Lights, Camera, Action: Creating Videos to Investigate Changes When Mixing Two or More Substances

Learning Resource Type

Lesson Plan

Subject Area

Science

Grade(s)

5

Overview

Students will collect data on an investigation where two or more substances are mixed together. Students will analyze the investigation to decide the type of change, chemical or physical, that occurred during the investigation. Students will use their observations from the investigation to create a short movie where they will describe the data they used to determine the type of change that occurred during their investigation. This lesson will work best for classrooms equipped with classroom tablets or schools that allow students to bring their own device.

This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 5

SC15.5.4

Investigate whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances (e.g., mixing of baking soda and vinegar resulting in the formation of a new substance, gas; mixing of sand and water resulting in no new substance being formed).

UP:SC15.5.4

Vocabulary

  • variables
  • states of matter
  • properties of matter
  • chemical change
  • physical change
  • evidence
  • temperature

Knowledge

Students know:
  • When two or more different substances are mixed, a new substance with different properties may be formed.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • From a given investigation plan, describe the phenomenon under investigation, including the mixing of two or more substances.
  • Identify the purpose of the investigation.
  • Describe the evidence from data that will be collected, including quantitative and qualitative properties of the substances to be mixed and the resulting substances.
  • Collaboratively plan an investigation and describe the data to be collected, including: how quantitative and qualitative properties of the two or more substances to be mixed will be determined and measured, number of trials for the investigation, how variables will be controlled to ensure a fair test.
  • Collect necessary data.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Cause and effect relationships are identified and used to explain changes like those that occur when two or more substances are mixed together.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Planning and Carrying out Investigations

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

Primary Learning Objectives

The students will be able to describe and analyze the evidence and data of an investigation that mixes two or more substances. 

The students will able to create a movie showing their investigation as well as their description of the evidence and data from the investigation. 

Students will analyze and gather evidence from other student movies to determine if each movie is an example of a chemical or physical change. 

Procedures/Activities

Day 1:

Choose one of the following links to show at the beginning of the lesson:

  1. If your students have never completed a Paper Slide Movie, then show the "How to Make a Paper Slide Video" (2:22). This will give students an idea of what type of movie they will be making, except they will also be including video of their experiment.
  2. Review the grading rubric with students to explain what should be in their video. 
  3. Students will need to be placed into groups of 2, possibly 3, students. All students should get an opportunity to
    1. complete some part of the experiment while being recorded,
    2. record a section of the experiment, and
    3. be a part of the video editing process.
  4. Allow students to choose the experiment they would like to complete, or assign the students to an experiment. Give each student a printed copy of the applicable experiment directions, experiment observation sheet, movie directions, as well as a tablet to record their experiment. 
  5. Before beginning the experiment, students will write on the experiment directions (see attached files) to tell which student will complete which step in the experiment and which student will be recording. Students will also  do the same for who will be making which paper slide. (This should be completed before starting experiments so that all students know what their job is before beginning.)
  6. Remind students of lab safety rules and maintain that safety goggles must be worn at all times!
  7. By the end of day 1, students should have completed the experiment, filming, and making the paper slides. (It would be better if they were finished with filming the slides as well.) 

Day 2:

Choose from one of the following links to show as at the beginning of the lesson:

  1. Students will get back with their experiment group from the previous day to edit their video clips into a movie. Students will use a free movie app downloaded on the device by the teacher. 
  2. The teacher will need to be familiar with the app that students will use to be able to troubleshoot student issues. A few main functions of the app that are crucial to making the video should be addressed with the students before they begin. A search for a tutorial video for the app being used might be helpful. 
  3. Review the grading rubric with students to explain what should be in their video. 

Day 3: (Maybe instead of using a whole other day to complete this section, one or two student groups could present each day until all groups have shown their movies.)

Choose from one of the following links to show as at the beginning of the lesson:

  1. Give students a copy of the Peer Review Movie handout. Students should fill out this form as the teacher plays the movies turned in by each student. 
  2. Pause each movie before students reveal if their experiment was a chemical or physical change. Then the teacher and students should discuss what they observed as a group.  
  3. Show the remainder of the movie after the discussion to check the group's outcome against the class discussion. 

