Solutions

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Support learners to write about solutions with confidence

This resource is part of the Structure strips series of resources, designed to support literacy in science teaching.

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Use structure strips, printed five to a page, to promote independent writing on this topic.
Downloads include the student sheet and teacher notes with answers.

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Learning objectives

Correctly use key words related to solutions.
Describe how mass is conserved when solutions are formed.
Draw/interpret particle diagrams for solutions.
Write independently about solutions.

Introduction

Most chemical reactions, including the ones in our bodies, are carried out in solutions. We drink solutions, use them to preserve our food and clean our houses. Solutions are all around us.

How to use structure strips

Structure strips are a type of scaffolding that support learners to retrieve information independently. Use them to take an overview at the start of a topic, to activate prior knowledge, or to summarise learning at the end of a teaching topic. Read more ideas on how to use structure strips with your learners.

Structure strips have sections containing prompts, sized to suggest the amount that learners must write. Ask learners to glue the strips into the margin of an exercise book and write their answers next to the sections, in full sentences or in bullet points. When learners have finished using the structure strip, they will have an A4 page set of notes and examples.

Scaffolding

Encourage learners to use the suggested key words in their answers
To further support learners, include additional prompts in the structure strip. If learners are struggling to engage with the task, supply them with sentence starters created from the model answers.
As learners grow in confidence, ask them to attempt the extension question first and then use the structure strip to improve or self-assess their answer.

Metacognition

This resource supports learners to develop their metacognitive skills in three key areas.

Planning: the strips provide scaffolding to plan the written response. Learners will decide where to gather information from (textbooks, own notes, revision websites). Ask learners: is the source of information you are using reliable?
Monitoring: learners are prompted by the questions in the structure strip and can check their own answer against the prompts. Ask learners: have you covered all of the prompts in the space provided? Do you need to change anything to complete the task?
Evaluation: learners can self-assess or ask a peer to check their work against the answers. Ask learners: did you achieve what you meant to achieve? What might you do differently another time?

More resources

Find teaching ideas, resources and misconceptions in our CPD article How to teach mixtures and solutions.
Recap learning with questions from these Review my learning worksheets on solubility.
Highlight diverse careers with our Chemistry: making the difference videos and let your learners be inspired. For example, Ben is a marine biogeochemist finding out how our oceans are responding to climate change.

Key words

Solute, solvent, soluble, insoluble, solution, dissolve.

Extension question: Sarah’s solutions

Sarah is buying blackcurrant squash. Blackcurrant squash is diluted with water to make a solution suitable to drink.

Squash A is a single concentrate. It is recommended that you use 1 part squash to 4 parts water when diluting to make the drink.

Squash B is called a super concentrated squirty squash. It is recommended that you use 1 part squash to 75 parts water when diluting to make the drink.

Sarah thinks she should just use the same amount of squash and water with both kinds of squash. Write a quick note to Sarah to explain why this isn’t a good idea!

Answers

Find suggested answers for the structure strip in the teacher notes.

Example answer to extension question

Dear Sarah,

Squash A is much less concentrated than Squash B. This means that squash B has the same number of particles as squash A but in a much smaller volume.

If you use the same amount of squash and water for both types of squash, then one of the drinks might taste really weak and the other one might taste really strong.

If you use squash B in the same amounts of squash and water as squash A then the drink will be really dark in colour and taste really strongly of blackcurrant.