Lesson 1 - Monday, Apr 20
Today in science: After connecting our study of Human Digestion (Unit 6.5) with our study of Cellular Respiration (Unit 6.4 – Remember the Power Cell Packet? 
), we discovered we have now answered a core science question: How can new things be made that weren’t there before?
- Our answer to this core science question is currently as follows: New things can be made inside the human body by chemical reactions
For the next two weeks, we will explore a chemical reaction familiar to many students when using bath bombs. Bath bombs create new things such as foam and bubbles! To prepare for this new mini-unit, students have been asked to complete a textbook assignment aimed at familiarizing them with the concept of “solutions” (see below). Dr. M asked students to write their answers in their Science Journals, which they needed to retrieve from their mailboxes and take home with them.
During this lesson, students were also asked to 1) complete a special survey for Mrs. Lill about the Power Cell Packet (Unit 6.4), and 2) bring in any extra, unwanted bath bombs lying around the house to use in our upcoming investigations.
Homework: Exploring Science 7, Eb – Solutions, pages 74-75 (Answer questions 1-6). This assignment is due on Tuesday (E period) or Wednesday (C & D periods).
Lesson 2 - Tuesday, Apr 21
Today in science: The focus question for today’s lesson is, “What happens when a bath bomb is added to water (and what causes it to happen)?”
To begin addressing the focus question we started INV#9 – Bombs Away! This involved making both qualitative and quantitative observations about 1) a glass beaker full of water, 2) a bath bomb before putting it into water, 3) a bath bomb placed in a glass beaker full of water, and 4) the water in the glass beaker after the bath bomb had finished all of its actions/activity.
When finished making observations for all four stages of the investigation, teams of students were then asked to create a 4-part drawing meant to answer the focus question (see above).
Homework: Exploring Science 7, Eb – Solutions, pages 74-75 (Answer questions 1-6). This assignment is due on Tuesday (E period) or Wednesday (C & D periods).
Lesson 3 - Wed, Apr 22 (C, D) & Thu, Apr 23 (E)
Today in science: The focus question for today’s lesson is, “What happens when a bath bomb is added to water (and what causes it to happen)?”
To begin addressing the focus question we started INV#9 – Bombs Away! This involved making both qualitative and quantitative observations about 1) a glass beaker full of water, 2) a bath bomb before putting it into water, 3) a bath bomb placed in a glass beaker full of water, and 4) the water in the glass beaker after the bath bomb had finished all of its actions/activity.
When finished making observations for all four stages of the investigation, teams of students were then asked to create a 4-part drawing meant to answer the focus question (see above).
Homework: There is no science homework tonight.
Lesson 4 - Friday, Apr 24
Today in science: The focus question for today’s lesson is, “Where is the gas coming from?”
After completing our initial individual models (on paper) in both diagram and written form, we began planning for INV#10 – Investigating Gas From a Bath Bomb. This investigation arises because of two competing ideas in our class as to where the gas bubbles seen during INV#9 (Bombs Away!) originated.
Some students think the company traps gas (e.g., oxygen gas) inside of the bath bomb during the manufacturing process. In other words, these students think it’s already in the bath bomb and simply gets released by the activity of the bath bomb and water molecules.
Other students think the gas is a product of a chemical reaction, in which the gas bubbles are not released by the bath bomb (as if they were trapped) but instead made by a reaction of the substances contained within the bath bomb. These students are unsure as to the nature of the gas bubbles, but they’ve suggested three different candidates: oxygen gas (O2), hydrogen gas (H2), or carbon dioxide gas (CO2). Interestingly, these students cited a previous chemical reaction we performed just before Christmas vacation in which we also produced a gas, carbon dioxide, by combing citric acid, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and water (provided by our saliva!).
We brainstormed at least two different experiments we could perform on Monday/Tuesday next week to try and prove (or disprove) our competing ideas. One idea is to compare the mass of a bath bomb in two different states, uncrushed vs. crushed, so that we can see if the crushed bath bomb loses mass due to the escaped gas molecules which, because they are made of atoms, have mass! Another idea is to trap the gas produced by a bath bomb in water and perform “gas molecule indicator tests,” which sort of following a similar idea as our recent food molecule indicator tests.
Homework: As per the TASIS MS school homework policy, there is no science homework due on Monday.
Announcements...
The Driving Questions for UNIT 6.6 (Understanding Chemical Reactions) is: How do we create something new that wasn't there before?
C & D period homework collection days: Wednesday & Friday.
E period homework collection days: Tuesday & Thursday.
KWoW - There is no KWoW this week.