Popcorn, pikelets and chemical reactions - Year 9 CLE

Popcorn, pikelets and chemical reactions - Year 9 CLE
Publication Date: October, 2016
Type of Resource: Practical activity/investigation

This Connected Learning Experience looks at chemical reactions.

Description: In this investigation, students explore important chemical reactions such as neutralisation and combustion and their application in our world. Students will review the signs that indicate a chemical reaction has taken place and then apply this knowledge to their investigations.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

  • recall the signs that a chemical reaction has taken place
  • explain the formation of new substances in a chemical reaction is due to a rearrangement of the atoms
  • investigate changes to determine if a chemical reaction has taken place
  • plan appropriate investigation methods to determine which combination of ingredients produces a gas and the impact of stirring on chemical reactions in pikelets, taking account of fair testing
  • make careful and accurate observations
  • construct conclusions based on evidence
  • describe examples of important chemical reactions.

Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S8U07 (Year 8), AC9S10U07 (Year 10)

Additional Information

A Connected Learning Experience (CLE) is a resource package designed to support the use of inquiry investigations in the classroom.

Each CLE may not encompass all the concepts and skills addressed in the specific content descriptions outlined by the Australian Curriculum: Science for that Year level. The Learning Intentions clearly define the aims and objectives of the CLE.

Year 9 Achievement Standard

This lesson sequence provides opportunities to gather information about students’ achievement of specific components in the standards (which are bolded in the statements below).

By the end of Year 9, students explain chemical processes and natural radioactivity in terms of atoms and energy transfers and describe examples of important chemical reactions. They describe models of energy transfer and apply these to explain phenomena. They explain global features and events in terms of geological processes and timescales. They analyse how biological systems function and respond to external changes with reference to interdependencies, energy transfers and flows of matter. They describe social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments and predict how future applications of science and technology may affect people’s lives.

Students design questions that can be investigated using a range of inquiry skills. They design methods that include the control and accurate measurement of variables and systematic collection of data and describe how they considered ethics and safety. They analyse trends in data, identify relationships between variables and reveal inconsistencies in results. They analyse their methods and the quality of their data, and explain specific actions to improve the quality of their evidence. They evaluate others’ methods and explanations from a scientific perspective and use appropriate language and representations when communicating their findings and ideas to specific audiences.

Australian Curriculum:
  • Year 9 > Science Inquiry Skills > Planning and conducting > Plan, select and use appropriate investigation types, including field work and... > ACSIS165
  • Year 9 > Science Inquiry Skills > Processing and analysing data and information > Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent... > ACSIS170
  • Year 9 > Science Understanding > Chemical Sciences > Chemical reactions, including combustion and the reactions of acids, are... > ACSSU179
  • Year 9 > Science as a Human Endeavour > Use and influence of science > People use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims,... > ACSHE160