IGICONIC GAMESSENIOR // FUTURE LEARNING
TERM 3 · WEEK 4Change Lab
YEAR 8IMAGINE · PLAN · BUILD · ACT
SYSTEMS LAB · MISSION 04
REACTION CHAMBER

YEAR 8 · TERM 3 · WEEK 4

Change Lab

Did we mix it — or make something new?

CHANGE LAB · REACTION STATUS UNKNOWN: Four virtual samples have changed. One melted. One dissolved. One produced a new solid when two solutions were combined. One slowly formed a different material after exposure to air and moisture. Your job is not to hunt for a magic clue — it is to decide what the full evidence supports.
ENTER MISSION →
MISSION DECKSYSTEMS LAB / WEEK 04SELECT A MODULE
01BRIEFMission 02LEARNIntel 03INVESTIGATEEvidence 04ENGLISHEvidence case 05DECIDEMake the call 06DATANumbers 07PROJECTBuild 08CHECK-INReflect ★GAMEReward
ACTIVE OBJECTIVECHANGE LAB · REACTION STATUS UNKNOWN: Four virtual samples have changed. One melted. One dissolved. One produced a new solid when two solutions were combined. One slowly formed a different material after exposure to air and moisture. Your job is not to hunt for a magic clue — it is to decide what the full evidence supports.
WORLDSYSTEMS LAB
SEQUENCE01 / 08
REWARDGAME BREAK
Jump to a lesson part

READY?

Watch. Check the clues. Have a go.

Everything you need is on this page.

Start mission →
Need help getting started?
YOU NEED
  • Required: a device with this page open.
  • Optional: headphones for video or read-aloud.
  • Optional: pen + paper for rough working if that helps you think.
HOW TO DO IT
  1. Read or listen to the Briefing + Learn.
  2. Do the interactive mission.
  3. Use facts from the reading and maths parts.
  4. Make your choice and save your project step.
  5. Play the weekly game. Finish Check-in.
WORK YOUR WAY

Short bursts are fine. Use Learning Tools for easier reading, read-aloud, less on screen, stronger contrast, no-rush and quieter-screen options.

If you get stuck, look at the example and try again.

SCIENCE SAFETY: The science investigations in this Senior mission are designed as virtual/screen-based activities unless the page clearly says otherwise. Do not improvise mains electricity, heating or chemical experiments at home.

PROJECT NOTE: Your project can stay digital. Physical making is optional unless you choose that format.

MISSION BRIEFING

CHANGE LAB · REACTION STATUS UNKNOWN: Four virtual samples have changed. One melted. One dissolved. One produced a new solid when two solutions were combined. One slowly formed a different material after exposure to air and moisture. Your job is not to hunt for a magic clue — it is to decide what the full evidence supports.

✓Distinguish physical changes from chemical changes by asking whether new substances are formed.
✓Use observations such as gas production, formation of a solid, energy/temperature change or colour change as evidence to investigate rather than automatic proof on their own.
✓Explain why reversibility can be useful evidence but is not a perfect rule for classifying physical versus chemical change.
✓Interpret temperature/time and recovery data, compare explanations and identify when more evidence is needed.
MISSION MEDIA · Khan Academy

Physical and Chemical Changes

Focus on the evidence for new substances rather than relying on one visual clue.

YOUTUBE ↗

Captions are controlled inside the YouTube player. If the embed is unavailable, use the YouTube link.

LEARN

OBSERVATION → EVIDENCE → NEW SUBSTANCE → LIMIT

A PHYSICAL CHANGE alters state, shape, size or arrangement without forming a new substance. A CHEMICAL CHANGE forms one or more new substances through a chemical reaction. Scientists look for several kinds of evidence: unexpected gas production, formation of a new solid (a precipitate), sustained energy changes, colour changes or other new properties. But no single visual clue is a universal proof. Colour can change by mixing, bubbles can come from boiling, and temperature can change during physical processes too. REVERSIBILITY is also not a perfect shortcut: some physical changes are difficult to reverse and some chemical reactions can be reversed under suitable conditions. Use OBSERVATION → POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS → EVIDENCE → CLASSIFICATION → LIMIT.

LEARNING BUILD

Learn it. See it. Try it.

Look at the example. Check another point of view. Then try the task.

Step 1: Choose a starting clue
WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW

Reasoning lens:SYSTEM → VARIABLES → MECHANISM → COMPETING EXPLANATION → EVIDENCE → REDESIGN

What do you already know?

English / communication:Compare competing explanations, separate observation from inference and justify classification with evidence and limitations.

Maths / data:Temperature/time change, graph interpretation, percentage recovery and comparative data.

Topic knowledge:Physical vs chemical change, evidence for reactions, conservation reasoning, reversibility and limitations of indicators.

This week’s first target:Distinguish physical changes from chemical changes by asking whether new substances are formed.

Which clue is a good place to start?

Choose a source that can directly support part of the investigation. More than one source may be useful, but start with evidence that does not outrun its support.

