One of the new NGSS science standards requires sixth graders
to design their own experiments. This
week students pretended to be material scientists that were evaluating a spill
site from a railway derailment in Columbus, Ohio. The train wreck deposited carloads of sand,
pepper, and an unidentified toxic material (Epsom Salt), along with pieces of
metal from the damaged cars. Samples of
the spill were evaluated for properties of matter that could separate them
easily so the spill could be cleaned up and the environment protected.
After designing an experimental procedure and testing the
substances, students found that the iron filings could be removed with a
magnet. The salt could be dissolved in water.
The pepper floated in oil and the
sand could be filtered out with a coffee filter. This activity was used as an example of how studying the properties of matter might be useful in real life.
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