Grade Level: 5th grade

Subject:  Science,  Mathematics, Technology

Learner Outcomes:

• Students will read the book,  Bartholomew and the Oobleck, and discuss the modern day counterparts to medieval magicians and wizards.  They will discuss the properties of oobleck as revealed in the story.
• Students will get a very basic overview of the Periodic Table of Elements and learn meanings for element, atom, nucleus, atomic number, and atomic weight.
• Students will discuss and answer the question "What is Chemistry?"   They will review the scientific process and learn definitions for the working vocabulary of this lesson:   polymer, variables, properties,  hypothesis.
• Students will think about when this particular book was published (1938), and if, at that time, scientists were actively making polymers in research labs.  (Probably....world war was imminent.   Rubber from all countries had to go to the war, not domestic, efforts.  Scientists were trying to find rubber substitutes.)
• Students will make oobleck and will learn to attribute differences in products to differing variables.

Materials:

Bartholomew and the Oobleck book.  Each student will need one 5 oz. cup,  1 paper towel for a place mat, 4 or 5 paper towels for blotting oobleck and for wipe ups, 1 stir stick,  and 1 baggy labeled "polymer". One jug of laundry starch and 1 gallon jar of white glue are required for two 20-24 classes of students.

Technology Tools/Courseware:  computers, printers

Teacher Notes:

1.  The computer lab will be reserved for one 45 minute period.
2.  Three or four parent volunteers will be trained to make oobleck, so that each parent volunteer can supervise 6 students at a cooperative learning station for Lesson 2.

Procedures:
 

Lesson 1: one (60 minute)

1.  Each student will listen to the story and participate in the discussion.
2. The class will brainstorm, "What is Chemistry?"
3.  Students, at computer stations, use the search engine  "Ask Jeeves"   and search, "What is the Periodic Table of Elements" ?  Students will find a table and pull it up on the screen.  They can "click" to define the words element, atom, nucleus, atomic number and atomic weight.  Each student will look at the periodic table and see where the atomic numbers and weights are located. They will investigate how the periodic table is organized.

Lesson 2: one (60 minute)

1.  The class will discuss the scientific process and define these terms:  hypothesis, variables,  properties, polymer.  Students will think about the publication of the Butter Battle Book (1938), and the influence of World War II in the development of polymers.
2.  Students will make hypotheses about the properties their oobleck will have.
3.  Students will review the procedure, go to cooperative learning stations,  and collect their materials.
4.  Students create their own personal oobleck. (Parent volunteers should patrol the stations!)
5.  Students put away their materials.   They will observe and compare the properties of their ooblecks.   They will discuss what caused differences in elasticity, appearance, texture, etc.

Modifications:

• Special needs students will be paired with more able classmates to meet their needs in making oobleck.
• All students will be able to use computers because our lab is a barrier free environment.

• More capable students can find out information on specific elements in the periodic table.  Carbon would be a good one to research for this particular assignment.
• Students can make other polymers (slime,  putty variations)

Evaluation/Assessment:

Rubric

W.V. IGOs:

Language Arts:  5.1, 5.8, 5.13, 5.16, 5.26, 5.27, 5.34
Science:  5.8, 5.10, 5.17, 5.18, 5.19, 5.79
Mathematics:  5.44, 5.45

National Standards:

Science

Physical Science, Level II
8. Knows that matter has different states (i.e., solid, liquid, gas) and that each state has distinct physical properties; some common materials such as water can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling

 
Nature of Science, Level II
3. Plans and conducts simple investigations (e.g. formulates a testable question, makes systematic observations, develops logical conclusions)

Mathematics, Level II

3. Knows approximate size of basic standard units (e.g. centimeters, feet, grams) and relationships between them (e.g., between inches and feet)

7. Selects and uses appropriate units of measurement, according to type and size of unit

References:
 

Geisel,  Theodore. Bartholomew and the Oobleck.  New York: Random House, 1938.
The search engine  "Ask Jeeves"

Author:
Roianne Hackett
Gail Poling
Bonne Riffle

Union Elementary School, Upshur Co.
 
 

Overview

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

Lesson 5