max sour ltd. – a learning...

Professional Reflection-Oriented Focus on Inquiry-based Learning and Education through Science

Project funded within the EC FP7 Programme: 5.2.2.1 – SiS-2010-2.2.1 Grant Agreement No.:266589

Supporting and coordinating actions on innovative methods in science education: teacher training on inquiry based teaching methods on a large scale in Europe

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PROFILES IBSE Teaching/Learning Materials – Overview compiled by the PROFILES Working Group of the Universität Bremen – Germany

Developed by: Torsten Witteck, Marc Stuckey and Ingo Eilks (2011) Institution: Institute for Science Education, Universität Bremen – Germany Homepage: www.idn.uni-bremen.de - Mail: [email protected]

Abstract

A "Learning Company" is a didactically-constructed classroom structure, analogous to

existing or "ideal" real-world companies. This paper describes a lesson plan worked out and

tested for grade-8 to 10 chemistry lessons (age-range 13-16). The topic is “The Chemistry of

Acids and Bases” and the concept of the Learning Company is used to motivate and

encourage co-operative learning. The lesson plan integrates the idea of a Learning Company

with more open and inquiry approaches towards experimentation.

Max Sour Ltd. – A learning company

A Module for Science Instruction – especially Chemistry – for Grades 8 to 10


Developed by: Marc Stuckey, Torsten Witteck, Ingo Eilks (2009) Institution: Institute for Science Education, Universität Bremen – Germany

Homepage: www.idn.uni-bremen.de - Mail: [email protected] Adapted by: UniHB-PROFILES Working Group (2011) www.profiles-projects.eu

Overview – 2/2

Subject: Science and/or Chemistry

Grade level: 8th to 10th grade

Curriculum content: chemistry of acids and bases (Brönsted-theory)

Kind of activity: inquiring, laboratory activity, open experimentation, group activities etc.

Anticipated time: 8-10 lesson periods of 45 minutes for the example

Overall Objectives/Competencies: Planning and realisation of investigations and reports,

scientific inquiry, presentation skills, communication and

cooperative learning.

Attached files 1. Student activities Describes the scenario in more detail and the tasks the

students should carry out 2. Teaching guide Suggests a teaching approach

Acknowledgement: These materials were developed in cooperation with a Participatory Action Research project supported by the University of Bremen.




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PROFILES IBSE Teaching/Learning Materials – Students compiled by the PROFILES Working Group of the Universität Bremen – Germany


Outline

A "Learning Company" is a didactically-constructed classroom structure, analogous to existing or "ideal" real-world companies. This paper describes a lesson plan worked out and tested for grade-8 to 10 chemistry lessons (age-range 13-16). The topic is “The Chemistry of Acids and Bases” and the concept of the Learning Company is used to motivate and encourage co-operative learning. The lesson plan integrates the idea of a Learning Company with more open and inquiry approaches towards experimentation. Acknowledgement: These materials were developed in cooperation with a Participatory Action Research project supported by the University of Bremen.





Supporting and coordinating actions on innovative methods in science education: teacher train-ing on inquiry based teaching methods on a large scale in Europe

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Transparency „Overview on the lesson plan“

The Max Sour Learning Company The Max Sour Company has seven departments. These de-partments receive work orders from the "boss", which they must complete. Form groups (departments) of 4-5 Stu-dents. You will work in these groups for the next few periods and display your findings at the end in a presentation. Each pupil will receive an identification tag showing his or her department and name.

You have approximately 1-2 hours for the plan-ning and preparation of your experiments and another 4-5 periods for conducting them, to learn about acids and bases, and to create a poster. All experiments must be discussed with your teacher before you carry them out. Every activity must be carefully documented. Every experiment must be written up using correct scientific termi-nology.

Aside from working on your experimental tasks, answer the questions for your specific area in the general question catalogue with the help of the computer learning environment, your textbook, or the Internet.

Create a poster which summarises all of the work and ex-perimental results from your particular department. Note: The work of the entire department is the most important

factor!




