Australia's Science Forum

In my last school job, I remember the teacher doing a separation prac with Year 7. I think I had to make a mix from water, soil, bits of paper etc. The students then had to use a number of separation techniques to try to get clear water. Has anyone done this prac and could give me some clearer instructions? I think it was straight from the text book which I think was Science Focus.

Hi Merilyn

This is what we do with our year 7's and it works well. Hope it helps

Debbie

Why hasn't the teacher given you a photocopy of the prac that they need and specified the number of groups which will do the prac. That way you don't have to guess what is needed. It shouldn't be up to you to remember how this prac may have been done elsewhere. I usually supply the dirt in a plastic beaker and the teacher distributes an amount to each group. Students do a series of different pracs over a number of lessons using different separation techniques ie, sand and iron filings using magnets, dirt and water using filter funnels and filter paper, salt + dirt + water using filter funnels and filter paper and evaporation basins. If you don't have a copy of the textbook to work from then you need to ask for a copy of the textbook or a photocopy of the prac.

I appreciate your input, Lyn, and normally that is what I would expect, and the teachers know it! In this case, I was chatting to the coordinator about this particular prac, but it was too long ago for me to remember how it was done. She just asked me to find out the details if I could as she hadn't done it herself.

Thanks, too, Debbie, but I think the one the students did was trying to replicate water treatment plants. It was interesting and a bit of fun. I know only the class that was ahead in their work got to do it, so it wasn't mandatory.