Day 1:

Choose one of the following links to show at the beginning of the lesson:

  1. If your students have never completed a Paper Slide Movie, then show the "How to Make a Paper Slide Video" (2:22). This will give students an idea of what type of movie they will be making, except they will also be including video of their experiment.
  2. Review the grading rubric with students to explain what should be in their video. 
  3. Students will need to be placed into groups of 2, possibly 3, students. All students should get an opportunity to
    1. complete some part of the experiment while being recorded,
    2. record a section of the experiment, and
    3. be a part of the video editing process.
  4. Allow students to choose the experiment they would like to complete, or assign the students to an experiment. Give each student a printed copy of the applicable experiment directions, experiment observation sheet, movie directions, as well as a tablet to record their experiment. 
  5. Before beginning the experiment, students will write on the experiment directions (see attached files) to tell which student will complete which step in the experiment and which student will be recording. Students will also  do the same for who will be making which paper slide. (This should be completed before starting experiments so that all students know what their job is before beginning.)
  6. Remind students of lab safety rules and maintain that safety goggles must be worn at all times!
  7. By the end of day 1, students should have completed the experiment, filming, and making the paper slides. (It would be better if they were finished with filming the slides as well.) 

Day 2:

Choose from one of the following links to show as at the beginning of the lesson:

  1. Students will get back with their experiment group from the previous day to edit their video clips into a movie. Students will use a free movie app downloaded on the device by the teacher. 
  2. The teacher will need to be familiar with the app that students will use to be able to troubleshoot student issues. A few main functions of the app that are crucial to making the video should be addressed with the students before they begin. A search for a tutorial video for the app being used might be helpful. 
  3. Review the grading rubric with students to explain what should be in their video. 

Day 3: (Maybe instead of using a whole other day to complete this section, one or two student groups could present each day until all groups have shown their movies.)

Choose from one of the following links to show as at the beginning of the lesson:

  1. Give students a copy of the Peer Review Movie handout. Students should fill out this form as the teacher plays the movies turned in by each student. 
  2. Pause each movie before students reveal if their experiment was a chemical or physical change. Then the teacher and students should discuss what they observed as a group.  
  3. Show the remainder of the movie after the discussion to check the group's outcome against the class discussion. 

Assessment Strategies

Options: 

  • Use the movie grading rubric attached as a project grade. 
  • Use the day 3 Peer Review sheet that students fill out to use for an assessment. 
  • Show other examples of chemical and physical change experiments. Have students fill out the Peer Review sheet as a grade with no discussion during showing the videos. (YouTube has several experiments to choose from.)

Acceleration

Students can be as creative as they wish to be during their movie making process. Suggestions:

  • More advanced students may be able to complete a chemical change experiment and a physical change experiment to compare and contrast in their video.
  • Find copyright-free music to add to the background of the video. (This website is one of many that offers copyright-free music at no cost.)
  • Depending on the movie maker app you use, students could add video clip transitions and/or effects to make their video more creative.

Intervention

Have strategically differentiated groups that include advanced and struggling students so that the advanced students can guide the struggling students throughout the project. 

Total Duration

Greater than 120 Minutes

Background/Preparation

Teacher Prep:

  • Decide which experiments you would like your students to complete and have the needed materials for those experiments. There is an attachment of suggested experiments, with directions, for students to complete. Be aware that some will require teacher supervision and all require safety glasses. 
  • Ensure movie maker app is installed on all devices before the lesson.

Student Prep: 

  • Students need to have the familiarity of the movie creator app on the tablets
  • Students need to have completed the 5th grade Alabama Science Course of Study Standard 3 prior to completing this lesson so that the students will already be used to describing different properties of objects. 

Materials and Resources

  • Experiment supplies for the investigations you want your students to complete
  • Safety glasses 
  • Directions for each experiment you want a group to complete (Attached is a list of experiments and directions that you can choose from, or you can come up with your own experiments.) 
  • Printed observation sheet/movie directions

Technology Resources Needed

Approved Date

2016-05-11
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