TE 407: Lesson and Unit Plan Guide
Name: Faye Blumberg
Mentor Teacher: Dan Anibal
Partner: Abigail Istvan
School: Bath Middle School
Part I: Information about the Lesson or Unit
Topic:
Subject: Chemistry
Unit Topic: Substances, Mixtures, Solubility
Lesson Topic: Acids/Bases/PH
This lesson is their first introduction into acids/bases.
Type of Class
 Grade level(s): 7 basic
 Type of school: Rural
 Tracking level: College bound
Abstract
Previously (on Monday) I will show the students I’m placing a metal screw in a glass of
coke. On the start of Wednesday’s lesson we will look at the metal and try to figure out what
happen. I’ll give the students a brief introduction of what we’ll be doing with the acids and
bases. I’ll give a few properties of each. As a problem, we will make educated guesses on liquids
and then testing them with litmus paper. We’ll test each and decide if they’re acidic or basic. As
a class we’ll popcorn and read a few sections in the book on acids and bases. As we read, I’ll
make sure to emphasize key points (coaching) I have made a worksheet (attached). The students
can work on it in class and the remainder can be for homework (fade) .
Part II: Clarifying Your Goals
Big Ideas
A way to distinguish a solution is by its pH. The pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a
solution is. pH scales range from 0-14. The lower the pH value, the more acidic it is. A pH of
seven is known to be neural, and any pH higher than seven is classified as basic.
Acids are substances that release H+ (positive hydrogen) ions when released in water.
When acids mix with water, the acid dissolves, releasing the hydrogen ion. The hydrogen ion
combines with a water molecule to form a hydronium ion (Glencoe). Hydronium ions have the
formula H30+. Acids have some general properties. They can have a sour taste, conduct
electricity well, are corrosive (can break down certain substances), and can react strongly with
certain metals. We encounter acids in everyday in substances such as vinegar and many juices.
Other materials we encounter are made from acids. Acids are used in production of fertilizers,
plastics, paints, and steel.
Bases on the other hand accept hydrogen ions. When bases dissolve in water, some
hydrogen ions from the water are attracted to the base. When a hydrogen ion is removed from
H20 molcule, the OH- is left behind. This is known as a hydroxide ion. Bases many times
dissociate when dissolved in water. Just like acids, bases have their own general properties. They
have a bitter taste. For example soap is a basic solution. Many basic solutions have a slippery
feel to them. They are also corrosive and may cause burns just like acids. Bases can conduct
electricity just as acids, but are not as reactive with metal solutions.
Using litmus paper, the pH of a solution can be found. Acids will turn the paper red,
while bases turn the paper blue.
Experiences, Patterns, and Explanations
Observations or experiences
(examples, phenomena, data)
Patterns (laws,
generalizations, graphs,
tables, categories)
Explanations (models,
theories)
Incoming Ideas
Some misconceptions students have about this topic are that acids are worse for you
than bases. Acids are commonly thought of as stronger and more harmful. Strong bases
however can be just as harmful or more harmful than acids.
Another misconception I found about this topic was that students often think all water
has a pH of 7 (neutral). Using litmus paper, I can’t show this misconception is false,
however I can explain that water that comes from our house usually has some acidic or
basic properties to it
acid rain
not good for plants and
too much acid for plants
environment
to handle
Ph table
HCL
acids are worse than bases
for you (ingesting or
touching)
orange juice
taste sour
lemon juice
Orange juice
Lemon juice
Lime juice
bubbles form on the nail
Goal/Target EPEs
All taste sour
signs of corrosion after 24
the excess hydrogen ions
creates a sour tastes
carbon dioxide reacts
holes in the screw (after placed in
coke over night)
looks dull
hours
with water to form
carbonic acid. This
reacted with the iron
the litmus paper turned red when
placed in vinegar, lemon juice ,and
pop
acidic solutions turn the
litmus paper red
acid have a pH less than 7
when the excess of
hydronium ions come in
contact with the paper,
the paper turns red
the litmus paper turned blue when
placed in milk of magnesia,
ammonia, and drano
basic solutions turn the
litmus paper blue
bases have a pH greater than
7
when the excess of
hydroxide ions come in
contact with the paper,
the paper turns red
acidic solutions can conduct
electricity
hydronium ions can carry
the electric charges in a
current
car batteries
common day uses of batteries
(calculator, flashlights etc)
Application: Model-based Reasoning – using models/theories to explain experiences
Inquiry: Finding and Explaining Patterns in Experience
Objectives for Student Learning
Michigan Objective(s)
1. S.IP.07.13 Use tools and equipment (spring scales, stop watches, meter
sticks and tapes, models, hand lens, thermometer, models,
sieves, microscopes, hot plates, pH meters) appropriate to
scientific investigations.
2. P.PM.07.11 Classify substances by their chemical properties
(flammability, pH, acid-base indicators, reactivity).
Specific Lesson Objective(s)
1. Identify each solution as acidic or basic based on the litmus paper test.
2. Describe the process that occurs when a acid/base is mixed with water.
3. Identify common everyday uses of acids and bases.
Establish a problem (using as a warm up)- What happened to the nail after we left it in
coke over night? Can we consume acids? Bases?
Model- Demonstrate what happens when we place litmus paper in common substances.
Give generalizations about common acids and bases. Have students make educated guesses
on what color the litmus paper turns.
Coach- Lead a popcorn read through the section in their chemistry book. Key questions to
students as we read.
