cup full of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.
2. A bowl of trail mix
(peanuts, pretzel rings, chocolate chips, banana chips and yogurt-covered raisins)
3. Sugar and Water
4. Salt and Water
5. Beads and Water
6. A cup of food coloring
7. Iron filings in sand
8. Sand and Water
9. Oil and Water
10. 3 egg yolks and egg whites
11. Container full of recyclables
(plastic bottles, cardboard, soda cans, news papers, and glass bottles)
12. Pasta and spaghetti sauce
Process
As a group watch this short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr7JU0zsLNs
Next, each group member will research different methods of using separation:
Scientist 1:
Manual separation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgaphasiSEA
Distillation
http://www.kidscantravel.com/familyattractions/obandistillery/funstuffkids/index.html
Scientist 2:
Evaporation
http://www.mikecurtis.org.uk/ks2_mixtures.htm#evaporate
Crystallization
http://www.sciencekidsathome.com/science_topics/what_are_crystals.html
Scientist 3:
Chromotography
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uFLOQ18Mt8
Magnets
http://separating-mixtures.wikispaces.com/Magnetism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anaCLlmBSzg
Scientist 4:
Filtration
http://www.gcsescience.com/e5-filter-paper.htm
After researching the different methods of separating mixtures the group must decide on 4 out of the 12 mixtures that George the hamster made. Once these 4 mixtures are chosen one scientist from the group will record the mixtures and the best way to separate that mixture with input from the other scientists. Then prepare a short presentation for your fellow scientists in the class on the mixtures and separation methods your group of scientists has picked.
Evaluation
*This rubric was made with http://www.learner.org/workshops/hswriting/interactives/rubric
Conclusion
Great Job! Now you are all expert scientists on how to separate mixtures! You have learned what mixtures you can separate manually or by magnets, what mixtures require distillation, what mixtures need to be separated by filtration, evaporation, crystalization and chromotography.
George's "evil" plot was ruined! You scientists have outsmarted our "evil hamster"!
George may be plotting his revenge, keep your eyes open for other things George might do throughout the school year!
Credits
Thank you to Dr. Sigears for teaching this technology class!