1. Session Seven

2. Arrival Activity – Just for fun!
Can you match the substance to its scientific name?
Substance
Name
Sand
dihydrogen monoxide
Chalk
sodium bicarbonate
Sugar
acetic acid
Water
sodium chloride
Vinegar
acetylsalicyclic acid
Baking Soda
sucrose
Salt
silicon dioxide
Aspirin
calcium carbonate

3. Sand Chalk Sugar Water Vinegar Baking Soda Salt Aspirin
silicon dioxide
Sand
calcium carbonate
Chalk
sucrose
Sugar
dihydrogen monoxide
Water
acetic acid
Vinegar
sodium bicarbonate
Baking Soda
sodium chloride
Salt
acetylsalicylic acid
Aspirin

4. Agenda Constructivist Cooking and Chemistry
Making Mixtures Group Activity
Make mixtures
Planning time
Group presentations
Hands-on time to explore mixtures
Clean up
Assignments for Next Session

5. Homework Sharing
What ideas did the reading, “Cooking Transformations” give you about including cooking as part of the science curriculum?
Explain how constructivist principles apply to cooking with young children.

6. Constructivist Chemistry
Chemistry in early childhood is about exploring the properties of different substances and experimenting to see how they change.
Children discover that combining substances can produce a new substance with different properties.
These changes are referred to as “transformations.”

7. Constructivist Chemistry
The focus is on:
making observations
comparing materials
using descriptive vocabulary
generating hypotheses
cause and effect
predicting
drawing conclusions
sharing results with others
This is early chemistry!

8. Constructivist Chemistry
What is the value of providing experiences in which children can combine ingredients without following an exact recipe?

9. Combining ingredients without following an exact recipe
Creates an environment for self-direction. Making their own choices and decisions is empowering.
Places children in the role of experimenter and scientist.
Encourages children to develop their own questions, test out their reasoning, encounter contradictions, and revise their ideas to construct knowledge.
Children will get different results from their peers creating rich discussions about what might account for the differences.

10. Making Mixtures Group Project
Each group makes their mixture.
Groups plan brief presentations. Refer to the assignment sheet for questions to be addressed.
Groups present.
Hands-on time to explore mixtures.
Clean up.

11. Group Presentations
Bring mixture and ingredients to the front of the class with you.
Address all questions on assignment sheet.
Everyone needs to participate equally.
Keep presentation to under 10 minutes.
Note: Students can take notes on their handouts during presentations to record the ideas shared. These notes will be helpful in the future when using these activities with children.

12. Making Mixtures Presentations
Respond to the following questions:
Which mixture did your group make? Show it to the class. What were the ingredients? Describe the steps/process for making your mixture.
What did you like/not like about this mixture?
How would you organize and facilitate this activity with children to encourage their curiosity and scientific thinking?
What advice do you have about how to set up the materials to make them most appropriate (safe, easy to share, etc.) for young children?
What other tips, suggestions, and ideas for variations do you have for doing this activity with children (think about different ages and settings)?

13. Think about the learning
What did you learn from the Making Mixtures activities?
How did this experience affect your ideas about science and young children?
What questions did this activity raise for you?

14. Homework for Next Session: Description of Midterm Project

15. What to bring next session:
Baking Soda or Vinegar