Lesson Plan: Compressed Air Tallia Mills

Subject: Science Grade: 6 Date: Nov 22 2022

Unit: Air and Aerodynamics Lesson: 2

General Outcome: Students will describe properties of air and the

interactions of air with objects in flight.

Specific Outcome: Students will provide evidence that air takes up space and exerts
pressure, and identify examples of these properties in everyday applications.

Lesson Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will:

- Provide evidence that air takes up space and exerts pressure.
- Identify 2 examples of air exerting pressure in everyday applications.

Materials:

- Air and Aerodynamics (introduction), Edmonton Public Schools

- Transparent 2L pop bottle
- 1 Balloon for each class
- Sticky notes for exit slips

Preparation:

- Stretch the balloon over the mouth of the empty pop bottle.
- Print an Air and Aerodynamics handout for each student. (see Worksheet in
folder)

Adaptations:
- The True/ False activity can be done by students individually at desks, or as a
whole-class discussion

Anticipatory Set:
1. 1 min: Slide 1: On Friday, we introduced the air and aerodynamics unit. Ask the
class: who can remind me what we did in science on Friday? (The ping pong ball
and water demonstration).

Lesson Procedure:

1. 2 min: Slide 2: Ask the class, when do we see air pressure in everyday
situations? (Some ideas: hiking to high altitudes where pressure is lower, we have
to inhale more. Pressurized air in a can used to blow dust away. Air pressure in
tires, or a soccer ball, needs to be just right. Opening a can of carbonated liquid
releases some pressurized air. Does anyone have a compressor at home?)
2. 3 min: Ask the students: who would like to find out what air pressure feels like?
bring out the can of compressed air.
- Give volunteers a puff of air from a distance. How did it feel? – the
content of this can is a gas, so how is that possible?

How does compressed air work?

The air particles inside are packed tightly together and escape at a high speed
when you release them.

3. 5 min: Tell the students you have a challenge for them. Show them the pop bottle
and the balloon. Tell them you want to inflate it, but demonstrate that you can’t
do it. Who wants to try to blow up the balloon?

Choose a volunteer, tell them they may try only if they promise to be careful, and
not to strain too hard.

Allow a few (1-2) more volunteers to try. Finally ask: why can’t we do it? Is it
because we didn’t try hard enough?
- Why did the balloon inflate a little bit?
- What one thing could we change to allow the balloon to inflate in the
bottle? (if a hole is poked in the bottle, the balloon would inflate because it
would force the air in the bottle out of the hole.)

4. 5 min: Slide 3: Students answer the questions with True or False – if you tell me a
statement is False, please write the correct version of that statement. Give the air
pressure handout to each student. Set visual timer: The students have 5 minutes
to answer the questions and correct all the False statements. Ask them to
compare their answers with a partner. Students who would benefit can go
question by question with the teacher reading the statements, and discuss as a
group whether they think each statement is T or F.

Slide 5: Students who finish early can draw a diagram, labeling the bottle,
balloon, and where the air is most compressed

5. 5-10 min: Slide 6: Go over the answers as a class. Use questioning that prompts
students to elaborate on their reasoning, especially when the answer is False.
Ideas for explanations are in italics.

1. True: The balloon won’t inflate completely because the air in the bottle is
taking up space.
2. False: If the student had blown harder, the balloon would have inflated fully.
The bottle is full of air around the balloon. With nowhere for the air to go,
there is no room for the balloon to inflate any more.
3. True: The balloon inflated a little bit because air can be compressed!
4. True: If a hole were punched in the bottle, the balloon would inflate because it
 would force the air in the bottle out of the hole.
5. False: If a hole were punched in the balloon, the balloon would inflate because
the air would spread out more evenly in the bottle. If a hole were punched in
the balloon, the air would flow out of the hole and into the bottle.

6. 5 min Exit Slip: Slide 5:

o How can you prove that air takes up space?
o What are 2 examples of air pressure in everyday life?
7. Collect exit slips and students’ notes for formative assessment. Thank the
students for their efforts!

Assessment:

Use the students’ answers during discussions, notes, and exit slips to formatively assess
students’ understanding of air and air pressure.

Grade on a 3-point scale in the following chart.

1 = not meeting expectations, 2 = meeting expectations, 3 = exceeding expectations

Student Name Student Student provides Student

provides evidence that identifies
evidence that air exerts everyday
air takes up pressure examples of
space air exerting
pressure

Differentiation:

- For T/F, teacher can pull audio learners/ those who would benefit aside to read the
information to them aloud. The group can discuss their answer for each.
- Exit slips: Students can write their answers or tell them to the teacher before they
leave class. Teacher will read the two questions and display them on the board.
- If students finish early, task them with creating a diagram/ visual representation
of today’s bottle demonstration. They should label the compressed air, the bottle,
and the balloon.
Page from handout via the EPSB https://epsb-resources.sellfy.store/