Density Unit Day 2: Salad Dressing & Liquid Observations

Started the day with QOD:"What are the properties of matter?", then had them do the salad dressing assessment.  Period 1 I did the "first " version (the one with Mrs. Leeyer) I found the students were confused about what they had to write about.  it says :"Explain what happen to the salad dressing when Mrs. Leeyer placed the bottle correctly on the counter." a lot of students were confused that I wanted to know about the layering and the order.


Periods 2-5 I did the Paige Keeley type one. Choice B says:"the oil will be on the bottom because the container is upside down" I felt that this was leading (we are asking them to give a reason, and there is  a "because" in the choice) so I took that part out for Periods 3-5. 

Then I had them get in their groups and get the liquids from the front counter to observe.  their directions were to create a data table with the observations about the liquids.  I heard a lot of inferences, and I tried to steer them in the directions of observations for example, one group said (and wrote in their data table): "I think it is hair jell" (about the green corn syrup).  I asked "what observations led you to think it is hair jell?"  they said "it is sticky and thick" I tried to point out that this is the observations that I wanted in the data table.  I am surprised how many 8th graders have trouble with inferences vs. observations.

I stamped the Data tables I liked (see Samples below), and told them the ones I did not like and why (not complete, no title, did not use a ruler, etc.) to give them a chance to fix them.  2nd period I chose 4 different data tables and put them on the doc. Cam. and ask which ones they liked best and why.  I did this to stress the different styles of organization.   I did not have time to do this 1st and 3rd. I then want over some of the observations and gave them terms like "viscosity".

Sample Data Table with observations

Sample Data Table with observations