Chemical and Physical Changes Game

Drop in to our first Drop Anywhere Labs experience that centers on the difference between chemical and physical changes. In this immersive experience, students are introduced to the types of changes as well as some pieces of evidence to look out for and then play through multiple levels of gameplay to put that knowledge to the test.

This experience uses projection mapping and interactive screens to provide students with an immersive game experience.

Learning Objectives

Standards Alignments + Connections

Next Generation Science Standards Connections

MS-PS1-2: Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Connections

6.C: Compare the properties of substances before and after they are combined into a solution and demonstrate that matter is conserved in solutions.

6.E: identify the formation of a new substance by using the evidence of a possible chemical change, including production of a gas, change in thermal energy, production of a precipitate, and color change.

6.C: distinguish between physical and chemical changes in matter

Virginia Science Standards of Learning Connections

5.7.B: Substances can be mixed together without changes in their physical properties.

PS.3.B: Pure substances can undergo physical and chemical changes that may result in a change of properties.

Activity Components

Pre-Laboratory Engagement

As an introduction to chemical and physical changes, we recommend our activity, What’s in a Change?

This will introduce students to the idea of comparing properties before and after an interaction to gauge if a new substance with new properties has been formed.

Activity

In each level, students are provided with a main reactant as well as optional reactants. When two reactants are combined, students observe the change that happens and must determine what kind of change occurred based on what they see. They select evidence of what was observed and make a final claim based off what they saw. Each level provides students with immediate feedback, so misconceptions are quickly dispelled.

When students enter the space, they are grouped into four different color teams. Throughout the game, each team is given different roles: either to take the lead on the decisions for that interaction or to support. When in a lead decision making role, team members interact with a large touch screen tablet to select evidence and make their claim. When in a support role, team members use their team magnets to vote on the magnetic projection wall and provide feedback to the lead team as needed.

Post-Laboratory Extension

If students found the idea of solutions vexing, we recommend our activity, Mixing Things Up.

This activity allows students to set run a distillation to determine if the properties of the water and powdered drink mix were changed when they combined.

We also recommend our activity, Wait Weight?, as an option to delve into the idea of the law of conservation of mass with a fun color changing reaction!

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