Students then design a standardized test for the effectiveness of nonaqueous solvents at removing stains. This part of the module culminates in an assessment in which students determine some of the properties of the substances of a mixture. In the first inquiry of Part III, Compounds, Elements, and Chemical Reactions, students discover that water can be split into its component elements by electrolysis. Students look at elements and read the information provided on a series of element cards to classify 25 elements using their characteristic properties. They then compare these groups with their positions on the periodic table.
Students look at the formation of a compound by reacting a metal and a nonmetal.
The reactivity of different metals and the conservation of mass during chemical reactions are also investigated. Part III assesses both the students measurement skills and their ability to apply the concept of conservation of mass to dissolving and phase change. During the course of the module students work on an anchor activity, The Right Material, in which they investigate the relationship between the properties of substances and their uses in manufacturing. Students conclude by giving an oral presentation and constructing an exhibit to present their findings. Download an outline of the lesson sequence for Properties of Matter .