[1]
Purpose
To assess growth in students’ understanding of the particle model of matter and how the model explains how gas condenses into a liquid form.
Description
Revisit the super strong glasses scenario from Student Experience 2. Have students again draw what they would see in and around a glass of water before and after ice is added using this task sheet [2]. [Task instructions for pilot teachers. [3]]
Questions to Ask Students
- Describe your drawings. What does each part represent?
- How is your new drawing different from your first one? What have you learned that affected your new drawing?
- How does your drawing explain why there was liquid on the outside of the glass of ice water?
- How does your drawing compare to the computer simulation we watched?
Student Thinking
Students’ drawings should show evidence of particle thinking by including water particles. If they do not, revisiting the simulation might help.
Implementation Tips
Challenge students to add more detail than they included in their first drawing, even those students who included particles the first time.