Fade- Worksheet bringing together important concepts and ideas
Part III: Classroom Activities
Materials
Coke/nail/cup
Litmus paper, lemon juice, vinegar, water, ammonia, diluted soap, drano
Glencoe Chemistry book
Overhead transparency of pH scale
Worksheet
Presentation materials (Overhead transparencies or Powerpoint presentations, etc):
Transparency of a blue/red pH scale
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee231/mminstruments/ph001%20pics/phscale.jpg
Copied materials (Handouts, worksheets, tests, lab directions, etc.):
File attached
Pages in textbook: Book: Chemistry – Glencoe Pages: 79-82
Activities
Introduction (5-7 minutes)
This lesson is a bit trickier to connect to previous lessons because it’s the first one
addressing acids and bases. In that case I want connect acid and base concepts to things they
already know, i.e. orange juice and its sour taste etc.
We’ll start the class with two warm up questions on the board. One will be about the
demonstration of the iron nail in the cup of coke. Students won’t know the reaction but I want
them to start thinking about what in the coke could have corroded the metal nail. The other
question is can we eat acids and bases? Any example? This question gets the students thinking
about acids/bases in everyday foods. Even if they don’t know the answer, we can quickly
identify the misconception that all acids and bases aren’t harmful- we consume them everyday.
I want to introduce the lesson to the class and explain what we will be doing today (demo’s,
popcorn reading, short discussion, and a worksheet).
Main Teaching Activities (30 minutes)
The main activities are the demonstrations using litmus paper, popcorn reading, and the
worksheet. I’ll have 5 or 6 solutions in the front of the classroom. First, I want to give a brief
introduction on acids and bases that we’ll be learning about through reading. I want the students
to realize they encounter acidic and basic solutions everyday I want to ask the students what they
know about acids and bases, and how they think of both acids and bases. Some common
generalizations about acids are that they are sour, and that bases are bitter. With out giving much
more information I want the students to make educated guesses about which color the litmus
paper will turn (after I explain that red indicates acidic etc.)
After that I’ll lead a popcorn reading through the acids, bases, and pH. After key concepts
in sections, I want to stop and ask the students questions and help explain some concepts.
Learning about acids and bases for the first time can be confusing. I think a drawing on the board
showing molecules and bonds can help simplify the concepts. The book does a very good job in
explaining properties and uses of acids bases, but I plan to also go over these concepts.
I also want to reiterate to the students that strong acids are no worse than strong bases.
Students many times think that acids are more dangerous and harmful then bases, so I plan to
address this misconception.
I think the most important part of this main activity is that students can describe how and
why a hydroxide and hydronium ion are formed and what this does to the pH. After the
demonstration, reading, and reinforcement of key concepts, the students will complete a
worksheet. If they don’t finish it, it will homework. This worksheet reinforces key concepts and
has students explain concepts in their own words. This will help me see what ideas they picked
up on acids and bases, and what needs to be worked on still.
Conclusion (10-? minutes)
I want to wrap up the lecture by having the students develop a list of properties in a table
of both acids and bases (on the whiteboard). This will summarize all that we learned today. For
homework (and any remainder of class time) the students will complete a worksheet that ties
concepts together and helps me to see what concepts the students need help on. In the future
class we will go over the worksheet and have the students perform self corrections.
Part IV: Assessment of Students
Developing Assessment Tasks
The students will have a worksheet that they will complete. The types of questions are fill
in the blank as well as open ended questions. I have to be careful to lead the students into the
types of answers I want (i.e. please include the following terms in your answers).
I have a few types of embedded assessments such as having the students make educated
guesses about which substances are acidic and which are basic. A full class assessment is having
them compile a list of properties of acids and bases. The homework the students will complete
will be more beneficial in analyzing if the students picked up the key concepts on acids, bases,
and pH.
The worksheet ties together what the students read and talked about in class today. I
wrote it so it increasingly got more difficult. The start of the worksheet is fill-in the blank. By
reading the sentences, the students can tie together key ideas. The questions are listed below:
Acids ________ hydrogen ions when placed in water while bases _________ hydrogen ions.
Acids taste _________ while bases taste ___________.
When tested with litmus paper, acids turned the paper __________ while bases turn the paper
_______.
pH ______ 7 indicates the solution is acidic, a pH of 7 indicates a ________solution, and
a pH above 7 indicates the solution is _______.
Acids are/ are not (circle one) stronger and more dangerous than bases.
These questions give students concepts and hints on the short answer questions. Many of these
concepts can be gotten right from the book. The short answer questions require more thought
and understanding of the acid and bases concepts. The questions I plan on asking are listed
below:
1) Describe what happened to the nail after it was placed in coke for the 24 hour period. In
your answer please address why the nail turned out the way it did.
2 ) Put a circle around the hydronium ion. This ion is found in an ______ solution.
Put a square around the hydroxide ion. This ion is found in an _______
solution.
+
−
2H2O(l) → H3O (aq) + OH (aq)
3) When dissolved in water, acids release a H+. Describe in your own words how the
hydronium ion is formed. A picture may be useful to help explain your answer.
4) When bases are dissolved in water, some H+ from the H20 molecule are attracted to the
base. Draw or explain how the hydroxide ion is formed.
The short answer questions require some thought. I want to see if the students can draw a
hydronium or hydroxide ion being formed. I know this may be difficult, but I also plan on doing
an example on the board. Other questions on the worksheet tie in warm up questions (nail/coke)
and have students performing missing blanks in equations. I realize some of these questions may
be difficult after just an introduction to acids and bases, but I’m assuming it’s doable with effort.
Incorrect answers can help me see what wasn’t clear in my lecture and what needs more
explaining for next time. Incorrect answers can also help me see misconceptions students hold
and what I can address next time. The questions I ask need scientific knowledge and
understanding of the concepts. The students may be able to answer the fill in the blank questions
without a scientific answer, however, the some open ended questions will be too difficult to
answer without understanding the scientific reasoning behind them.