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Active Lesson

Molecules

Chemical sciences

Curriculum Codes (AU): ACSSU151

Source: Envato Elements

Year Level:

Year 8

Setting:

Classroom

Subject:

Science

Strands:

Science understanding

Sub-Strands:

Chemical sciences

All Abilities:

Curriculum Codes (AU): ACSSU151

Learning Intention

In this lesson, students will use analogy to see the states of matter from the molecular level.

Success Criteria

I will learn to see the states of matter from the molecular level.

Description

Clear a space in the classroom for the students to stand in.

Using analogy, students will represent the different states of matter as they pretend to be the molecules of a solid, liquid and gas.

Work your way through the following:

Solid

Theory: Molecules in a solid phase are tightly packed together, which creates a rigid structure

Analogy activity: Ask students to stand close together, linking arms together.

Questions to ask students:

Are you able to squeeze closer together? (No, they are already closely packed together and cannot be compressed further).

Are you able to move around freely? (No, they are not able to move around freely, just like the composition of a solid.)

Liquid

Theory: Molecules are not as tightly compressed within a liquid as they are in a solid. A liquid’s molecules have freedom to move around and occupy the space they are contained in. They don’t hold their shape but they do have a fixed volume.

Analogy activity: Ask the students to stand in close contact with each other (but still able to move around).

Questions to ask students:

Are you able to squeeze closer together? (No, they are already closely packed together and cannot be compressed further).

Are you able to move around freely? (Yes, they are able to move around freely. This represents a liquid being able to take up the shape of a container).

Gas

Theory: Matter in the gas phase doesn’t hold its shape and does not have a fixed volume. Gas particles move quickly in all directions. Gases can be compressed, and completely fill their container.

Analogy activity: Ask the students to run anywhere in the classroom.

Questions to ask students:

Are you able to squeeze closer together? (Yes, they are not closely packed together and can be compressed further).

Are you able to move around freely? (Yes, this represents gas molecules being able to be compressed further according to the size of the container).

Examples

An example of the student formations could look like this:

Extensions

Phase transitions

Even though a solid’s molecules remain tightly connected to each other, they still vibrate. The “molecules” in the solid phase would be shaking back and forth while still holding hands as they do not have enough kinetic energy to break the bonds between the molecules.

When energy is supplied to the molecules and their vibrations speed up, eventually they will no longer be able to hold hands and will start to move around the classroom (liquid molecules). This can happen when temperature is increased.

If you speed up the vibrations of the liquid molecules even further, they will lose contact with each other and start running around the classroom (gaseous molecules). Gas molecules have the most kinetic energy.

Source

https://downloads.clickview.com.au/www/Lesson%20Plans/AU-science-lesson-plan-book-year-8.pdf

Image Source

https://downloads.clickview.com.au/www/Lesson%20Plans/AU-science-lesson-plan-book-year-8.pdf

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