Chemistry Honors – Class 09

What is under the table?

Dates

• Periods B, D: Thursday, September 11th
• Period G: Friday, September 12th

Introduction

• how do we “see” anything? what is the mechanism?
• how do we hear anything? what is the mechanism?
• hanging model of the atom in middle school – how do you know what it looked like?
• how do scientists know these things?
• Modeling – creating explanations for the unknown

Modeling the Unseen (Activity)

• Mission: Create a model for what is under the table
• Rules: no looking – use only a golf ball to collect data
• Student roles: recorder (@ board), sender, receiver, marker
• Observers: record as much information as possible
• Tools: markers, meter stick, golf ball
• Table dimensions: 137 cm x 122 cm
• Objective: create a model for what is under the table
• Note: do not think of this as a guessing game
• Characteristics: size? shape? attachment? orientation?
• Final Product – draw picture of what is under the table
• Discussion: what do we know? what more could we do?

Homework

• draw a model of what could be under the table
• indicate the characteristics
• complete this in the LNB