Heat Unit PBL - Am I Freezing?

For the new Physical Science 20 course, last year I taught the heat unit using a problem based learning format.  My purpose was to encourage students to research the concepts and share their learning in teams.  Students were to focus on research and apply the science concepts to a real problem.  They researched science concepts and vocabulary and then shared their findings with their group.  As we conducted labs and activities, students recorded data and analyzed their results.This project was assessed through self-evaluation and peer evaluation, as well as through quizzes, lab reports and a unit test.  

Sun West School Division is focusing on 21st Century Competencies and is giving teachers professional opportunities to complete a project with these competencies as the core.  A description of my PBL as a 21CC project can be found at this link.  
Please note the original source of this PBL is:  http://wveis.k12.wv.us/teach21/public/project/Guide.cfm?upid=3351&tsele1=3&tsele2=137
Further, a collection of materials for the PBL unit can be found in this file.

Implementation Team for PS20

The implementation team for PS20 has created materials for PS20 teachers to use. This team is made up of

Camille Hounjet, Sun West School Division

Annette Enns-Wind, Sun West School Division

Courtney Hughes, Sun West School Division

Rory Bergermann, Prairie Spirit School Division

Bill Mantyka, Saskatoon Public School Division

Mark Gedak, Horizon School School Division

Jenna Walsh, Saskatchewan Rivers School Division

Fatma Zohra-Henni, Ministry of Education

Dean Elliott, Ministry of Education

 A Draft Document can be found at this link.

Equipment for Labs and Activities

Waves Labs

For the labs and activities in the Waves unit of Physical Science 20, I do a number of things:

1)  Transverse & Longitudinal Waves Lab
- to study the transmission of these waves in a slinky
- to learn about fixed end and free end reflection

2) More Wave Properties
- to study and observe interference, periodic waves, refraction, and standing waves in a slinky
- to measure time and distance in order to determine frequency, period, wavelength and speed of standing waves

3)  Images in a Concave Mirror Lab
- using an optical bench
- to learn how to find the focal point of a concave mirror
- to determine the patterns of image characteristics as an object approaches a concave mirror
- to introduce the mirror equation to students

4) Refraction of Light Lab
- using ray boxes and semi-circular blocks
- to observe refraction as light passes from air into a glass block and vice versa
- to determine Snell's Law

Foundations of Chemistry Labs

My goals for grade 11 students doing chemistry labs in PS20 course are that they will be able to:

- measure mass using a balance
- measure volume by observing the meniscus
- light a Bunsen burner
- fold filter paper


In the labs and activities we do, they will develop these skills:
1)  Types of Reactions Lab

– to observe 7 types of reactions and classify them.  
- to write balanced equations and predict products
- learn to light a Bunsen burner
- measure volume by observing the meniscus
 

2) Counting by weighing activity 
- to learn about the mole
- measure mass using a balance

3)  Gravimetric Stoichiometry Lab
- to observe a double replacement reaction
- to perform a stoichiometric calculation using actual data
- to compare the result of the calculation to the original amount and calculate the percent difference, thereby determining the accuracy of the lab.
- measure mass using a balance
- fold filter paper
- measure volume by observing the meniscus

Heat Labs

In the heat unit I do several labs and activities:
1) Melting Ice Lab
- record temperature every two minutes as ice melts, the water heats up and the boiling point is reached
- using a Bunsen burner or a hot plate
- great for reviewing principles of graphing
- developing the idea of a warming curve for water

2) Cooling Water Lab
- record temperature every two minutes as 100 mL of water and 400 mL of water in beakers sit in an ice bath
- great for reviewing principles of graphing
- developing the idea of a warming curve for water

3) Specific Heat Capacity of Metals Lab
- to determine the specific heat capacity of iron, brass and aluminum metals by calorimetry

4)  Expansion and Conduction lab activities
- using a kit from supply companies
- a set of three expansion activities and three conduction activities set up as six stations around the room
- includes a ball and ring apparatus, bi-metal strip, Leslie's cube, pyrometer, conductometer and metal conducting strips






5) Enthalpy of Solution for Ionic Solids Lab
- determine the heat involved in forming a solution of a small sample of four different solids
- using calorimeters
- two solids are exothermic when they dissolve, while two solids are endothermic as they dissolve