Work unit 2
Is there the air?
Sequence:
The lesson develops in four parts:
1. presentation of the reading. It isn't a simple a reading as the previous one; it is set
through questions the students are required to answer. The use of such a reading makes
the use of Lectra exercises difficult and so it was particularly interesting in this didactic
moment.
2. Repeated reading by every child of the text on which then the exercises were going to
be performed.
3. Execution of the activity “air games”.
4. Preparation of the experiments.
In the end, a game is introduced: the crossword. The game includes only words used by the
children during the experience and the definitions used contains a terminology characteristic
of the children themselves.
Softwarte materials: a copy for each child and therefore for each computer.
images for card 1
reading 1 (to subdue to the software in use)
questionnaire 1(to subdue to the software in use)
Various materials:
Small transparent plastic bags
Diger seltz
Chemical yeast
Meal
Salt
water
Vinegar
Crossword 2: a copy to each child
Process:
Initial discussion starting from fundamental life conditions underlined by children in the
previous lesson.
• Examination of the first condition: the presence of air; reading of the text.
• Working and exercising on Lectra after in aloud reading (Reading 2 and Questionnaire 2).
• Answer the question of defining gas. This question allowed to point out the
characteristics of the gas: “it is harmful”, “it smells foully”, “it kills”.
•
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Difficulties:
despite the previously effected reading, the children didn’t find a
correspondence between the gas as a component of the atmosphere
and the atmosphere itself. This fact brought to modifying the
development of the activity by proposing the "air game" at this
moment. The attempt "to capture the air" gave the children a very
good time: they tried to use different materials, for example paper
handkerchiefs, plastic bags and pieces of cloth. This allowed saying
that only some materials can gather the air.
On the other side, as teachers, we noticed a considerable tiredness due to the direction of such
different activities having so many aspects to observe, evaluate and keep under control at the
same time. The presence of two teachers revealed itself indispensable for the carrying out of
the experience itself.
These experiments constituted a fundamental "breaking off"
moment for the equilibrium that had been formed inside the group
during the work on a computer; and so they were useful as a moment
of overcoming "boredom" caused by the repetition of some kinds of
exercises. From this moment on they were always inserted after
the first experience on a computer and before the final and
repetitive part of the same exercises.
The building of a table inside the classroom, around which the
children could move and work using also “scientific” instruments led
to a further game moment during lessons, revealing itself truly
useful.
•
•
•
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Execution of the "air game" that represented a funny moment.
At this point, we decided to perform the experiments for the" formation of the air."
Different plastic bags were used: the children filled them with water and the various
compounds, or with vinegar and the various compounds. The experiments were totally
performed by the children who verified in this way that “only some produces bubbles”.
On the right the indispensable ingredients for this “air game” and, on the left, a moment of reflection with the
atmospheres in the small bag.
•
In this work unit we introduced the crossword; each child had his/her paper and he/she
did it. There were two difficulties: writing the word correctly and identifying the correct
word corresponding to the definition.
The crossword represented a moment of great fun for the children, who proposed to do
another one; this new game was conducted by one of the children, who invited the others to
find the words in turn.
One of the problems set by the children was: "had air been very dense, as oil, what would
happen? would it still be atmosphere?"
At this point, the course was modified in consideration of this observation, and therefore we
thought to let the alien “Guide” of the site www.altrimondi.net take part in this activity.
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Reading 2
La Terra è interamente circondata dall’atmosfera.
E’ formata da tanti gas miscelati tra cui ossigeno, azoto, anidride carbonica…e da impurità,
cioè polveri che costituiscono il cosiddetto pulviscolo atmosferico. Importantissimo è anche il
vapore acqueo.
Come facciamo ad accorgerci che l’atmosfera c’è davvero?
Proviamo a raccoglierla e a “formarne” dell’altra.
Ma si muove l’aria?
Earth is entirely surrounded by the atmosphere.
It is compounded by so many mixed gases among which oxygen, azote, nitrogen, carbon
dioxide… and by impurities, that is to say, dusts constituting the so-called motes. The steam is
also very important.
How do we realize that the atmosphere exists indeed?
We try to gather it and to “form” more of it.
But does the air stir?
Risky words: Atmosfera (atmosphere), miscelati (mixed), ossigeno (oxygen), azoto (azote),
cosiddetto (so-called), pulviscolo (motes), importantissimo (very important), accorgerci (to
realize), atmosfera (atmosphere) raccoglierla (gather it)
Questionnaire 2
The air is:
• A mixture of gases
• A mixture of harmful gases
• An amount of gases
A gas is:
Air games:
Invent a game that allows you to verify the atmosphere existence.
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Crossword 2
Across:
6 it surrounds the Earth and makes us life possible
8 element that is part of our atmosphere
10 otherwise
13 another essential component of the atmosphere
14 male singular article
16 we need to drink it
19 the word you can put instead of the dots in “…told this?”
20 Animals, plants, men are…
22 Geological period.
Down:
1 the Sun makes it arrive on the Earth
2 the child says ”wasn’t...!”
3 we say “in the classroom there are….lamps”
4 cars give out the harmful ones
5 in winter it is…
7 the atmosphere is a…
9 also the oxygen is…
12 Redi studied them
15 the flies depose the…
16 the word by which you can replace the dots in “…do you do?”
17 another way to call the atmosphere
21 Once upon a time there was a…
23 the contrary of “yes”
Solutions (the translation into Italian language is given in brackets):
Across: atmosphere (atmosfera), oxygen (ossigeno), or (od), azote (azoto), the (il water
(acqua), who (chi), living (viventi), Era (era).
Down: heat (calore), me (io), neon (neon), gases (gas), cold (freddo), gas (gas), gas (gas),
flies (mosche), eggs (uova), what (che), air (aria), king (re), no (no).
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Across:
3 the name of our planet
4 they are living beings
5 you need it also for make the bread
6 it exists also for cats and dogs
7 it surrounds the Earth
11 it is used in many cakes in order to make them blow up
12 it is our star
13 the word by which you can replace the dots in “… did it?”
Down:
1 it is necessary for living
2 there you plant the seed
6 the word by which you can replace the dots in “…a beautiful thing!”
8 the meals are insipid without it
9 the fan moves it
10 they can be harmful
12 the Sun is a source of…
Solutions (the translation into Italian language is given in brackets):
Across: Earth (terra), men (uomini), yeast (lievito), food (cibo), atmosphere (atmosfera), yeast
(lievito), Sun (Sole), who (chi)
Down: nourishment (nutrimento), ground (terreno), what (che), salt (sale), air (aria), gases
(gas), light (luce).
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