CONVERSEMOS (1 de 2):
¿Crees que podría haber una poción que hace algo emocionante o valioso? (¿Crees que de verdad hay líquidos o mezclas que pueden transformar ciertas cosas?) ¿Por qué sí o por qué no?
CONVERSEMOS (2 de 2):
Si pudieras hacer tu propia poción, ¿qué te gustaría que pudiera hacer?
OBTÉN ESTE MATERIAL:
Todos necesitan un centavo opaco y café. Después:
CONVERSEMOS:
Supón que te quieres darle brillo a este centavo opaco y café. ¿Se te ocurre algún líquido que tienes en tu casa que te pueda ayudar a hacer esto? ¿Por qué crees que ese líquido funcionaría?
CONVERSEMOS:
¿Crees que el oxígeno hace que el centavo se ponga café completamente (incluyendo desde adentro) o solo en la superficie? ¿Cómo podrías averiguarlo?
CONVERSEMOS:
¿Cómo podrías averiguar cuál de estas tres ideas es la correcta?
Alchemist’s Potion, Part 1 worksheet | 1 per student |
Container Labels printout | 1 per class |
Test Like An Alchemist printout | 1 per group |
Clean-up Supplies (Eg. Paper Towels)
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1 roll per class |
Liquid Soap
Can also use liquid detergent.
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Details
2 tablespoons per class
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Scotch Tape
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1 roll per class |
Measuring Cup
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1 cup per class |
Measuring Spoons
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1 set per class |
Plastic Containers w/ Lids
Each container needs to hold just over 3 cups.
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Details
4 containers per class
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Salt
You’ll need another cup of salt for Mystery 3, so we suggest getting a 26 oz container.
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Details
1 cup per class
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White Vinegar
You will also need vinegar for other lessons in this unit, so we suggest getting a gallon.
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Details
4 cups per class
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Pennies (must be pre-1982)
Each student needs one penny, but if you're working in a small group you need a minimum of 20. We suggest having a few extra in case some get lost.
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Details
1 coin per student
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Steel Nails
It’s important that you get steel nails (or steel washers)—NOT stainless-steel and NOT galvanized steel. For Mystery 2, each group of 4 students will also need one nail.
Jumbo paper clips will also work, but the results are harder to see.
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Details
1 nail per class
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We suggest students work in groups of four. Homeschool students can work on their own.
You will need access to water for this activity.
You will need old, tarnished pennies for this activity. You must use pennies dating from BEFORE 1982, when they were made from 95% copper. (Pennies made after 1982 are copper-plated zinc, which won’t work for this activity.)
We suggest asking students to bring in pennies made before 1982. You can also buy penny rolls at the bank. We bought $3 worth, sorted out the pre-1982 pennies, and had exactly 40 to work with. If you are working with a homeschool student or small group, you’ll need a minimum of 20 pennies.
Optional: Each student can use orange and brown colored pencils or crayons to show the coloration of the dull and shiny pennies on their worksheets.
In the next lesson, you’ll need to reuse some of the materials from this activity so students can copper plate a steel nail. See instructions below.
Cut out the Container Labels and tape one to each of your four plastic containers. You now need to prepare the four testing solutions - one for each container. If you’re working with a homeschool student or small group, you can cut the following “recipes” for each solution in half.
We recommend placing each container in a separate area of the classroom as a test station.
Save student work: Students will need their completed “Alchemist’s Potion, Part 1” printouts for the next lesson. Make sure they’re stored somewhere safe.
Save the pennies in the Salt & Vinegar solution: At the end of this lesson, you’ll dump all the pennies into the Salt & Vinegar to soak overnight. (If you made just 1 cup of Salt & Vinegar, dump at least 20 pennies into it.)
Add a nail: After students have left class, we recommend that you put a nail into the Salt & Vinegar solution with the pennies — but don’t tell your students you’re doing it. You’ll find out why in the next lesson, when your students will discover that the solution the pennies soaked in can change steel in a surprising way.
Student slideshow: English | Spanish
Teacher printout: English & Spanish
In this reading, students learn the story of a chemical reaction that caused a huge molasses tank to explode in Boston in 1919.
For a limited time, view archived reading extensions here.
Try this Disappearing Penny experiment with a US penny made after 1982. These coins have a center made of zinc, a silvery metal that reacts with vinegar and salt.
Print out the instructions here.
You can elaborate student learning and engagement with Mystery Science mini-lessons.
If you are in an NGSS state, this mini-lesson supports the DCI PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
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