Chemistry of Materials: Week 7

Please Do These Lessons...

Day 1

Introducing the Cross Cutting Concept of Cause & Effect

View Bozeman science video Cause and Effect.

Can you think of examples of cause and effect that you can see and experience in your own life?

If you need some things to trigger your thinking here are some questions for you to consider.

  • If everyone were to double how much they drove their cars, what do you think the effect would be?

  • If everyone were to cut in half how much they drove their car, what do you think the effect would be?

  • If you always feed your dog or cat (or even yourself!) dinner at 5:00 and then you changed your routine and fed them dinner either much earlier or much later in the day, what effect do you think you would see?

  • If you had a houseplant and either overwatered or underwatered it, what would the effect be?

  • If you planted the seeds for your garden in January - what would the effect be?

  • What has been the effect on your daily life since the coronavirus came to Oregon?

Day 2

Day 3

How can you use models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules?

Day 4

Reflection on what you learned

What did you learn this week about molecules?

The purest elements and chemicals can be found on the periodic table, and the majority of those listed can be found in nature. However, most of the things we encounter and use on a daily basis are actually chemical compounds. A chemical compound is a chemical combination of two or more elements that can normally be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means and have properties different from those of its component elements.

Use this graphic organizer to share one example of cause and effect for something that you learned this week.

Day 5 - Funday Friday!

Build a paper structure

Materials: paper (Newspaper, junk mail, index cards, etc.) 2 feet of tape.

Challenge: Using only the materials from the list above, create a freestanding structure that is at least one foot high and can hold a small stuffed animal or toy.

Think about it:

  • What are some strong shapes that you can see in bridges or towers?

  • Could you combine the tape and paper to make a stronger material?

  • What’s the most important use of your tape?

  • After you test: If you did this again, what would you do differently?

Use the Engineering Design Process to build your structure:

  • Define: What is it that needs to be accomplished?

  • Brainstorm: What are your ideas for meeting the criteria of the challenge?

  • Plan: Draw and discuss your design.

  • Make It! and then Test It!

Improve: Make it better by repeating the Engineering Design Process again!