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„The Max Sour learning company“

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M2 Department Plant Indicators

Max Sour Acids – Bases – Neutralization – Indicators

Max Sour Ltd., Acids – Bases – Neutralization – Indicators To: Department: Plant-based Indicators - in House - Work Order Customer Number Symbol Date 342670 S-14/07 01.04.11 Dear Colleagues The company has received a new contract to develop an indicator solution from red radish-es. From theory, we know that a radish-based indicator probably has a large pH colour-change range from light orange via violet to light yellow. Because of the tasks given to us by our cus-tomer, the following solutions must be able to be differentiated between using the radish in-dicator: hydrochloric acid (pH 1), ethanoic acid (pH 3), water (pH 7), sodium hydroxide (pH 10), and sodium hydroxide (pH 14) In addition, please create a manual including a color chart in which the color changes in the different pH ranges can be interpreted. It also would be helpful if the indicator solution is as concentrated as possible. The warehouse has already assembled the following chemicals and materials for you: Materials: Erlenmeyer flasks, kitchen knife or potato peeler, mortar and pestle, filter papers, funnels, clamps, polyethylene bottles, test tubes, test tube racks Chemicals: radishes, acetone, ethanol, water, various acids and bases: hydrochloric acid (pH 1), ethanoic acid (pH 3), water (pH 7), sodium hydroxide (pH 10), and sodium hydroxide (pH 14) Good Luck,

Your Management If you need further information, you can find it in the computer learning environment, text-book, or Internet! If the information isn't enough, the teacher has a description of the experiment which you can read. Document all of your activities, experiments (procedure, observations, evaluation) and re-sults! You must write up each experiment you carry out. Create a poster. The poster must be laid out so that you can later explain to the other de-partments exactly what your department did. The poster is used as advertising for the pro-ductive efficiency of Max Sour Ltd. Every student must answer the catalogue of questions on the acid-base theory with the help of the computer learning environment, textbook and Internet, so that everyone can under-stand what happens in the other departments.

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M3 Department Synthetic Indicators


Max Sour Ltd., Acids – Bases – Neutralization – Indicators To: Department: Plant-based Indicators - in House - Work Order Customer Number Symbol Date 342670 S-14/07 01.04.11 Dear Colleagues, This morning, the research department discovered that our company's supply of universal indicator solution has been nearly used up. The various departments desperately need more universal indicator to carry out further research. Your department must develop and produce a universal indicator which differentiates be-tween strong and weak acids, strong and weak bases, and neutral solutions. Such a univer-sal indicator solution is a mixture of various indicator solutions which can pinpoint a broad range of pH changes through colour changes. Based on the contracts our company must meet, the universal indicator must distinguish between the following solutions: hydrochloric acid with a pH value of 1, ethanoic acid with a pH value of 3, water with a pH value of 7, sodium hydroxide with a pH value of 10, and so-dium hydroxide with a pH value of 14. Due to cost considerations, the indicator should be made up of the least number of components possible. Up until now, the mixture has been successfully produced using a maximum of 3-4 components. The warehouse has already assembled the following chemicals and materials for you: Materials: spot plates, pipettes, graduated cylinders, beakers, test tubes, test tube racks Chemicals: Litmus paper, methyl red, thymol blue, phenolphthalein, bromthymol blue, vari-ous acids and bases: hydrochloric acid (pH 1), ethanoic acid (pH 3), water (pH 7), sodium hydroxide (pH 10), and sodium hydroxide (pH 14).

Good Luck,


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M4 Department Inquiring Cosmetics


Max Sour Ltd., Acids – Bases – Neutralization – Indicators To: Department: Plant-based Indicators - in House - Work Order Customer Number Symbol Date 342670 S-14/07 01.04.11 Dear colleagues, Our management team wants to order a new brand of lotion soap for the laboratories and staff washrooms. Since we are concerned with the health of our employees, we wish to pur-chase only "pH- skin neutral" products for use in the company. We request that you test the new product carefully. Please compare the new hand lotion's characteristics with the com-pany's current soap product. Your recommendation will be used to make the final decision to accept or reject the new, more expensive hand lotion as an alternative to the cheaper soap we currently use. In addition, examine the other acne and peeling products which have been provided to you. Determine the pH value and the ingredients which make up each product. Explain the prod-uct's effectiveness and how the ingredients function to yield the final pH-value for the respec-tive products. The warehouse has already assembled the following chemicals and materials for you: Materials: beakers, knife, spatula, graduated cylinder Chemicals: hand soap lotion, bar soap, water (pH 7), acne product, peeling-cream, universal indicator Good Luck,


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M5 Department Inquiring Pharmaceuticals


