Lesson plan
Chemistry and Foam
Students use chemistry to create foam insulation in football helmets.
Overview
Students study the chemistry of foams by making elephant toothpaste and testing how different amounts of materials change the result. The lesson opens with a Mark Rober video and a discussion of everyday foam products. Students run at least three trials, share results in a gallery walk, explore enzymes and catalysts, and model the formulas and reaction with PhET simulations. They also test samples of everyday foams, including polystyrene and polyethylene. After a concussion study, they drop a baseball onto foam combinations to measure depression, line a football helmet with their best foams, run an egg drop test, and present their findings.
Lesson Objectives
- Gain a better understanding of chemistry by creating a real world product for a specific purpose. -Discuss everyday uses of foam -Discuss best practices for laboratory experiments -Make elephant toothpaste in small groups, record lab results -Explain catalysts -Research chemical formulas for materials used in elephant toothpaste -Model the chemical reaction for elephant toothpaste -List types of everyday foam, their uses, and chemical and physical properties -Phet Lab Simulations: Building a Molecule, Molecular Shapes, Balancing Chemical Equations. -Concussion study -Foam depression test -3D Design/Print Helmets if applicable -Choose 2-3 foams, line the 3D Printed helmet and perform egg drop test
Standards
NGSS · 4
- MS-PS1-1Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
- MS-PS1-2Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. (density/point of enthalpy/solubility, etc)
- MS-PS1-3Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
- MS-PS1-5Develop and use models to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.
CCSS Math · 4
- 7.RP.A.1Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas and other quantities measured in like or different units.
- 7.RP.A.2.aDecide whether two quantities are in a proportional relationship, e.g., by testing for equivalent ratios in a table or graphing on a coordinate plane and observing whether the graph is a straight line through the origin.
- 7.RP.A.2.bIdentify the constant of proportionality (unit rate) in tables, graphs, equations, diagrams, and verbal descriptions of proportional relationships.
- 8.SP.A.1Construct and interpret scatter plots for bivariate measurement data to investigate patterns of association between two quantities. Describe patterns such as clustering, outliers, positive or negative association, linear association, and nonlinear association.
CCSS ELA · 5
- 8.L.VAU.6Acquire and accurately use grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; develop vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
- 8.SL.CC.3Explain a speaker’s argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
- 8.SL.PKI.4Present claims and findings in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
- 8.SL.PKI.5Integrate multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify information, to strengthen claims and evidence, and to add interest.
- 7.L.KL.3When writing and speaking, choose precise language to express ideas concisely.