Summer SAVY, Session 5 Day 1, Chemical Spill (Pilote) (3rd-4th)
Today was a really great day at SAVY. We were ready to dive into what we like about science and so much buzz was in the room, it was so exciting! An ill-structured problem was presented today that had students really thinking about the consequences of an accidental chemical spill in Nashville. Students first gathered the information that they knew about the problem. An unknown substance spilled onto the road from a truck. Students pick up clues to give them the information they need. The truck had a sign that said “corrosive.” This new vocabulary word is important to our learning. A corrosive substance will destroy or irreversibly damage another surface or substance with which it comes to contact causing gradual destruction. We learned that the substance was found flowing from the truck to a nearby creek. Steam was rising from the creek! Oh, no! Immediately students started to ask, “What are the consequences of this spill? Will the creek be polluted? Will it harm animals? Will plants be affected? How will the spill affect traffic? Will the spill affect the water supply? Is the air dangerous? Do we need to evacuate the area?
The students began discussing the resources needed to consult in this time-sensitive situation. What or who can help us discover more information about this spill? Ideas that students came up with were asking a scientist, using a drone to take footage from a safe distance, talking to witnesses, researching, asking ecologists and environmentalists, and notifying an appropriate cleanup crew.
We then began testing the materials that were found at the scene. How do substances affect grass, leaves, flowers, concrete, asphalt, plastic, metal, etc? We used one jar with one chemical and another jar with the second chemical. The students will observe the changes to the materials over the week.
We had a great discussion today learning about systems, chemistry, ecological habitats, and transportation. Tomorrow, we will learn more about systems and conduct plenty of experiments!
- Safety is important when conducting chemical experiments. Remind students that wearing lab coats, safety goggles, and gloves is important to keep them safe from hazardous materials. Watch the video to learn about the importance of being careful and taking safety precautions when working with chemicals. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=DZX6IAPPMIW
- What do you know and what questions do you have about the scientific method?
Also, this is a reminder that closed-toe shoes and long pants are required on Friday because we will be visiting the chemistry lab.
See you all tomorrow!