Lesson: Interesting Ink Unit: Science Lesson number: 5

Aim of the lesson: How scientists test mixtures

Content descriptor:
- Different materials can be combined for a particular purpose (ACSSU031)

- Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in,
objects and events (ACSHE034)

- Pose and respond to questions, and make predictions about familiar objects and
events (ACSIS037)

Elaborations:
- Suggesting why different parts of everyday objects such as toys and clothes are made
from different materials

- Suggesting how everyday items work, using knowledge of forces or materials

Time Activity
2:10-3:00

2:10 Introduction
1 mins Talk about what a mixture is
2:11 - 2 or more things put together

2:11 Teaching
15 mins The master of mixing for today is the Scientist (show the scientist)
2:27
Talk about some of the reasons that a scientist might do with a mixture.
- Test out what happens when things are mixed together
- Make something new
- Find out what is in the mixture

Talk about chromotography

- Chromatography separates mixtures out into their parts
- From this we can see what different colours are in an ink
- Show the chromatography page to the class

Introduce the task

- Tell the class that I was sent a letter from Sherlock Holmes
- Read the letter to the class, using my voice and hand gestures to make
 them excited about the story
- Tell the class that we will be performing an experiment to find out who it
was that stole the dinosaur bones from the museum

Show the class how to do the experiment

- Show the filter paper
- Tell everyone they need to draw a line 2 finger spaces up from the bottom
of the paper
- In pencil, write the colour of the pen on the top
- Using a short piece of masking tape, tape the top of the filter paper onto a
pencil and hang over the cup
- Bring the cup to me (or Mrs Little) at the sink to put a little bit of water in it

2:27 Activity
25 mins Pass out the equipment and send each person back to their desk
2:52 - 1 cup per person
- 2 pieces of filter paper per person
- 1 pack of Liquid Crayon textas per table group

Show the class how to do the experiment

- Show them how to measure and draw the line near the bottom of the filter
paper
- Show them how to write the colour on the top of the filter paper
- Show them how to stick the filter paper on a pencil and hang over the cup

Get the class to repeat the experiment with the second colour

If people finish early then they can try perform the same experiment with any
colour of their choosing.

2:52 Conclusion
8 mins Ask the class who they think the culprit is. Get them to put their hands up for
3:00 each person.

Talk with the class about how they decided who the culprit would be.
- The should have compared the given test with their two tests to work out
who the culprit is.
Dear room 7,

We need your help to find out who stole the dinosaur

bones from the South Australian Museum. Luckily, the
robber left a letter behind saying that we will never catch
them.

The two suspects are Mr Brown and Mrs Black. Mr Brown

had a brown pen on his desk and Mrs Black had a black
pen on her desk. I need you to test the ink in these pens
and work out who stole the bones.

Please hurry.

From Sherlock Holmes

Dear Mr Holmes,

I have tested the ink in the suspects pens and by

comparing this to the note left at the crime scene I have
determined the culprit.

According to the evidence attached below the culprit is:

Mr Brown Mrs Black