Reay Primary School, Hackford Road, Brixton, London SW9 0EN

Using a Visualiser in Year 6 Science: Reversible & Irreversible

Changes

Learning objectives:
Learn that mixing materials can cause them to change
Make careful observations, record and explain these using scientific knowledge
and understanding

Lesson plan:

WHOLE CLASS INTRODUCTION: Introduce the lesson by demonstrating what happens when
lemon juice and biological washing powder are mixed together. Place cup of lemon juice
under the visualiser and add washing powder – zoom in to maximum magnification to
observe results.

Discuss: What is happening to the liquid? What is happening to the solid? What might be
being released into the air in bubbles? Is the solid dissolved? How can you tell? What other
things do you observe?

GROUP PLANNING: Then, present the children with a range of materials (sand, flour, baking
powder, powder paint, salt, plaster of Paris) ask them to mix each with water or vinegar,
describe and try to explain what has happened. Children to plan investigation as a fair test.

How will you observe results closely?

How will you record your results?

(think about appearance, temperature etc)

GROUP PRACTICAL WORK: Practical investigation using planning frames. Differentiate by

adding factors info to lower ability group and provide large frame for statemented child. TA
to support new EAL child as much as possible during intro by practically explaining
dissolving using water and salt/sugar. .

PLENARY: Ask children to group materials into categories and be ready to explain their
observations under the visualiser, eg those which dissolve in water, those which don’t
dissolve and those where there appears to be a different sort of change. Talk with children
about their groupings and introduce the idea of changes which are different from dissolving.

Extend more able group by asking them to feedback findings for their groups, especially in
relation to lessons learned re planning and observation. Demonstrate on visualiser.

RESOURCES:

SOLIDS: Each group needs a small quantity of sand, flour, baking powder, powder paint,
salt, plaster of Paris in a cup (about a tablespoon is plenty.)
LIQUIDS: a paint pot of water for each group, half a cup of vinegar (or however much will go
around).

SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE: Plaster of Paris and cement react chemically with water to make
new substances: plaster and concrete. When vinegar is added to bicarbonate of soda,
lemon juice to washing soda, and Andrews salts to water, the bubbles of gas produced are
carbon dioxide.

How did the visualiser support and extend the learning in the lesson?

The visualiser was a key component of this lesson. The opportunity to observe the
introductory experiment clearly on the whiteboard engaged all the children immediately.
 Reay Primary School, Hackford Road, Brixton, London SW9 0EN

The teacher was able to model good observational skills and language using an example
that all the children had observed. The children’s resulting discussion was extended by their
ability to see the experiment magnified. They were able to use the modelled language and
their own experience of observing the experiment to talk precisely about the changes
occurring in the mixture. When they were doing their own investigation, they did not have
microscopes. It was therefore useful to be able to see the gas release close up so that each
child knew the sort of detail they might need to be looking for.

Part way through the planning, it became clear that a number of children had not retained a
clear understanding of dissolving from the previous term’s work. It was easy for the
teacher to demonstrate a practical example underneath the visualiser with salt and water.
The children’s understanding was instantly clarified and they were able to move on with
their planning for the lesson’s investigation.

The use of the visualiser during the plenary was also important. Groups had discussed their
conclusions and a small number of children were given the opportunity to come and use the
visualiser to explain their observations and results. The uncomplicated equipment meant
that these children used the magnifier and light for themselves. They were able to
demonstrate exactly what they had seen by repeating 2 experiments. This prompted
further discussion around possible scientific explanations of their observations.

Although it would have been possible to teach the lesson without the visualiser, there is no
doubt that its use enhanced the pace of the lesson, as well as the quality of the children’s
observations. It contributed significantly to their progress by the end of the session.

Magnified
image
allowed
the whole
class to
observe
the carbon
dioxide
escaping
from the
mixture of
lemon
juice and
washing
powder –
much
excitement
ensued!
 Reay Primary School, Hackford Road, Brixton, London SW9 0EN

Using black
paper
underneath
the cup
made it
easier for
the children
to see

Other examples of lessons planned with the visualiser:

• Literacy – useful for modelling improving and editing children’s work. It saved time
on scanning for the whiteboard.
• Literacy – showed examples of a variety of text types quickly, saved time on planning
and scanning.
• Numeracy – I was able to display handwritten success criteria and other work to
demonstrate parts of independent work.
• History – useful for artefacts, especially the magnification feature
• Topic/art work – able to zoom in on illustrations from a book which we were using as
inspiration for class work.

Children’s comments

Year 6 children explained why they would like to keep the visualiser in their classroom all
the time:

• It’s good when you can see your work on the visualiser.
• The teacher can explain something on the visualiser to save telling everyone
individually (referring to modelling editing and improving writing).
• We definitely should keep it, it makes work easier.

Benefits of the visualiser:

• Clear, immediate modelling is possible when needed in a lesson

• Planning time is reduced, with less scanning of books and other resources for display
on the whiteboard.
 Reay Primary School, Hackford Road, Brixton, London SW9 0EN

• The children have loved sharing their work in a variety of subjects on the visualiser –
it has been a good incentive for improved presentation across the curriculum.
Teaching staff have enjoyed using the visualiser to celebrate good work each lesson.
• The zoom feature is endlessly useful, particularly in science.
• The visualiser has become a classroom must-have in a matter of weeks, and we are
still learning how to benefit from the range of features.

Report author:

Kirsty Kingsbury
ICT Co-ordinator
Year 6 Teacher