Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 74535
It’s Not Waste—It’s Matter!
It's Not Waste—It's Matter is an MEA that gives students an opportunity to review matter, their physical properties, and mixtures. The MEA
provides students to work in teams to resolve a real-life scenario creating a design method by which recyclable products are separated in order to
further process.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD
Projector, Microsoft Office
Instructional Time: 4 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: MEA, Model eliciting activity, matter, physical properties of matter, recycling, Heterogeneous mixtures
Resource Collection: STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA)
Formative Assessment
Pre-Assessment: In order to gain a baseline of student knowledge and ability to apply scientific concepts about matter, students will do Day1-Activity 1 (see
Instructional Suggestions).
Discussion activity within Day 2—Activity 2 leading into the comprehension questions for Activity 3 and 4 of the lesson (see Instructional Suggestions).
The comprehension questions/readiness questions and reflection questions can be used as formative assessment. Students must respond to these questions in order
to ensure understanding before working with the assigned problem. The comprehension and readiness questions (found in the Comprehension/Readiness questions
section and the Readiness Questions section) will indicate whether the students understand the problem and the problem context, and reflection questions are meant
to elicit high level thinking from students as they are working through the problem.
The reflection questions are asked by the teacher as students are working in their groups on parts 1 and 2 of the MEA. These questions can reveal any
misunderstanding or issues that students have as well as guide them to think about what they are doing. Furthermore, the questions assigned during Day 1-Activity 1
for their journals can be used to further assess comprehension of problem stated within the second part of the MEA.
Feedback to Students
Students receive feedback as the teacher asks the guiding/reflective questions (found in the Guiding/Reflective Questions section) to address the problem of each team
of designers.
Summative Assessment
1. Explain the difference between a physical and chemical property? (A physical property is a quality or condition of a substance that can be observed or measured
without changing the substance's composition. A chemical property is the ability of a substance to undergo a specific chemical change.)
2. What are the two categories used to classify properties of matter? (Intensive and extensive properties).
3. Explain why the following statement is false- "Because there is no change in the composition during a physical change the appearance of the substance will not
change". (The appearance of a substance will change during a change of state, which is a physical change.)
page 1 of 4 4. What are three properties of matter that are useful in sorting materials during the single stream recycling? (Magnetism, color and conductivity).
5. Explain why the density of a substance remains the same on the surface of the Earth and on the surface of the moon. (Neither mass nor volume of a solid or liquid
changes appreciably with location).
6. Write a letter to City Manager describing your MRF and the different methods of separation and recycling capabilities.
In addition to evaluating students collaboration in their respective teams, teachers may assess students using Collaboration Rubric found at the following link:
https://www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/rubrics/secondaryteamworkrubric.html
Writing Rubric.docx
Learning Objectives
Students will:
1. Evaluate information presented in data tables.
2. Apply the concept of density to resolve separation technique.
3. Generalize a procedure for solving a problem with changing parameters.
4. Evaluate the physical properties of materials presented in the problem.
5. Participate with peers in discussions pertaining to the MEA problem.
6. Present solution to the class and be able to clearly outline reasoning for their solution with evidence based on physical properties of matter.
Prior Knowledge
1. Students should have prior knowledge of matter and the different phases and properties of matter.
2. Students should know density is an intensive physical property.
3. Students should have some background knowledge of what is a recyclable material.
Instructional Suggestions
Day 1-Activity 1 (pre-assessment activity): Mixtures—samples of matter:
1. Collect different household items and place in the different lab stations—items may include the following: Aluminum foil, orange juice with pulp, salt, sand, and
water, iron and sulfur, cereal with milk, a small sample of shaving cream in plastic cup, a small cardboard box filled with different items such as glass, plastic bags,
plastic cups (small), cereal, wood shavings, newspaper, paper, aluminum soda can, tin can, plastic soda bottle, banana peels, and other miscellaneous objects that
wish to place.
2. Have students go around the lab station and write down in their journals, the criteria for categorizing the items (e.g. heterogeneous mixtures, homogeneous
mixtures, substances). Ask students to devise a separation method for any mixtures they may encounter (how would you separate it into different components?).
You can have the students answer the following questions in their journals once they have observed the items and devised a method of separation for the mixtures:
What differences did you notice about the samples you identified as mixtures? Can you separate them into any distinct category? Did you use any specific tools to
help you in separating the items? Can you use more than one method to distinguish between a pure substance, a homogeneous mixture, and a heterogeneous
mixture?
3. Have some students report on their findings and discuss.
Day 2-Activity 2:
1. Have trash bags full of cleaned waste to be recycled in each of the lab stations (make sure the recyclables are sterilized and watch for sharp edges of metal or
aluminum cans).
2. Students will watch the film (or film preview found on PBS companion site- http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/film.html), Garbage Dreams and
understand the basic facts about the benefits of recycling.** Before viewing the film or the six minute preview, the teacher should ask the students to think about
what they know about the characteristics of matter, specifically density, phase change, and solubility and the differences between different types of mixtures and
separation techniques.
3. Ask the students what they know about garbage and recycling within their community.
4. Teacher will direct students to create a KWL before watching the film, instruct the students to fill out the section, What We Know and What We Want To Know
before viewing the film or preview, and then instruct the students to fill out the section What We Learned as they watch the film or preview.
5. After the film or preview of the film, discuss the Zaballeen community with the students and ask what they learned about this community?
6. Remind the students that the Zaballeen people recycle 80 percent of all the garbage they collect whereas many cities in the U.S. recycle only about 30 percent of
what they collect.
7. Discuss with the students their own recycling practices and have them list major benefits of recycling and some of the challenges on a sheet of paper. Allow the
students to share their ideas with the class and list some of them on the board. Collect the student work to be used for assessment purpose.
