Classroom Ideas

Moon Soil Science Lab

Well, as much as I hate to admit it…my mind has started wandering towards the return of the school year. School supply lists and sales are popping up everywhere, so it is natural to start back-of-the mind brain cycling (too bad this doesn’t burn as many calories as we spend doing it, eh?) of ideas.

Last Spring, I saw a posting on Pinterest for EyedropperVolcanoes; a lesson designed for preschoolers to create a pan full of volcanoes. I teach 6 classes  5^th Graders (average of 24 students per class), and while baking soda volcanoes are fun they are not in our TEKS. I like the idea of using science equipment like eyedroppers & beakers and creating chemical reactions versus physical changes, however I wanted this lesson to expand on what we were studying. So this is how I extended the lesson to accommodate more kids, at 5^th grade level, keep it hands on for all of the students, and build our investigative senses.  Cooperation, application, communication, and anticipation all make for a great day in the classroom!

My first criterion was everything had to be set up so that I could build up a scientific scenario. I like it easy-breezy; the students like it when the labs weave into a story line. I did not want them to see the “ingredients”as it takes some of the magic out of the story! As I have usually about 130 students in a day, it had to be ready to go, all students participate, and relaxing!

                The Set Up:

Baking Soda - I used Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda

White Flour - I used Hill Country White Self-Rising Flour

Food Coloring - I used McCormick Neon Food Coloring

Plates

Beakers or clear cups

Eye Droppers or Short Straws (full straws can be cut in half)



Layer Baking Soda on a dry plate; make uneven piles for best effect

For set up, I used paper plates, and made enough for one set up at each table of 4 students. Each plate had a small amount of baking soda pocketed into layers of flour.




Layer flour over the Baking Soda; be sure to leave thinner areas

I also provided two beakers with two eyedroppers in each beaker. One was just water, and the other was just vinegar. I used neon food color to make the colors bold and scientific looking; I use this to differentiate the fluids during the lab. We do discuss water-based solutions versus acidic based solutions during the lab. The kids get to experience the differences, hands-on.

One cup has water; the other has vinegar

Each class starts with a fresh plate of flour, and replenished beakers as needed.

The scenario I shared with my students went something like this: we are scientists who were hired to examine some unknown soil samples, possibly from the moon or Mars. It is our purpose to examine the properties of the soil, and determine some information for classification. We are comparing and contrasting the samples to what we know about soil on Earth. (All through this scenario and lab, the students are contributing to the conversation practicing and applying investigative vocabulary…I have found that performing as the absent-minded professor versus the all-questioning teacher draws out more from the students!).

"Water-based solution" colored with neon blue

I have one student at each table use the water “solution” (I indicate by color…they don’t know its water), and place four or so random drops on their “soil” sample. Everyone gets a turn with eyedroppers, so I only have one student at a time place their drops, while everyone makes OBSERVATIONS of reactions of solution and soil. Naturally, nothing really occurs, but have each table report their observations to the class. Sometimes the water rolls and puddles, maybe creates a groove/rut in the “soil”, sometimes the “solution” forms a crater, etc. The conversations are valid, so let those kids share!

Have the next student do the same with the vinegar “solution.” This of course gets a lot of oohs-and-aahs. Have the same observation share time. This reminds students in an easy lesson to watch their own lab, and not look at others…they miss it on both tables! And you never have to say a word!

Acidic based solution (vinegar) is in brownish color (was neon purple)

Because we want to verify our results and the reactions were intriguing, we repeat the water-based solution again. Share results. And then repeat with the acid-based solution. Share results. I would walk around and monitor results, chat with the tables, use a pipette to give a big stream of vinegar into the pile for the grand finale for the big Wows!

We did this lab on a shortened class schedule day, so classes ran about 25 minutes, which was plenty of time for all of this (and even some independent experimenting), and then clean up and set up for next class period. The kids love to help, and we only had one spillage of some flour mixture.

I will do this lab again, (earlier this year with a regular class schedule of 45 minutes), to allow the students to finish lab with a written summary and conclusion. I have students write the science-y words we used on the white-board, as this is a great reward system for using vocabulary. The students like this; even my most quiet kids will contribute to discussions to get the chance to write on the board. We all help with spelling, because Science has so many funny words. They can use the word bank they create as reference for their write-ups. 

The students have a blast with this!

I love labs like this, because the students are so focused and trying so hard. They will ask if we can do it again the next day, IF I have any “moon soil” left, and will bring it up as examples at review!

Let me know if you try the Moon Soil Science Lab. I would love to hear feedback!