S&S Activity 4.2 Tab 2

Display slide 3 of the 4.2 Observing Ethanol Burning PPT. Divide students into groups of four.

• Pass out one copy of 4.2 Observing Ethanol Burning Worksheet to each student. Walk through the steps in Part A of the worksheet that overview how to set up and conduct the investigation.

Display Slide 4 while students are conducting the investigation. The students will need to wait 20 minutes to see color change in the BTB.

While waiting for the ethanol to burn, display slide 5 of the PPT. Ask students to retrieve their completed tools from the previous activity: 4.1 Predictions and Planning Tool for Ethanol Burning

• Ask pairs of students to share their ideas for the Matter Movement Question. Ask students what they expect to see in the investigation, and what that might mean.
• Use the Three Questions Handout to check if students’ predictions follow the rules. If they don’t, ask students why they don’t. At this stage, students’ ideas do not yet need to be corrected.
• Record students’ ideas on the slide.
• Help the students look for similarities and differences in the predictions in the class. Try to get a range of ideas on the slide.

While continuing to wait for the ethanol to burn, display slide 6 of the PPT and ask pairs of students to share their ideas for the Matter Change Question.

• Lead a discussion by asking students what they expect to see in the investigation, and what that might mean.
• Use the Three Questions Handout to check if students’ predictions follow the rules. If they don’t, ask students why they don’t. At this stage, students’ ideas do not yet need to be corrected.
• Record students’ ideas on the slide.
• Help the students look for similarities and differences in the predictions in the class. Try to get a range of ideas on the slide.

While continuing to wait for ethanol to burn, display slide 7 of the PPT and ask pairs of students to share their ideas for the Energy Change Question.

• Lead a discussion by asking students what they expect to see in the investigation, and what that might mean.
• Use the Three Questions Handout to check if students’ predictions follow the rules. If they don’t, ask students why they don’t. At this stage, students’ ideas do not yet need to be corrected.
• Record students’ ideas on the slide.
• Help the students look for similarities and differences in the predictions in the class. Try to get a range of ideas on the slide.

Display slide 8 of the PPT. Have students record their group’s data and observations about the mass change and BTB color on their worksheet.

• Next, have students select a recorder to input their group’s results on the 4.2 Ethanol Burning Class Results 11 x 17 Poster, or in the 4.2 Ethanol Burning Class Results Spreadsheet

Display slide 9 of the PPT

• Lead a discussion to help students compare results across groups and identify patterns in the data. Have students discuss how BTB has a gradient of colors depending on how much CO₂ is absorbed.
• Optionally, give each group or pair of students BTB Color Handout to use as a reference guide.

Show students slide 10 to discuss patterns that students see in the class results.

• Ask students to identify patterns in the data for both the mass change and also the BTB color change, and discuss any outliers or unexplained data points.
• If you input data into the spreadsheet, the software will construct a graph of the students’ data. Use the graph to elicit more interpretation of their observations.

Show slide 11 of the PPT

• Have students watch the Burning Ethanol Video starting from 3:10 to observe Darryl and Nina’s results to the burning ethanol investigation. Ask the class to compare their own results to Darryl and Nina’s results, pausing the video when the data are shown. 

Show slide 12 of the PPT to view data from Ms. Angle’s class.

• Ask students to compare the patterns they observed with the patterns from Ms. Angle’s class. What similarities or differences do they notice? What patterns do they see?

The remainder of the unit is based on the assumption that your class results are similar to those of Ms. Angle’s class and the Ethanol Burning video. If your class results are significantly different for any reason, after a conversation about why that may have happened, decide whether to have students conduct the investigation again or to refer to Ms. Angle’s data as they work through the remainder of the unit.

Show slide 13 of the PPT to view BTB from Ms. Angle’s class.

• Ask students to compare the colors they observed with the colors from Ms. Angle’s class. What similarities or differences do they notice?

Use slide 14 to revisit students’ predictions from Activity 4.1.

• Have them compare the predictions they made with the results of the investigation.
• Which predictions were correct? Which predictions were incorrect? What questions to they still need to answer?

Show slide 15 of the 4.2 Observing Ethanol Burning PPT.

• Conclusions: What did you observe during the investigation?
• Predictions: What do you think is one conclusion you can make from the investigation?
• On a sheet of paper or a sticky note, have students individually answer the exit ticket questions. Depending on time, you may have students answer both questions, assign students to answer a particular question, or let students choose one question to answer. Collect and review the answers.
• The conclusions question will provide you with information about what your students are taking away from the activity. Student answers to the conclusions question can be used on the Driving Questions Board (if you are using one). The predictions question allows students to begin thinking about the next activity and allows you to assess their current ideas as you prepare for the next activity. Student answers to the predictions question can be used as a lead into the next activity.