Super STAAR

Supporting Lessons

Separation of a Mixture: Alabama Learning Exchange (website) - Students explore mixtures, recognize that a mixture is created when two or more materials are combined, and design their own procedures for separating a mixture of four ingredients.

Separation of a Mixture
Alabama Learning Exchange, http://alex.state.al.us

Messin’ with Mixtures: TeachEngineering (website) - Students investigate the properties of trail mix, a heterogeneous mixture, as if it were a contaminated soil sample. They learn that physical means can be used to separate heterogeneous mixtures into their component parts, and that when separated, all the parts equal the whole.

Messin’ with Mixtures
TeachEngineering, www.teachengineering.org

Properties of Mixtures and Solutions: University of Virginia (website) - Students make observations, organize and analyze information, and measure and record data while identifying, separating and determining the concentrations of components in mixtures.

Properties of Mixtures and Solutions
University of Virginia, http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Mixtures: TeachersNet (website) - Provides examples of six different simple mixtures (sand and water, for example) to use with students.

Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Mixtures
TeachersNet, http://teachers.net

Mixtures and Solutions Lesson Plans, Worksheets, Printables: Plan It (website) Search Plan It allows you to find lessons and other resources on the area of physical science.

Mixtures and Solutions Lesson Plans, Worksheets, Printables
Plan It, www.searchplanit.com

Assessment Ideas

• Have students create a chart of sample mixtures and non-mixtures.
• Give students performance assessments that challenge students to separate different types of mixtures.
• Make a mixture of salt, sand and iron filings and ask students to devise and test a plan to separate the three components.

• Have students create different mixtures and explain the properties of each.

• Have students research different types of mixtures and how they are used in everyday life.

Literature Connections

Mix It Up! Solution or Mixture? Nelson, Tracy (ISBN-13: 978-1618102270)

Matter. Cooper, Christopher (ISBN-13: 978-0751361353)

Salt. Walpole, Brenda (ISBN-13: 978-1560740605)

Iron. Hasan, Heather (ISBN-13: 978-1404201576)

Mixtures and Solutions: Why Chemistry Matters. Aloian, M. (ISBN-13: 978-0778742500)

Mixtures and Solutions: Reading Essentials in Science. Karpelenia, J. (ISBN-13: 978-0756946425)

Additional Resources

Cleaning Water: ACS Chemistry for Life (website) - Investigate what it takes to clean up wastewater.

Cleaning Water
by the American Chemistry Society, www.acswebcontent.acs.org

Mixtures and Solutions: Science-class.net (website) - Links to activity labs, quizzes, sideshows, and other resources to help you present and teach concepts related to mixtures and solutions.

Mixtures and Solutions
Science-class.net, science-class.net