Max Sour Ltd., Acids – Bases – Neutralization – Indicators To: Department: Plant-based Indicators - in House - Work Order Customer Number Symbol Date 342670 S-14/07 01.04.11 Dear Colleagues The last days and weeks in the company have been stressful for all of us. We would grate-fully like to thank all of you for your efforts in the name of the management team. Several colleagues have come down with stomach problems and heartburn. We have been advised to provide the antacid, Maalox, to anyone who needs it. The antacid comes in tablet and liq-uid forms. Please examine Maalox for its chemical properties and explain to your colleagues how it works to relieve heartburn. The warehouse has already assembled the following chemicals and materials for you: Materials: beakers, pipettes, graduated cylinders, mortar and pestle Chemicals: “Maalox” tablets, “Maalox” liquid antacid, hydrochloric acid (pH 2), universal indi-cator paper, water (pH 7) Good Luck,


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M6 Department Jarnitorial Stuff


Max Sour Ltd., Acids – Bases – Neutralization – Indicators To: Department: Plant-based Indicators - in House - Work Order Customer Number Symbol Date 342670 S-14/07 01.04.11 Dear Colleagues Our canteen has a problem with calcified heating elements in the company dishwasher. In addition, the drain for the dishwasher is plugged up so that the canteen cannot use the dish-washer. Please remove the calcification and unblock the drain as quickly as possible. The warehouse has already assembled the following chemicals and materials for you: Materials: beakers, graduated cylinders, gas burner, 3-legged stand, test tubes, test tube rack, spatula, scale Chemicals: piece of calcified pipe or limestone chunks, essence of vinegar, citric acid, drain cleaner, water, hair, fabric/thread, chicken bones, universal indicator paper Good Luck,


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M7 Department Waste Disposal


Max Sour Ltd., Acids – Bases – Neutralization – Indicators To: Department: Plant-based Indicators - in House - Work Order Customer Number Symbol Date 342670 S-14/07 01.04.11 Dear Colleagues In the past month our various departments produced acidic and caustic waste which cannot be further used and must be disposed of. You must examine the waste products and prepare them for disposal by neutralising them. Evaporate samples of the neutralised solutions and determine the masses of the substances which were in solution. This information is important in calculating the disposal costs for the waste. The warehouse has already assembled the following chemicals and materials for you: Materials: beakers, Bunsen burner, 3-legged stand, graduated cylinders, scale Chemicals: waste: hydrochloric acid pH 1, sodium hydroxide pH 14, universal indicator pa-per Good Luck,


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M8 Department Canteen


Max Sour Ltd., Acids – Bases – Neutralization – Indicators To: Department: Plant-based Indicators - in House - Work Order Customer Number Symbol Date 342670 S-14/07 01.04.11 Dear Colleagues Tomorrow there will be a conference in our company. Our usual fare of roast and red cabbage will suffice for the conference luncheon. Unfortunately, the red cabbage at our last conference turned into blue cabbage. Please discover the cause of this change. Can we possibly use the results from this investigation for researching acids and bases? The warehouse has already assembled the following chemicals and materials for you: Materials: Erlenmeyer flasks, kitchen knife, mortar and pestle, beakers Chemicals: red cabbage, water, various acids and bases: hydrochloric acid (pH 1), acetic acid (pH 3), water (pH 7), sodium hydroxide (pH 10), and sodium hydroxide (pH 14) Good Luck,





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M9 Catalogue of questions You must learn about the chemistry of acids and bases. The chemistry of acids and bases is the ground to accomplish your work order. The following tasks will help you for assess your learn-ing. If you will be able to answer all the following tasks correctly, you will be able to present your department in a good way.

1. Which particles are responsible for the acidous behaviour of a solution?

2. Which particles are responsible for the base behaviour of a solution?

3. Explain the different meanings of the word acid?

4. Explain the terms proton donator and proton acceptor.

5. Explain the formation of an acidous solution on the level of particles along the example or hydrochloric acid.

6. Explain the difference of hydrochloric acid and chlorhydrogen.

7. Explain to when the terms lye, alcaline solution and base are used.

8. Explain the term leach and the typical properties of a leach.

9. Explain the formation of an alkaline solution on the example of ammonia.

10. Explain the difference between soda lye and sodium hydroxide.

11. Explain the term neutralisation.

12. Which measure can be done with an indicator? Which particles can be tested?

13. Explain the reaction of magnesium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid. Which products will be formed?

