UNIVERSIDAD MARIANO GALVEZ

FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES
ESCUELA DE IDIOMAS
Microteaching Lesson Plan 2014
Instructor: Monica Santizo Sandoval

Date: Oct 21 /
Oct 26

Course Title: Science

Grade: 9th

Unit: Properties of Matter

Specific Topic: Water Tension

Competence:

Recognizes and explains the concept of water surface tension and how it works

Rationale:
MATTER is is anything which has weight and occupies space. Matter refers to all the things that we can see, feel,
and smell in our daily living. In order to understand the properties and reactions of matter, we must be divided
into simpler, less complex substances. It is easier to work with the definitions if we start with the smallest pieces
of matter and gradually work up to more complex matter

Lesson Content:
The cohesive forces between liquid molecules are responsible for the phenomenon known as surface
tension. The molecules at the surface of a glass of water do not have other water molecules on all
sides of them and consequently they cohere more strongly to those directly associated with them (in
this case, next to and below them, but not above). It is not really true that a "skin" forms on the water
surface; the stronger cohesion between the water molecules as opposed to the attraction of the water
molecules to the air makes it more difficult to move an object through the surface than to move it
when it is completely submersed. (Source: GSU).
Cohesion and Surface Tension
The cohesive forces between molecules in a liquid are shared with all neighboring molecules. Those on
the surface have no neighboring molecules above and, thus, exhibit stronger attractive forces upon
their nearest neighbors on and below the surface. Surface tension could be defined as the property of
the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force, due to the cohesive nature of the water
molecules.
Surface tension at a molecular level

Water molecules want to cling to each other. At the

surface, however, there are fewer water molecules to cling to since there is air above (thus, no water
molecules). This results in a stronger bond between those molecules that actually do come in contact
with one another, and a layer of strongly bonded water (see diagram). This surface layer (held
together by surface tension) creates a considerable barrier between the atmosphere and the water. In
fact, other than mercury, water has the greatest surface tension of any liquid. (Source: Lakes of
Missouri)
Within a body of a liquid, a molecule will not experience a net force because the forces by the
neighboring molecules all cancel out (diagram). However for a molecule on the surface of the liquid,
there will be a net inward force since there will be no attractive force acting from above. This inward
net force causes the molecules on the surface to contract and to resist being stretched or broken.
Thus the surface is under tension, which is probably where the name "surface tension" came from.
(Source: Woodrow Wilson Foundation).

Instructional Procedures
a.

Warm-up
I will ask the students the following questions
What is matter? What are the three kinds of matter? What are the characteristics of water? Could
water have something that keeps it together?

b. Teaching procedures
Presentation:
I will tell the students that we will see a new property of water called Water Surface Tension. I will explain
the concept (detailed above)
Controlled practice:
I will place a glass bowl on a desk and place a needle of on it for them to see it float. Then I will remove the
pin and place pepper on it. I will ask them why do they float? The answer I am looking for is that these
things do not break the water surface tension. Then I will take out a tooth pick and tell them I will perform
a magic trick that is possible only because thru understanding water surface tension. I place a little bit of
soap on the tip of the toothpick and then when I place it in the water, the pepper rushes to the bottom and
sides of the bowl. I ask the students to explain why?

TIME
5 min

5 min

10 min

 Semi controlled practice:

I will ask them join in groups and try for themselves to make the experiment. I will give them the materials
water and pepper. Then I will ask them to take their finger dip in soap and try to see what happens to the
pepper. Before doing this I will ask to guess if it will work the same with their fingers or not? Then I ask
them to explain why it happens.
Free practice:
I will ask them in their groups to explain what happens to the water surface tension in both experiments
and tell me how are they possible. I will walk around to see what they are doing and guide them to the
right conclusion. Soap breaks the water surface tension.
c.

e.

Closure:
I will get everyone back to their places and explain that what makes this magic trick happen is that the
properties of soap break up water surface tension. In addition, I will explain that pepper also has a
property of its own it is hydrophobic which means that it does not dissolve in water like sugar would

10 min

10 min

5 min

Homework:
I will assign for homework that students must find out what other elements are hydrophobic and bring
them for tomorrow.

Evaluation Procedures:
I will first diagnose where they are in terms of understanding of concepts and then that will guide me how
much review I must make or if I should only review the terms.
The evaluation procedures will happen throughout the class in things like observation and correction at the
time of possible mistakes.
Then when it is time for the free practice I will already know who will need more attention
Materials and Aids:

Markers
Glass bowls
Water
Toothpicks
Liquid soap
Pepper
napkins