Lesson Plan #: AELP-SCI0029
Date: October 26, 1999
Grade Level(s): 4
Subject(s):
Description: The students blow bubbles on various surfaces, testing what pops and what doesn't. Which surfaces are friendly to bubbles? Which surfaces are unfriendly to bubbles? The students will answer these questions and relate their answers to cohesion. What is cohesion? How do you think it relates to the lesson? Cohesion is when alike things attract to each other. They also discover if they can poke a bubble without popping it. If they can, how do they do it? The students will find that when they blow bubbles on surfaces that are wet, they will not pop. If the bubble lands on a dry surface, it most likely will pop, except wool. The students will find that they can play with bubbles when wearing wool gloves, without popping them. They will also find that when they try to poke a bubble, they must do so with something wet. For example, a wet needle will work. They will relate these findings to cohesion.
Goals: Student will discover what surfaces are "bubble friendly and unfriendly," meaning: which surfaces do bubbles not pop on and pop on, respectively.
NSES Standards: Science as Inquiry; Unifying concepts and processes; Physical Science: Air and cohesion.
Objectives: Students will:
1. find that when they blow bubbles on surfaces that are wet, they will not pop. If the bubble lands on a dry surface, it most likely will pop, except wool.
2. find that they can play with bubbles when wearing wool gloves, without popping them.
They will also find that when they try to poke a bubble, they must do so with something wet. For example, a wet needle will work.
3. relate the above findings to cohesion.
Materials:
Focus Phase
The students will predict what will happen to bubbles blown on various surfaces. Could you possibly poke a bubble without popping it? How? Why do you think that it is or is not possible?
Challenge Phase
The students will pair up and have a scientific observation worksheet, which includes a Venn Diagram, to help record their observations.
Pops, sometimes pops/sometimes doesn't, and doesn't pop
will be the choices on the Venn Diagram.
They will go to different stations around the room and blow bubbles.
They will be asked: Which surfaces are friendly to bubbles?
The students will also be asked, "How do you think you could poke a bubble without popping it?"
Concept Introduction Phase
The students will be asked what they found out in a whole class discussion. Did they predict correctly what would happen, or did the activity change their minds? Why do they think that the bubbles did not pop on wet surfaces?
Concept Application
Think about bubbles in a bathtub, kitchen sink, or when you blow them outside? What type of surfaces do they pop on? Why do you think they do not "pop" in the bathtub or the sink? What is cohesion and how does it relate to the bubbles? Using the information you learned, answer the questions.
Assessment:
The students will be assessed informally on their participation.
They will be formally assessed by turning in their prediction sheets and their Venn diagram with sentences on the back defining and explaining what they think cohesion is after the discussion to be sure that they understood the lesson objective.