Directions 1. Use the instructional model to show students where they are in the course of the unit. Show slide 2 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT. 2. Have students complete the Explanations process tool. Show slide 3 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT. Give each student one copy of 5.2 Explanations Tool for Methane Burning. Give students about 10 minutes to complete the Explanations process tool. Remind them that answering the Three Questions for Ethanol Burning should be very similar to Methane Burning because the same rules apply! The only thing different is the fuel. 3. Have students share explanations with each other. Show slide 4 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT. Divide students into pairs and have them compare explanations for the Three Questions and the final explanation on the process tool. Invite students to share their ideas with the class. Use the Three Questions 11x17 Poster (or Handout) as a reference. Have students check their explanations with the middle and right-hand columns of the poster to make sure they are following the “rules.” 4. Have students check their explanations using the Grading PPT. Display slides 5-6 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT. Have students compare their answers to the Matter Movement Question with the answers on the slide. Have students use a different colored writing utensil to make any needed changes to their answers. Allow students to ask questions if they do not understand why their ideas are incorrect. Display slide 7-8 of the PPT for the Matter Change Question and repeat the process above. Display slide 9 of the PPT for the Energy Change Question and repeat the process above. 5. (Optional) Have students critique example explanations. Display Slide 10 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT. Have students look at two handouts: (a) the Three Questions Handout, and (b) the Example Systems and Scale Explanations Handout. Ask students to evaluate the two example explanations of methane burning on the Example Systems and Scale Explanations Handout: Which explanation is better? Why? Have students use the checklist on the back of the Three Questions Handout to justify their critiques of the explanations. 6. Have students critique and improve their full explanations. Display slide 10 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT for the full explanation. Have students use the checklist on the back of the Three Questions Handout to check that their story includes each of the parts (matter movement, matter change, energy change, and matter movement) and answers the prompt in a cohesive way. If students don’t have all four parts in their explanation, instruct them to add to their explanation using a different colored writing utensil. If students have model explanations to share, display student work and discuss. If students have common areas of weakness in their explanations, ask for a volunteer to share, display student work, and discuss ways of strengthening the response. 7. (Optional) Have students compare their explanations for methane burning with their explanations for ethanol burning. Show slide 11 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT. Revisit students’ 4.5 Explanations Tool for Ethanol Burning. Have them compare and contrast their tools. What is the same? What is different? Ideally, students will recognize that both matter and energy are conserved through the chemical change, even if the reactants are different. They may also notice that the products are the same for both phenomena. 8. Lead a discussion about how student ideas have changed over time. Show slide 12 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT. Ask students to share with the class what their explanations. Have students consider how their ideas changed with regard to scale, movement, and carbon. 9. Have students complete an exit ticket. Show slide 13 of the 5.2 Explaining Methane Burning PPT. Conclusions: How is methane combustion similar to ethanol combustion? Predictions: Why do you think ethanol burns and water does not? 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 in to the next activity.
