Way to Glow - Luminescence and Slime!

OVERVIEW:

This FutureFit lesson is designed to supplement a standard 12-15 unit lesson for 3rd-5th grade Physical Science by offering a unique project that ties together the core academic concepts with a set of FutureFit social-emotional and 21st Century skills.

STUDENT/GROUP OUTPUT:

Students will perform an inquiry-based activity on luminescence by making glow-in-the-dark slime.

SUGGESTED SUBJECT PREREQUISITES:

It is suggested that students should have familiarity with the following subject material as background for this lesson:

• A basic understanding of the structure and properties of matter
• A basic understanding of changing states of matter and energy
• A basic understanding of luminescence

SEQUENCE AND PACING

This project-based lesson includes enough material for use in five 45-minutes periods of instruction. If a more focused lesson is appropriate, select the 3-day Short Lesson. The Concept Check version provides activities which reinforce the core math concepts.

TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES (suggested):

• Internet access

STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

These activities support the following NGSS curriculum standards:

• LS1.A: Structure and Function
• 4-LS1-1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival growth, behavior, and reproduction
• LS3.b Variation of Traits
• 3-LS3-2 Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
• PS1.A Structure and Properties of Matter
• 5-PS1-3 Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties
• PS1.B Chemical Reactions
• 5-PS1-4 Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances
• PS3.A Definitions of Energy
• 4-PS3-2 Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.