In this 24-37 day unit, students make sense of 5 phenomena to explore properties, chemical changes, and chemical reactions. Lessons center around the following phenomena: salt, fresh cheese, baking soda, yeast, and popping boba. 
 
This unit is intended to be used to introduce chemical reactions for grades 6-8. It aligns to MS-PS1-1, MS-PS1-2, MS-PS1-3, and MS-PS1-5, as well as other standards that include MS-ESS2-1, MS-LS1-8, MS-LS1-7, and MS-ETS1-3.
 
Science practices are heavily emphasized and include developing models, asking questions, analyzing and interpreting data, engaging in arguments from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.
 
Phenomenon 1: Tea (9-12 periods)
Students explore matter and particle models, states of matter, and thermal energy and temperature. They also learn how natural resources are used to make tea.
 
Phenomenon 2: Heating Butter & Rice Krispie Treats (5-9 periods)
Students further explore states of matter, phase changes, and thermal energy transfer by heating butter. They explore conduction through various investigations. They apply what they have learned to make sense of different steps in a classroom-friendly rice krispie treat recipe. Optional extensions to look at chemical changes due to heat is included.
 
Phenomenon 3: Syrup (6-7 periods)
Students further explore phase changes (specifically vaporization) to make sense of how different syrups like pomegranate molasses, maple syrup, and honey are made. They are introduced to new properties like density and viscosity and explore concentration through multiple investigations.
 
Phenomenon 4: Popcorn (4-5 periods)
Students further explore thermal energy and phase changes and are introduced to concepts around closed systems and pressure. 
 
Each Lesson Includes:
Teacher Lesson Plan with Essential Questions, Objectives, and NGSS standards, Lab Preparation (Materials, Ingredients, Amazon Lists when appropriate, and Tips & Tricks) and day-by-day lesson plans
Classroom Slides with directions for lesson flow, turn and talk prompts, illustrations and graphics, embedded videos, and whole group reflection questions
Student Handouts with step-by-step lab directions and other activities
Instructional Lab Videos & "Science Behind" Videos
 
Resources are shared as view-only folders in Google Drive. Classroom slides and student handouts can be downloaded, copied, and adapted for personal teacher use.
 
Teacher lesson plan and lab preparation documents are provided as view-only webpages on the website.
 
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Terms of use: Permission is granted to physically or digitally copy classroom slides and student handouts specifically and exclusively for use in the original purchaser or licensee’s own classroom and with their own students. We ask that you leave the Bite Scized logo on documents as a form of attribution. The lesson plan provided may not be modified, altered, or used to create derivative works. It is intended solely for your personal use or use in your own classroom with your students.
 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Redistribution of this material, in whole or in part, is not permitted without the explicit written consent of the author. You may not use the material for commercial purposes. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.