Scaffolding An Eight Grade Physical Science Standard: NGSS MS-PS1-1. Develop models to describe t...

1. Objective #1: SWBAT recognize atomic diagrams of four different carbon-based materials. They will compare and contrast the structure and properties of two of these materials (diamond and graphite).

1.1. Student Info: Students will be familiar with some aspects of graphite and diamonds but not their atomic structure. They most likely will be new to other carbon-based materials: fullerenes and nanotubes.

1.2. Vocabulary warm-up: I will give a mini-lecture on terms we'll use for this objective (such as "physical properties"), and students will then fill out a vocabulary worksheet with these terms

1.3. Question of The Day + Discussion: "What are diamonds and graphite used for? What are their physical properties?"

1.4. "Do Why Do Pencils Write?" hands-on activity: Students will rub together two pieces of paper; then they cover the paper with pencil markings and rub the two pieces of paper together again. This demonstrates a physical property of graphite that enables pencils to make marks. Source: Padilla, Michael J. et al., California Focus on Physical Science. (2008). Boston, MA: Pearson Prentice Hall.

1.5. Students will watch a video that shows different carbon-based materials and their applications in industry and in daily life.

1.6. I will give a mini-lecture on four types of carbon materials: diamond, graphite, fullerenes, and nanotubes: structure and properties

1.7. Students will get diagrams of the atomic structure of the four carbon materials

1.8. Students will fill out Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the atomic structure, physical appearance, and uses of graphite and diamond

1.9. Students will work in pairs to fill out a Cause and Effect graphic organizer on how the differences in carbon bonds explain why graphite and diamonds have different properties. Then we'll have a class discussion and I'll list and discuss every pairs' answers.

2. Objective #2: SWBAT make 3D models of molecules from given molecular formulas for molecules containing C, H, N, and O

2.1. Student Info: This will be their first introduction to molecules

2.2. Students will do a Question of The Day: "What do you think happens when you smell something?" and we'll discuss it as a class

2.3. I'll give a mini-lesson on smell, molecules, and molecular formulas. Students will add terms to their vocabulary list.

2.4. Students will do a lab comparing smells with the names and formulas of molecules. Source: Living by Chemistry Unit 2, Lesson 1. Students will answer the lab questions and write them on the board

2.5. We will discuss students' answers to the lab questions and I will do a mini-lecture on the main idea: "The smell of a substance can be predicted if you know its name and/or its chemical formula."

2.6. Question of the day: I will show diagrams of two molecules and ask students what patterns about bonding they see. Then we will discuss them.

2.7. I'll give a mini-lecture on the bonding rules for C, H, N, and O

2.8. I Do, You Do, We Do activity: Students will draw diagrams of molecules from given molecular formulas for molecules containing C, H, N, and O

2.9. Students will do an exit slip molecular diagram so I can check for student understanding.

2.10. I'll do a mini-lecture reviewing molecular diagrams.

2.11. I'll give a mini-lecture explaining how to use model kits to make 3D models of molecules.

2.12. I Do, You Do, We Do activity: Students will make 3D models of the molecules they had previously drawn diagrams of.

2.13. Graphic organizer: Student will fill out a graphic organizer writing the key facts and procedures for starting with a formula of a molecule, drawing a diagram of it, and then making a 3D model.

2.14. Exit slip question about the simulations

2.15. I'll give a mini-lecture explaining how to do computer models of molecules using PhET simulations

2.16. I Do, You Do, We Do activity: PhET simluations of the molecules students had made with their model kits.

2.17. Written assessment on contructing molecules

3. Objective #3: SWBAT make models of polymers and explain how the properties of polymers depend on their structure

3.1. Student Info: They are familiar with polymeric materials and their properties in every day life, but this will be their first introduction to the underlying molecular structure of polymers

3.2. Tap into prior knowledge: Question of The Day - What materials do you know that are polymers?

3.3. Students will watch the Nova documentary about polymers and other materials, "Making Stuff Stronger".

3.4. Students will do Think-Pair-Share for questions related to the Nova documentary

3.5. I will give a mini-lecture on the structure of polymers and Kevlar

3.6. Students will do a group worksheet on the structure of polymers.

3.7. Students will do the first two Kevlar Strength hands-on activities from lbl.gov.

3.8. Exit slip question about why Kevlar is so strong.

4. References : http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards; http://www.edutopia.org/blog/scaffolding-lessons-six-strategies-rebecca-alber; Stacy, Angelic M. (2012). Living by Chemistry Unit 2: Smells Teacher Guide. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman and Company; Padilla, Michael J. et al., California Focus on Physical Science. (2008). Boston, MA: Pearson Prentice Hall; PhET Interactive Simulations. Retrieved from https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/chemistry; Kevlar--The Wonder Material. Retrieved from http://www2.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/Kevlar/index.html.