The Science of Macaroni Salad (and 2. Dig Deeper)

Contributor
Josh Kurz via www.ted.com
Type Category
Instructional Materials
Types
Professional Development
Note
This resource, vetted by NSTA curators, is provided to teachers along with suggested modifications to make it more in line with the vision of the NGSS. While not considered to be “fully aligned,” the resources and expert recommendations provide teachers with concrete examples and expert guidance using the EQuIP rubric to adapted existing resources. Read more here.

Reviews

Description

This three minute video is great for teachers who need a short and deeper understanding of what is entailed in the Performance Expectations for Properties of Matter and what is involved when a physical and chemical change occurs. It would be over the heads of younger children, but perfect for elementary teachers who can either view the video themselves and translate the most pertinent ideas in it, or watch the video with the students and narrate in kid language. If the teacher watched the video first, they would be ensured that they had the understanding necessary for tough questions.

Intended Audience

Educator and learner
Educational Level
- none -
Language
English
Access Restrictions

Free access - The right to view and/or download material without financial, registration, or excessive advertising barriers.

Performance Expectations

2-PS1-4 Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.

Clarification Statement: Examples of reversible changes could include materials such as water and butter at different temperatures. Examples of irreversible changes could include cooking an egg, freezing a plant leaf, and heating paper.

Assessment Boundary: none

This resource appears to be designed to build towards this performance expectation, though the resource developer has not explicitly stated so.

Comments about Including the Performance Expectation
This is exactly what a teacher would need to know in order to support students in producing an argument about chemical vs. physical changes. It provides the crux of the argument that the changes were physical and not chemical (the chemical bonds have not broken in macaroni salad.) The only addition, is that the video does not specifically address that the macaroni salad can be cooled and still not change chemically, but this might be obvious to teachers.

Science and Engineering Practices

This resource appears to be designed to build towards this science and engineering practice, though the resource developer has not explicitly stated so.

Comments about Including the Science and Engineering Practice
The video does not engage the Practice. It is supported by the teacher through explanation of the video. The building blocks for an evidence based argument are provided for the meeting the Practice with intentionality.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

This resource appears to be designed to build towards this disciplinary core idea, though the resource developer has not explicitly stated so.

Comments about Including the Disciplinary Core Idea
The Core Idea is developed for the physical changes involved in mixtures, but does not go deeply into the chemical changes. The resource would be sufficient to support teachers' planning around the Core Idea.

Crosscutting Concepts

This resource appears to be designed to build towards this crosscutting concept, though the resource developer has not explicitly stated so.

Comments about Including the Crosscutting Concept
The cause and effect Crosscutting Concept is explained and generalizable. The teacher could now find other examples to make sure that the cause and effect are completely understood.

Resource Quality

  • Alignment to the Dimensions of the NGSS: The resource provides the necessary information for a teacher to be prepared to teach about chemical vs. physical changes and feel that they are prepared for the tough questions that can come up. This resource will support teachers in guiding students through the argumentation of this Performance Expectation, however, they would need to explore the chemical and physical changes through other investigations.

  • Instructional Supports: The resource provides a Dig Deeper section, exploring these concepts at a higher level and can be easily accessed and explored by teachers.

  • Monitoring Student Progress: There is no progress monitoring in this video.

  • Quality of Technological Interactivity: The video is easily viewed using electronic devices.