Plant’s pigments – chromatograph

Plant’s pigments – building a simple chromatograph (Experiment)

Type of resource: You Tube Channel – video

Web address https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsf5cEvblY

Language: Polish

Description

Experiment – constructing a simple device to investigate the pigments hidden in green and red plants. Using the results of this experiment to cook a colourful pasta (pink noodles).

Scientific concept introduced

Pigments, chromatograph, separating plants’ pigments

Creative and critical thinking

–

Mathematical reasoning

Counting

Scientific thinking

Asking questions

Predicting

Observing

Analyzing the results of chemical reaction

Drawing evidence-based conclusions

Learning how to learn

Planning the ways of using new knowledge

Additional

Hand-eye coordination

Following rules of safety and good work organization

Teamwork

Plant’s pigments – building a simple chromatograph (Experiment)

Overall aims

To introduce the concepts: plants’ pigments, chromatograph

To develop the ability to observe and record the results of observation

To develop the awareness of interconnections between plants’ pigments and the colors of the dish.

Vocabulary – keywords should be understood

Plant’s pigments, chromatograph, experiment, observation, red cabbage, czerwone vegetables (e.g.. beetroot, paprika), green vegetables (e.g.. chives, sorrel etc.), colorful pasta.

Expected learning outcomes (operational aims)

Construct a simple chromatograph following the instruction of he teacher

Draw conclusions based on collected data (count the number of divided pigments revealed on the blotter)

Record the results of observation

Cooperate in a team

Think of/offer different possibilities to use the new knowledge about the plants’ pigments

STEM skills – to which the learning unit is related to

CORE STEM SKILLS

Predicting (formulating hypothesis)

Observing

Drawing data-based conclusions

Divergent thinking

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Teamwork

Fine motor skills

Hand-eye coordination

Teaching methodologies/activity outline

1. Problem situation – observing colors of different vegetables with the help of magnifying glass: beetroot, red cabbage, chives, red paprika, etc.

Observe the plants’ colors – how would you describe it?

How many plants are hiding in one plants? What do you think – is that 1 color or more?

2. Exploring the plants’ pigments (dividing) with the help of simple chromatograph – conducting experiment eksperymentu following the instruction on the video (teamwork – 4 teams with 4 different vegetables)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsf5cEvblY

The aim: separating/ dividing the pigments in the plants

Research problem: How many different pigments are hidden in a plant? How to separate them?

Hypothesis: plants include different pigments

Ingredients/tools necessary to run the experiment by 4 teams:

– 4 vegetables in 2 different colors (red and green)

– Acetone

– Pencils

– Blotter (absorbing paper)

– Stapler

– Grinding bowl (mortar) for every team

– Spoons

Experiment

– Put the pieces of vegetable into the grinding bowl;

– Add 4 teaspoons of acetone;

– Grind the plant to the moment it turns into suspension (mixture);

– Pour the mixture into the beaker;

– Wrap one end of a long piece of blotter on the pencil and attach it with stapler

– Hang the blotter on a pencil and put the pencil on the edge of a beaker – the end of blotter should be covered in mixture into at least 1 cm;

– Leave the blotter in the mixture with acetone for 1 hour;

– Observe the piece of blotter – what happened?

3. Drawing conclusions from observation:

What have you observed on the blotter?

What have we learned about plants’ pigments

How many different colors/ pigments can you observe? How many pigments are hiding in the plant you were exploring?

What kind of name can we give to the device we have constructed? Let the children think about their own name, and then explain that the device is called “chromatograph”

Conclusion

On the blotter one can observe several strips of different colors. The device we constructed is called “chromatograph” and revealed the fact that plants’ pigments are complex and they can disassembled.

4. Recording the results of the observation – planning the possibilities to use the new knowledge:

Try to record what you have observed – in the form of drawing.

How can we use the knowledge about plants’ pigments? What can do with it?

5. Using the results of observation to cook the magical color changing pasta – following the instruction on the video: https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/magical-color-changing-unicorn-noodles/

Assessment of learning

Children self-assessment – What have I learned today? What else would I like to know? What was the most difficult to do? What was the most surprising to find out?

Equipment and materials to be used in learning unit (tools, ingredients etc)

– 4 plants/ vegetables of different colors (red paprika, beetroot, chives, sorrel etc.)

– Magnifying glass for every team

– Beaker for every team

– Acetone

– Pencils

– Blotter (absorbing paper)

– Stapler

– Grinding bowl (mortar) for every team

– Worksheets for noting observation results

– Large pot for boiling water

– Leaves of red cabbage

– Pasta

– Salt

– Lemon

– Small electric cooker for boiling pasta in the classroom or access to preschool kitchen

Kind of setting

Preschool classroom and kitchen (ot a small electric device for cooking in the classroom)

References – source

PCEN Rzeszów. Erasmus+ Project: Through the world with mathematics. In search of new methods for teaching maths and similar subjects. You Tube Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsf5cEvblY

Magical Color Changing Unicorn Noodles: https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/magical-color-changing-unicorn-noodles/