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Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

Color and Chromatography

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Baa, baa, black sheep,

Have you any wool?

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Yes, sir, yes, sir,

Three bags full.

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One for the master,

And one for the dame,

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And one for the little boy

Who lives down the lane.

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Pretest

  1. Can you separate one color into many colors? Yes or No

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  • If you answered yes, how would you do it?

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  • If you answered no, why not?

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4. What is chromatography?

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Steam Challenge Card

As if sharing three bags of wool isn’t enough, the seamstress called and wants more!

She needs wool in colors other than black or white. The little black sheep says she can help because she was drawn in a marker, not a pencil. She insists to the farmer that she hides more colors in her wool. The farmer is skeptical. Why should he believe this sheep? Are you ready to test and see if this little sheep is telling the truth?

Do you think it is possible to take one color and make many colors?

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This reminds me of a time when I was painting and . . .

  • I got some yellow paint without rinsing off my blue and guess what color it made.
  • I mixed red and blue and guess what color it made.
  • I mixed red and yellow and guess what color it made.
  • I mixed . . .

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Partner Talk

Remember and share a time (other than painting) when you have seen colors mix to make another color.

  • Play-Doh
  • Mustard and ketchup
  • Finger paints
  • Making chocolate milk

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Chromatography Mini-Lesson

  • It is possible to combine colors to make other colors, but is it possible to separate those colors?
  • A process called chromatography – color writing – is used by forensic scientists and police officers to help solve crimes.

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Materials

  • Black markers
  • Coffee filters
  • Water
  • Spray bottle
  • Eye dropper

How could we use these materials to test if the little black sheep really does hide other colors in her wool?

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  • Share a prediction with a friend.
  • Draw on the coffee filter with the marker.
  • Put the coffee filter in a pan.
  • Add water using a method of your choice.
  • Transfer to wax paper to dry.
  • What happens?

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Make a Plan

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  • Draw a picture of what you see on your coffee filter.
  • What happened when we added water to our black drawing?
  • The black sheep hid _____colors in her wool.
  • I wonder if the water application tool changes the results. How could you find out?

Reflect

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Was the black sheep telling the truth?

  • Which color traveled the longest distance?
  • Which color traveled the shortest distance?
  • Which color do you see the most? The least?
  • What color was most surprising? Why?
  • What do you wonder now?

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What are some wonderings?

  • Is all black ink the same?
  • What if I tried an Expo marker, a Sharpie, a Paper Mate pen?
  • What if I tried different brands of markers, say a RoseArt marker instead of a Crayola marker?
  • Can you mix colors to make white?

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Would I ever use this in real life?

  • Chemical engineer
  • Environmental engineer
  • Artist/designer

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What works with high-potential learners?

  • Began with a pretest
  • Introduces new vocabulary (pigments, filter paper, solvent)
  • Asks open-ended questions
  • Encourages students to create their own experiments
  • Requires record keeping and reflection
  • Stimulates more wondering

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Resource

Bemiss, A., (2018) Hands-on STEAM Explorations for Young Learners, �Prufrock Press (Routledge)