Ms. Christine's Kindergarten Class

Dear Parents,

I would like to welcome your kindergartener to my class! I believe we will be having a lot of fun throughout the year through learning and exploring. In our exploring, I encourage you to get involved and learn some new things with your child. Throughout the year we will be exploring things such as the moon cycle, baggie gardens, making rain, and creating pH indicators. With each of these activities you will have the chance to interact with your child and journey with them through the learning experience. Throughout this year we will also be exploring how to read and write by writing our own stories and learning the alphabet. We will also be venturing into counting and nature walks to see the world around us as well as apply new found counting skills to that world outside of the classroom. Here are some of the things we will need during the year:

Materials Needed:

• Crayons
• Scissors
• Pens/pencils
• Markers
• Glue
• Excitement for learning and exploring!

I look forward to meeting you and your student on the first day of class!

Ms. Christine Bessolo

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 818) 303-4065

Web-Based Readings for pH Indicator Lesson:

1. http://chemistry.about.com/od/acidsbase1/a/red-cabbage-ph-indicator.htm

2. http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/186indicator.html

3. http://www.stanford.edu/~ajspakow/downloads/outreach/ph-student-9-30-09.pdf

pH Indicator Learning Cycle:

Title: Cabbage Chemistry  

Grade: Kindergarten

Next Generation Science Standards:

5-PS1-4

            Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances. [ Common Core State Standards: W.5.9: draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. W.5.8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provides a list of sources]

Brain Compatibility:

            Rule #4: We don’t pay attention to boring things

            Rule #8: Stressed brains don’t learn the same way

            Rule #9: Stimulate more of the senses

            Rule #12: We are powerful and natural explorers

Lesson Body: 5 E’s

• Engagement:
  • Engage the students by having them bring in their favorite drinks, lotions, what toothpaste they use, or any other kind of liquid they can think of. Have a head of cabbage sitting at each table. Encourage the students to share what they have brought in and to begin to think of reasons why they brought them. Have them talk with a partner to see what differences there might be in the different liquids and how they might connect to the cabbage on the desk.
• Exploration:
  • Gather facts about cabbage through videos, books, or other web sources.
  • Ask students to look through these and see what facts they can find about cabbage
  • Encourage students to talk about the facts that they found and how they think these facts will interact with the liquids they have brought in. What was something interesting thy found?
  • After they share these discoveries with each other, encourage some to share with the whole class what they found and what they hypothosize might happen with the liquids and the cabbage.
  • As the students share and discuss, put up a worksheet for them to look back at and reference as the discussion continues.
• Explanation
  • When the students have fully discussed and created hypothoseis about the activity, explain what exactly the activity is. Accept their responses to it and their ideas.
  • Was it difficult to make the connection between the cabbage facts learned and what was going to be done with the liquids?
    • (Cabbage juice contains a natural pH indicator) Explain how the cabbage is able to produce a natural pH indicator that changes colors according to the acidity of the solution. Explain that when other things are mixed with the juice.
  • How were you able to determine that cabbage had this property?
    • (We looked up the facts about cabbage. On one of the sights we read that cabbage could be used as an indicator)
  • Why do you think this is important to know?
    • (Because it influences structure and function of enzymes) Explain how this influences the structure of living systems and how the enzymes have narrow ranges of pH activity. Expalin how different enzymes in the living system have different ranges of pH.
  • What is the name of the pigment that acts as the pH indicator?
    • (Flavin)
• Elaboration
  • Have the students discuss how they should get the juice out of the cabbage
  • Put their ideas on the board along with the steps to create the pH indicator.
  • Have the students tear up the leaves of the cabbage until they have enough for about three cups
  • Allow the students to get up and get warm water and jars or ziplock bags to combine the water and the leaves.
  • Have the students get up and stand around their tables. Turn on music for them to dance to to help shake the jars/bags.
  • Have each student pass the jars/bags around so that each student has a turn to do this.
  • Let them observe how the water begins to turn a purple color. When they feel it is a dark enough color, have them gather cups to pour the water into.
  • Once they each have a cup of cabbage juice have the students begin testing the liquids they brought in.
  • Once they have all had a chance to see how their’s changes have them observe the others around their table
  • Next have the students stand and view the other tables and how they have changed colors.
• Evaluation
  • After the students have seen all the different changes, have them go back to their tables and explain the different colors.
  • Pull up an image of a pH scale or draw one on the board using the appropriate color dryerase markers.
  • Explain how each color represents a different acidic level
  • Have the students look at their own pH indicator and determine what acidic level their liquid shows.
  • Once they have determined that have them, table by table, get up and place their liquid under the right color of acidity.
  • Next ask the students why they think certain liquids have certain acidity.
  • Finish the activity by rewviewing the concepts and ask the students to share a couple of things they learned about creating your own pH indicator and how the liquids reacted.
• Electronic Resources
  • Internet –to play music as students shook the jars/bags and to show students facts as well as a scale of acidity

Safety Concerns:

• If students require assistance using materials, encourage them to seek help from a classmate or teacher
• While walking around to get the warm water, shaking the jar/bags, or going to see the different table’s results they need to be careful and respect their classmates
• When shaking the jar/bag students need to show respectful behavior and becareful of their classmates around them

Materials Nedded:

• Head of cabbage for each table group
• Enough jars and baggs for the students to place shredded cabbage leaves into
• Each student needs to bring in one household liquid of their choosing
• Cups to put the cabbage juice in (1 per student)
• Coffee filters to strain the cabbage juice (1 per student)

Transition Statements:

• Ffollowing Engagement: Encourage the students discuss the cabbage and how it connects to what they brought in
• Following Exploration: When the students have had tie to explore and discuss their ideas, encourage them to share what they have discovered or what they think is going to be done in class
• Following Explanation: After discussing as a class, the teacher will explain what they will be doing and put up the instructions about how to use the pH indicator.
• Following Elaboration: Once it has been explained the teacher will allow the students to follow the steps and conduct the experiement on their own, asking for help if needed.
• Following Evaluation:  “Once you have had the chance to see all the different results go back to your table and have a seat”. Put up the scale and encourage the students, table by table, to come up and place their liquid under the correct acidity. “Thank you for participating today! I hope this gets you to think about other household items that might have an acidic nature.” Have the students pack up and go home for the day

Teacher Conetent Background:

            The teacher needs to have knowledge about pH indicator tests and how to obtain it from the cabbage or other resources. Teacher also needs to have a good understanding of the pH scale and the acidity levels of each color.

Adaptations/Accommodations for Special Learners:

• Allow extended time
• Use visuals
• Whole class participation
• Use of cooperative groups
• Visual aids (materials, writing on the board)
• Individual instructions and discussion

Cleanup:

            Encourage the students to dispose of materials as they are used throughout the lesson. When they are done with the cabbage have them place what remains in a box. When done with the jars of shredded cabbage have them dump out the leaves in the trash or throw out the bags. Dump the juice in the sink and rinse out the cups when done.

Lesson Clorsure

Following this lesson, students will be able to:

• Have a better understanding of why pH blance is important
• Test other household items for acidity levels
• Demonstrate what they have learned to their parents

Class Calendar: