Babraham Institute schools’ resources
[email protected]
Primary Schools:
Exploring Colour with Chromatography
Approximate timing: 25-30 minutes
Required resources: Instructions, felt-tip pens and/or M&Ms (no nuts) or similar coloured sweets, filter
paper, plastic cups, water, Pasteur pipettes
This lesson will introduce students to chromatography – a standard laboratory technique used to purify or
separate mixtures. This can also be used in a classroom to investigate the colours in felt tipped pens and
sweets.
The lesson supports:
Primary Curriculum – working scientifically
Pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of
excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They should be encouraged to understand how science
can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Learning outcomes
All students will: Carry out a hands-on scientific experiment
Most students will: Describe colour combinations used to make another colour.
Some students will: Explain that mxtures can be separated based on the size of their particles
Key word/s Colour, practical, quick, do-at-home
Teaching notes Student learning activities
Starter or ice-breaker activity (5 mins) Student actions
Ask students questions to gauge knowledge and Answering questions
interest:
What can you tell me about colour?
What are the primary colours?
What examples do you know of colours being mixed
together to make a different colour?
Can colours be ‘un-mixed’ back to their constituent
colours?
Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Babraham, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
An Institute supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Babraham Institute schools’ resources
[email protected]Development (5 mins) Student actions
Explain principle activity, ask students to guess what Read through/listen to instructions, question task
colours make up the pens/sweets that they’re going ahead to ensure understanding.
to use
Print out and read through instructions
Principal Activity (20-30 mins) Student actions
See instructions. Follow instructions.
Avoid using yellow and orange felt-tip pens because Compare results – identify which colours contain 1,
they don’t show up well. 2 3 or other colours
Students could do two different tests with felt-tips
and M&Ms and compare the results, or just do one
if materials time aren’t available and/or there is
insufficient time
Plenary (5 mins) Students answer question(s) to assess learning.
Plenary questions are linked to initial learning
outcomes
Allow them to take their filter paper home with
them if they want to - give out extra paper to allow
students to try experiment at home
Homework Look at ingredient lists on food packaging, identify
what colours they contain and research what the ‘E’
numbers actually mean.
Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Babraham, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
An Institute supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