14. Explain the special emphasis of the pH-values 0, 7 and 14?

15. 1 liter of an acid and 1 liter of a lye are given together. Explain that the resulting solution is not necessary neutral.




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PROFILES IBSE Teaching/Learning Materials – Teachers compiled by the PROFILES Working Group of the Universität Bremen – Germany


Module Content

The learning company is a didactically-constructed classroom structure, analogous to

existing or "ideal" companies. The learning environment is used for the simulation of

practical, profession-oriented tasks in business. Through a model based on already-existing

or idealised companies, students are supposed to learn how processes in a company occur.

They should recognise how businesses are structured and how differing tasks within the

company are related in a cause-effect relationship to one another, to the economy and to the

environment. This also incorporates thoughts about functional co-operation within and

between different departments. The possibility of using the above-mentioned thoughts for

motivation and the encouragement of co-operative learning in science education seems to be

very interesting. This module describes a lesson plan for grade-8 to 10 chemistry lessons on

the topic “The Chemistry of Acids and Bases”. The lesson plan integrates the learning




Developed by: Torsten Witteck, Marc Stuckey and Ingo Eilks (2009) Institution: Institute for Science Education, Universität Bremen – Germany


for teachers – 2/5

company concept with more open approaches towards experimentation and learning with

multimedia in school science (Witteck & Eilks, 2005; 2006).

The objective of the lesson plan which this module describes is to include all relevant

aspects of acid-base chemistry into the learning company lesson plan, theoretically as well

as in the hands-on aspects. As to the methods of teaching, it is intended that all necessary

steps of learning should be performed by the pupils on their own, based in small learning

groups, starting from open-ended tasks and based on experimental work. Thus, open tasks

are assigned instead of prescribed "cookbook recipes" being provided to the students. The

assigned experimental problems must be conquered through self-dictated, self-organised,

self-responsible learning. The problems are organised so that no experimental directions

have to be given. Instead, goal-oriented "contracts" (or "work orders") and a folder of

information materials are provided so that the exercise can be solved without resorting to a

prescribed path.

Teaching scenario

In the beginning, students are divided into small groups (departments). Each group is

composed of 4-5 children, and a folder is provided for their particular department. It is very

important to carefully divide the pupils into groups including a thorough mix of different

achieving learners. Each group receives a department identity tag, upon which they can write

their names.

The Max Sour Ltd. Learning Company has seven different departments with specific tasks:

1) The research division "Synthetic Indicators" is ordered to produce an optimal universal

indicator by mixing several different indicator solutions. A large number of indicators are

provided for the task. The pupils must discover a good combination of the solutions so

that they can differentiate between a pre-set range of pH-values (1, 4, 7, 10, 14).

2) The research division "Plant-based Indicators" is ordered to produce a new, natural

indicator from radish peels. An indicator handbook must be written, including a colour

scale which makes predetermined pH-change points (1, 4, 7, 10, 14) visible.

3) The analytical division "Cosmetics" is supposed to research a "pH-skin neutral” hand-

cleaning lotion (pH 5.5) and then compare it with an already-existing, common soap.

Furthermore, they must test an acne product and an anti-peeling product for their

characteristics. The pH-values and constituents of these products must also be

determined.





4) In the analytical division "Pharmaceuticals" students are tasked with the problem of

examining the function of antacids. They must uncover the properties of the antacid

either as a tablet or in a liquid form. They must also describe the way both forms

function.

5) The company's canteen is required to prepare its usual "roast with red cabbage" for a

conference. The bosses emphatically express their wish for red cabbage, since the red

cabbage turned out blue the last time. The kitchen workers must figure out why this

happened and avoid repeating the problem.

6) The janitors must find a way for the company's canteen to clean calcified heating-elements

in the dishwasher and to free a plugged drainpipe.

7) The Environmental Division must examine, neutralise and dispose of growing amounts of

waste from the other six divisions from the previous month. The neutralised solutions are

to be evaporated and the mass of their constituent parts is to be determined for cost-

effective disposal.

For all departments, the pupils receive orders from a fictitious "executive department"

member allegedly in charge of the various departments of the learning company (the

teacher). All these orders include a small story related to a possible problem which might

occur in a company. The stories instigate the investigation of and the products surrounding

acids and basis. An example work order is given below.

