Science lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 60 minutes
Pure substances, mixtures and chromatography
Materials and their properties
CCSS NGSS.MS-PS1-2England: KS3 Chemistry: Pure and impure substancesEngland: KS4 Combined Science: Chemical analysis
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Pure substances, mixtures and chromatography.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Separating mixtures
Leads to: Calculate and use Rf values in chromatography
Materials: A tray of everyday objects, Sorting hoops, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Separating mixtures). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which method is best to separate iron nails from wood shavings? (sieving / filtering / evaporating / using a magnet) → using a magnetPrompt: Is anything dissolved? Is anything magnetic? Are the bits different sizes?
- Separating mixtures: which statement is NOT true? (A magnet can separate iron from sand. / A sieve can separate sugar from water. / Filtering can separate an insoluble solid from a liquid. / Evaporation can get a dissolved solid back from a solution.) → A sieve can separate sugar from water.Prompt: Can a filter catch something that is dissolved?
- Which method is best to separate chalk dust from water? (sieving / filtering / evaporating / using a magnet) → filteringPrompt: Is anything dissolved? Is anything magnetic? Are the bits different sizes?
Hook · 6 min
- Pass round objects made of different materials and ask why each one was chosen.
- Share the objective: Pure substances, mixtures and chromatography. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: In a chromatogram the solvent moved 5 cm and a dye spot moved 1 cm from the start line. What is the Rf value of the dye? (Give 2 decimal places.)
- Step 1: 1 ÷ 5 = 0.2
- Step 2: So the answer is: 0.2
- Answer: 0.2
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- In a chromatogram the solvent moved 8 cm and a dye spot moved 4 cm from the start line. What is the Rf value of the dye? (Give 2 decimal places.) → 0.5Prompt: Rf = distance moved by the spot ÷ distance moved by the solvent
- An ink gives three separate spots on a chromatogram. What does this show? (The ink is insoluble / The ink is a mixture of at least three dyes / The ink is a pure substance / The paper was dirty) → The ink is a mixture of at least three dyesPrompt: Each different dye moves a different distance.
You do: independent practice · 17 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- In chemistry, what does "pure" mean? (clean and safe to drink / natural, with nothing added by people / made of only one substance / very expensive) → made of only one substancePrompt: Is "pure orange juice" pure in the chemical sense?
- In a chromatogram the solvent moved 5 cm and a dye spot moved 2 cm from the start line. What is the Rf value of the dye? (Give 2 decimal places.) → 0.4Prompt: Rf = distance moved by the spot ÷ distance moved by the solvent
Watch out for
- Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
- Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Separating mixtures.
- Use concrete materials: a tray of everyday objects.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Calculate and use Rf values in chromatography.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-8.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder