How Can We Identify Materials Based on Their Properties?
How Can We Identify Materials Based on Their Properties? is part of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, a brand-new curriculum series by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. It is aligned to a group of grade 5 standards. It has a focus on physical science with a secondary focus on life science. In this module, students:
- Compare six solids using just senses and argue from evidence that sugar and cornstarch are made by plants
- Draw models to show that the dissolving of sugar in water and the evaporation of a sugar solution can be explained by very small particles
- Obtain information from a text to explain that salt is added to roads in the winter to lower the freezing point of water
- Carry out an investigation to show that mixing solids with vinegar and iodine can result in something new being formed
- Graph weight before and after mixing to show that in any change the weight remains the same
- Argue from evidence that four unknown solids can be identified based on their properties
Below are digital resources that support teaching of this module.
Hummingbird
Download Video
This video shows a hummingbird drinking a sugar solution from a feeder.
Particle Models
Download Presentation
This file includes directions for drawing particle models for dissolving and evaporation and for using them to make predictions.
Sugar Simulation
This simulation shows what happens to particles when sugar dissolves in water and water evaporates. It works best in Firefox or Chrome. If your default browser is not one of these, copy the URL and paste it into either Firefox or Chrome. This simulation may not work on all mobile devices so it recommended that you use it on a computer. Start by adding water. Add sugar. Evaporate to see the amount of water in the air change. Evaporate so there is no water left in the beaker to see the particles of solid sugar.
Salting Roads
Download Video
This video shows a road being salted in the winter.
Muffins Rising
Download Video
This video showing muffins baking in the oven.
Elodea
Download Video
This video shows bubbles of a gas coming from an Elodea plant underwater. This video has sound so speakers are recommended.
Iodine and Cornstarch Class Graph
Download PDF
This file is for projecting onto a white board or chart paper.
Kitchen Crisis
Download Presentation
This file introduces the science challenge.
Flow Charts
Download Presentation
This file includes two examples of flow charts.
Kitchen Crisis
Download Presentation
This file shows the sample numbers from each jar of unknown solid.
Comic Template
https://earthoptimism.si.edu/resources/comic/
This website includes sample comics and a comic strip template developed by the Smithsonian. Download the Blank Comic Template with border boxes file.
Kitchen Crisis
Download Presentation
This file gives students instructions for preparing their poster.
Kit Tips & Tricks