Fifth Grade
Solubility Notes:solubility.ppt
Mixtures and Solutions Notes:
mixtures_and_solutions_2020.ppt
Dear Family, Our class is beginning a new science unit, Mixtures and
Solutions. We will be studying basic concepts in chemistry, and finding out
how materials interact with each other. Students will learn what happens
when simple materials, such as gravel, salt, and water, are put together.
They will also learn techniques for separating the resulting mixtures and
solutions. As our studies continue, we will investigate combinations of
materials, such as baking soda and calcium chloride (the salt used to melt
ice on roads), that react when mixed to produce new products—chalk,
carbon dioxide gas, and table salt. We will engage in an engineering
challenge dealing with desalination. One of the most demanding
intellectual activities in the enterprise of science is developing descriptive,
explanatory models to advance the understanding of complex natural
phenomena. Models provide intellectual structures to important ideas that
are inaccessible to direct observation. But bringing understanding to the
inaccessible is a critically important dimension of science. We expect
students to develop their first, primitive models of the particulate nature of
matter. Their models at this level will be incomplete and limited, but
expect them to have some interesting intellectual experiences as they
grapple with explanations for the commonplace phenomena they observe.
You can bring chemistry to life at home by exploring familiar household
materials in a scientific way. Some of the interesting chemicals you may
have on hand include baking soda, baking powder, alum, table salt, Epsom
salts, flour, sugar, cornstarch, and vinegar. Add to these a few pieces of
“laboratory equipment,” such as jars, margarine tubs, plastic cups, and
spoons, and you are ready to extend the classroom experiences into your
home. Reminder: Just as we do at school, you and your student should
review and follow important safety procedures, even when working with
familiar materials.
• Have a plan before starting an investigation.
• Avoid skin contact with experimental materials. Clean up spills
immediately. Rinse with water if materials contact skin, eyes, or clothes.
Wash hands after completing experiments.
• Never taste the experiments.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requires the
following label to be on student sheets associated with the use of these
chemicals in the FOSS investigations: calcium chloride, citric acid,
diatomaceous earth, Epsom salts, and kosher salt. It is a reminder to
students to exercise particular safety precautions when working with
materials in the classroom. We are looking forward to
many weeks of exciting investigations with mixtures and solutions. You
can get more information on this module by going to www.FOSSweb.com.