Household Chemicals: Better by Design (Developed by SEPUP)
Can we believe the claims of the manufacturer?
How should the product be used safely?
In this module, students explore their knowledge and attitudes about chemicals and chemical use. They use chemicals to produce a common household product (i.e. cleaners, food products, and toys), then test their product in various ways. The students come “full circle” by creating ads for their products. The ads are examined for accuracy and appropriateness.
This module provides many opportunities for students to design their investigations using an open ended inquiry model. Students are assessed in a variety of ways that measure their ability to design and conduct independent investigations.
This module includes a Teacher's Guide
Module requires 16 SEPUP trays (not included)
Accommodates five classes, each with 8 groups of four students
More Info
1. Evaluating Advertisements
Students begin to gain an awareness of the vast array of chemicals that is used in homes by analyzing advertisements. This analysis helps students learn to differentiate between evidence and emotion and to distinguish between qualitative and quantitative evidence.
2. Exploring Chemical Interactions Between Solids and Liquids
Students explore the interaction of three solids with three liquids. They observe both the process of dissolving, which is not a chemical change, and the formation of a new substance - gas bubbles - which is a chemical change. They learn that chemical changes are interactions that form new substances.
3. Exploring Chemical Interactions Among Liquids
As they continue to develop the criteria that identify a chemical change students explore the interactions among six liquids and observe the formation of a precipitate. They are introduced to the terms reactant and product, and learn to identify these substances qualitatively in the chemical changes they observe. This observation leads to a discussion of the particular nature of matter.
4. Surveying Students' Perceptions of Chemicals
Students make predictions about the nature of chemicals then take a survey about chemicals. They continue to develop their understanding of chemicals and learn that all things that have mass are chemicals. The survey gives the teacher a way to assess students' knowledge of chemicals, and to present relevant evidence about the nature of the materials around them.
5. Investigating the Effects of Bleach
As students explore the effect of bleach on a colored solution they are introduced to the concept of an optimum. This activity provides a good model of experimental design and helps students prepare to design their own investigations. Only one variable is changed – the number of drops of bleach – as students observe the time a color change takes in each trial.
6. Determining the Optimum Use of Bleach
As students explore the effects of bleach concentration and pre-washing on stain removal they learn about the importance of investigation to answering questions quantitatively.
7. Chemical Safety in the Home
Students discuss and come to a consensus on the statements in the Household Chemicals Use Survey. They then survey adults about the use of household chemicals. The survey results help determine what information should be included on the labels of the products students will design.
8. Product Testing: A Case Study
Students read about the qualitative and quantitative test procedures used for tires in the United States. They learn that the test goals are directly related to goals that drivers have for tires. This process, of identifying goals for a product and designing tests to determine if the product meets the goals, will be used by students as they design and test their products in Activities 9-11.
9. Designing a Household Chemical
Student groups start with the basic ingredients for one of four common household products made from chemicals (cleaners, food products, and toys) and develop goals and a design for this product. Students optimize the ratios of ingredients to meet the goals they set for their product.
10. Student-Designed Testing of Student-Designed Products
Students design and conduct an investigation to test the products they made and determine if they meet their goals. These investigations are based on the informal tests students conducted during the design phase of the project.
11. Making Evidence-Based Qualitative and Quantitative Claims
Students use data obtained by testing their products quantitatively to create an advertisement. They review the guidelines for the safe use of chemicals and include safety information on the advertisement.
Scientific Concepts
- A vast array of chemicals is used in homes. Every chemical has a unique set of chemical and physical properties that can be used to identify it.
- Descriptive, qualitative observations differ from numerical, quantitative observations. Observations of both qualitative and quantitative data are useful to scientists.
- A chemical change results when materials react with each other to form a new substance.
- Students can design investigations to test specific qualities of a product.
- Making decisions about complex issues often involves trade-offs and evaluating issues requires an analysis of both risks (costs) and benefits.
Guides & Student Sheets
Our kits and modules provide you with everything you need so you can open, review, and teach the material confidently the next day.
- Full downloadable Teacher Guide with background information, detailed instruction, example data and answers
- Downloadable Student Sheets with age appropriate background information, full procedure(s), and analysis questions
- All materials necessary to carry out the investigation
- Safety Data Sheets
Module Components
- 1 Teacher’s Guide with reproducible masters for Student Sheets
- 750 Toothpicks, flat
- 250 Tasting cups
- 160 Salt packets
- 50 Taster spoons
- 40 Sugar packets
- 20 Denim Strips
- 24 9 oz plastic cups
- 24 30 mL graduated cups
- 16 LAB-AIDS® measuring/mixing spatulas
- 16 Droppers
- 16 Forceps
- 16 4X Magnifiers
- 8 Metric measuring spoons set
- 8 Vials of Calcium Chloride (CaCl2)
- 8 Drop control bottles of Bleach solution, household, 50%
- 8 Vials of Sand, 5 g
- 8 Vials of Calcite (CaCO3), crushed
- 8 Drop control bottles of "Household Vinegar", empty
- 8 Drop control bottles of "Water", empty
- 8 Drop control bottles of Universal Indicator solution
- 2 Tubes of toothpaste
- 2 Drop control bottles of Mineral Oil
- 2 Drop control bottles of Blue Food Coloring solution
- 2 Drop control bottles of Lemon Juice solution, simulated
- 2 Drop control bottles of Corn Syrup solution
- 2 Drop control bottles of Glycerin solution
- 2 Drop control bottles of Dishwashing Liquid
- 2 Packets of powdered milk
- 2 Tubes of tomato paste
- 1 Vial of Baking Soda, 90 g
- 1 Vial of Soap powder, 150 g
- 1 Vial of Iron Chloride, 15 g
- 1 Drop control bottle of Red Food Coloring solution
- 1 Bottle of Vinegar, 940 ml
- 1 Bottle of Flour, 950 cc
- 1 Fortune Teller Miracle Fish
- 1 MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets)
- THIS MODULE REQUIRES 16 SEPUP TRAYS