8. Now have the students go to the lab stations where the garbage bags are placed and have them empty the bags on the tables and ask them what do we do with
the comingled recyclables at the materials recycling facility (MRF)?
9. Students should hypothesize solutions and write all possibilities on the board. Next, make the students explain their methods in detail. Mention automation or
machines; ask the students how a machine could tell the materials apart? What would the machine do to distinguish and move one type of material and not
another?
10. Next discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option. For example, the obvious solution is to have someone pick through and separate the different types
(as seen in the video) into bins. An advantage to manual separation of the materials is the ease to initiate the program: just hire a few people to do the work. A
disadvantage of this process is that the material arriving at the MRF is not clean. There are health and safety issues that need to be addressed when using
manpower. Additionally, manpower can only go so fast, and it is expensive over time: health insurance, pensions, not to mention paying numerous employees every
week.
11. Within this process, the teacher needs to lead the students to the conclusion that separation techniques whether by the use of man-power or automation, depends
on the products specific property. The product specific property identifies what that product is made of and therefore the method use for separation will depend on
these properties.
Day 3-Activity 3:
1. Students receive client letter 1, data set 1, and additional materials (located in Additional Instructions or Materials).
2. The teacher can ask the readiness questions (located in the Readiness Questions section) to the class or have students complete them individually on paper. After
students understand the task, they can begin to work in teams of approximately 2-4.
3. In teams, students work on the problem and respond to the client with the requested deliverables.
As students are working, the teacher circulates to each team to ask the Reflection Questions (located in the Guiding/Reflective Questions section) and address
page 2 of 4 any issues that may arise.
The teacher provides guidance to help students determine the important factors and start thinking about how they can find a systematic approach to the
requested deliverable.
Day 4-Activity 4:
1. Students receive client letter 2 (found in the Reading Passage 2 section), and dataset 2 along with their work from Activity 3.
2. Teams test, evaluate, and revise their first procedure as necessary with the second dataset and provide the requested deliverables as specified in the second letter.
a. If teams finish early, they can begin preparing their correspondence response.
3. After all of the teams have completed their second letters to the client, the teams will present their results to the rest of the class.
Supplemental Reading
Title: Recycle Now
Lexile Level: 1170
Summary: This is a website that explains how materials are sorted for the process of recycling.
Link: http://www.recyclenow.com/facts-figures/how-it-recycled/recycling-centre
Guiding/reflective Questions
1. What are the most important things to consider in your procedure?
2. How do you know if you have answered the problem?
3. Are there any items on the trucks that are not recyclable? (No)
4. What were the strategies employed for separating the recyclables?
5. Is it monetarily feasible to undertake this process? (Answer depends on the type of machinery and man power the recycling center has available for sorting).
Reading Passage 1
City of Riverdale Letter 1
Readiness Questions
1. Who is the client? (City of Riverdale, FL)
2. What is the problem? (Dump truck with recyclable materials that need to be sorted and recycled).
3. What is the client asking your team to do? (Submit a design plan for the process of separating the recyclables to include a diagram of the steps).
4. What things do you need to include in your solution? (The design must be easily understood, must have a step-by-step diagram of the process, and the design must
work).
5. Do you think there is more than one correct answer to what the client is asking? (yes)
6. Explain your answer to question number 5. Why or why not? (answers will vary depending on students comprehension and design of their MRF).
Data Set 1
Table 1: Recyclable Materials in Dump Truck
Letter Template 1
Sunshine State Recycling Facility Response Letter
Comprehension/readiness questions
1. How can the powder materials be separated from each other? (Separation can be undertaken by utilizing the density of the substances, appropriate methods of
separating those mixtures can then be applied).
2. Which materials in the dump truck would benefit from single stream recycling? (The steel cans, glass, and aluminum cans).
3. What sorting technique will be used to distinguish between the different grades of plastics in the dump truck? (Infrared lasers if the MRF has any).
Reading Passage 2
City of Riverdale Letter 2
Data Set 2
Table 2: Recyclable Materials in Dump Truck
Letter Template 2
Sunshine State Recycling Facility Letter 2
Additional Instructions or Materials
N/A
Reflection question 2
1. What are the physical properties of the recyclable materials?
2. What are the most important things to consider in your procedure for the design plan?
3. Do you agree or disagree with your design team's ideas?
4. How is your design plan similar or different from those of the other teams in your company?
5. Does your MRF contain the necessary equipment for the separation of the recyclable materials requested?
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Provide each student a copy of reading and procedure handouts so they may mark the text
Pre-teach unknown vocabulary and/or concepts
Extended time can be given
Extensions:
page 3 of 4 Students can be directed to the EPA site: Recycle City to work and/or play the Dump City Game or the various activities within the site.
Site URL: http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/index.htm
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Microsoft Office
Special Materials Needed:
1. Household items for activity 1 Day 1
2. Cleaned recyclable materials for Activity 2-Day 2.
3. Video Garbage Dreams or use six minute PBS companion site- http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/film.html
Further Recommendations:
Students should be given a brief history of recycling to include separation process of various different materials prior to Day 2-Activity 2.
Can direct students to: http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/historyofrecycling/ Or http://www.all-recycling-facts.com/history-of-recycling.html
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Margaret Gonzalez
Name of Author/Source: Margaret Gonzalez
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Miami-Dade
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
LAFS.1112.WHST.2.4:
MAFS.912.G-MG.1.2:
SC.912.L.17.17:
Description
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose,
and audience.
Apply concepts of density based on area and volume in modeling situations (e.g., persons per square mile, BTUs per
cubic foot). ★
Assess the effectiveness of innovative methods of protecting the environment.
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