The students receive their work orders, including equipment and chemicals, within the

individual groups. Each work order is to be solved through experimentation. Only the stated

problem and the materials which are available for the various departments are listed on the

work order. They do not contain instructions for experimental procedures or apparatus

construction. Pupils are supposed to plan and execute the experiments on their own

initiative. They have approximately an hour's time for the planning of the various experiments

and also have open access to the computer resources to answer the relevant questions.

Planning the experiments occurs before they are carried out by the pupils and must be

discussed with the teacher. Within this discussion also questions of risk assessment have to

be discussed. If a department cannot find a solution, the teacher can provide the pupils with

ideas or, eventually, a descriptive procedure for the experiment. After discussing and

planning the procedures, the students must carry out their experiments and carefully

document all activities. It is also very important that the students use scientifically-correct

terminology when writing up their results. The students were given 4-6 periods (45 minutes





each) for conducting their tasks.

Due to the open-formatted, independent nature of the students' experimentation, they must

carefully plan and discuss exactly how they want to perform their experiments. It is entirely

possible that some plans might have to be scrapped, since the execution of the plan may not

lead to the desired goal. Therefore, the independent planning of the experiment becomes

more important than the actual experimentation itself. The students can work creatively and

freely develop themselves. It is a very special event when their independent planning actually

leads to success.

In addition to the work contracts, each group receives the same list of question about the

basic theories of acids and bases and further questions concerning its own special topic. The

computer resources provided should be used for answering these. Here, a specially

structured HTML-environment is used which contains all of the necessary information which

the students need to solve their assignments including lot of information about acids and

bases which is related to everyday life.1 With the help of this information, some additional,

specific questions given to each department can be clarified and answered. These questions

can be used to adjust the lesson plan to the group’s learning capabilities and prior-

knowledge. For further learning, there are several acid-base experiments which are

accessible via video clip and small video animations of the particle level. If it is not possible

to access a multimedia environment, a hard copy of the texts or prepared texts and pages

from schoolbooks can be provided as an alternative to the computer resources.

The pupils' experimental results must be presented to the whole class at the very end. The

presentation should be carefully diagrammed on poster paper, so that students in the other

departments can absorb and understand the contents and the experimental results which are

presented. The idea is to make a trade fair out of the company’s production potential and to

create advertising for Max Sour Ltd. In this framework, the solutions to the theoretical

questions can also be presented and compared. However, other forms of idea exchange are

also possible between the groups.

1 To get an idea about the HTML-learning environment a German version is available at http://www.chemie.uni-bremen.de/eilks/Material/saeurebase/index1.html.





References Beck, K., Witteck, T., & Eilks, I. (2010). Open experimentation on phenomena of chemical

reactions via the learning company approach in early secondary chemistry education.

Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 6(2), 163-171.

Witteck, T., Beck, K., Most, B., Kienast, S., & Eilks, I. (2012). The learning company

approach to promote active learning in secondary chemistry lessons. In: I. Devetak,

S. A. Glazar & L. Plut-Pregelj (eds.), Learning with understanding in the chemistry

classroom. Dordrecht: Springer in print.

Witteck, T., & Eilks, I. (2006). Die Max Sauer GmbH - Materialien für eine Lernfirma zu

Säuren und Basen in der Sekundarstufe I . RAABits Chemie Sekundarstufe I, 13.

Ergänzungslieferung, Stuttgart: Raabe, I/E 9, S. 1-26.

Witteck, T., & Eilks, I. (2005) Die Max Sauer GmbH – Eine Lernfirma zu Säuren und Basen.

Naturwissenschaften im Unterricht Chemie, 16, Nr. 88/89, 51-56.

Witteck, T., & Eilks, I. (2006). Max Sour Ltd. – Open experimentation and problem solving in

a cooperative learning company. School Science Review, 88 (323), 95-102.

Witteck, T., Most, B., Kienast, S., & Eilks, I. (2007). A lesson plan on separating matter

based on the learning company approach – A motivating frame for self-regulated and

open lab-work in introductory chemistry lessons. Chemistry Education Research and

Practice, 7 (2), 108-119.

Acknowledgement: These materials were developed in cooperation with a Participatory Action Research project supported by the University of Bremen.

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