Need more help? See the teaching
TEACH 1 · CORE MODEL

A PHYSICAL CHANGE alters state, shape, size or arrangement without forming a new substance. A CHEMICAL CHANGE forms one or more new substances through a chemical reaction. Scientists look for several kinds of evidence: unexpected gas production, formation of a new solid (a precipitate), sustained energy changes, colour changes or other new properties. But no single visual clue is a universal proof. Colour can change by mixing, bubbles can come from boiling, and temperature can change during physical processes too. REVERSIBILITY is also not a perfect shortcut: some physical changes are difficult to reverse and some chemical reactions can be reversed under suitable conditions. Use OBSERVATION → POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS → EVIDENCE → CLASSIFICATION → LIMIT.

TEACH 2 · WHAT TO NOTICE

Distinguish physical changes from chemical changes by asking whether new substances are formed.Use observations such as gas production, formation of a solid, energy/temperature change or colour change as evidence to investigate rather than automatic proof on their own.

TEACH 3 · CONNECT + TRANSFER

Explain why reversibility can be useful evidence but is not a perfect rule for classifying physical versus chemical change. Interpret temperature/time and recovery data, compare explanations and identify when more evidence is needed.

WORKED EXAMPLE · EVIDENCE

CASE A · MELTING

A virtual pure substance changes from solid to liquid as temperature rises. After cooling, the same substance forms a solid again. The model shows no new particle type.

Reasoning: Start with exactly what the source establishes. Connect it to the relevant concept, then stop before the claim becomes broader than the evidence. Now compare it with INDICATOR LIMIT: A colour or temperature change can be useful evidence, but either observation alone may have more than one possible explanation.

Why caution still matters:This item is useful context, but context is not the same as direct proof. Combine it with stronger evidence before making a broad conclusion.

WORKED EXAMPLE · MATHS / DATA ROUTE

A virtual reaction starts at 21°C and reaches a maximum of 29°C. What is the temperature increase?

This week’s maths/data focus:Temperature/time change, graph interpretation, percentage recovery and comparative data.

Name the variable or relationship, keep the units visible, calculate or compare, then interpret the result as evidence about the system. A result can support an explanation without proving every possible cause.

WE DO · GUIDED PRACTICE

Which source needs the most caution before it is used to support a broad conclusion?

Choose a source that mainly supplies context rather than direct proof of the whole conclusion.

YOU TRY · INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

For Change Lab, explain one core idea, connect it to one named source or observation and one quantitative/data point from this page, then state an alternative explanation, trade-off or limitation that a strong judgement must consider.

Write at least 30 words. Name the evidence or data you are using and keep the claim inside what it can support.

MISCONCEPTION CHECK

INDICATOR LIMIT:A colour or temperature change can be useful evidence, but either observation alone may have more than one possible explanation.

This item is useful context, but context is not the same as direct proof. Combine it with stronger evidence before making a broad conclusion.

HELP

Try: “If ___ changes, the mechanism predicts ___. Evidence ___ supports/challenges that. An alternative explanation is ___. I would test ___ next.”

STRETCH · OPTIONAL

Build the strongest reasonable counter-argument or alternative explanation. Name one additional piece of evidence that could distinguish between the two positions.

CHANGE LAB · REACTION CONTROL

CHANGE LAB

Something changed. Did the substance change too?

Classify four transformations, audit common reaction clues, interpret temperature data and decide when the evidence is still incomplete.

CLASSIFY THE CHANGE
CASE A · melting

A pure solid becomes a liquid when heated. Cooling restores the same solid and the particle identity is unchanged.

CASE B · dissolving

Salt is no longer visible after mixing with water, but the virtual model can recover it when the water is removed.

CASE C · new solid

Two fictional clear solutions combine and form a new solid particle combination not present beforehand.

CASE D · oxidation

A fictional iron sample exposed to oxygen and moisture forms material with different properties and new chemical substances.

REACTION CLUE AUDIT
Colour changes after mixing.
Bubbles appear while a liquid is being heated.
Two solutions form a new solid and the particle model shows a new substance.
Temperature rises after substances are combined.
TEMPERATURE / TIME DATA
21°C24°C27°C29°C26°C

The virtual sample rises from 21°C to a maximum of 29°C. What is the increase?

REVERSIBILITY AUDIT

Which statement is strongest?

PARTICLE MODEL · BEFORE / AFTER
BEFOREA AB B
→
AFTERAB AB

What does this simplified model contribute?

Classify all four cases, audit all four clues, then pass the temperature, reversibility and particle-evidence checks.

OPEN THE SYSTEM EVIDENCE
SOURCE 1

CASE A · MELTING

A virtual pure substance changes from solid to liquid as temperature rises. After cooling, the same substance forms a solid again. The model shows no new particle type.
SOURCE 2

CASE B · DISSOLVING

Salt disappears visibly in water but can be recovered in the virtual model when the water is removed. The model treats the salt and water particles as still present.
SOURCE 3

CASE C · NEW SOLID

Two clear fictional solutions are combined and a solid appears that was not present beforehand. In the model this is accompanied by a rearrangement into a new particle combination.
SOURCE 4

CASE D · OXIDATION

A fictional iron sample exposed to oxygen and moisture develops a material with different properties. The model identifies new chemical substances in the product.
SOURCE 5

INDICATOR LIMIT

A colour or temperature change can be useful evidence, but either observation alone may have more than one possible explanation.

INVESTIGATE + ENGLISH · EVIDENCE CASE

Evidence of change is stronger when several clues agree

Change Lab begins with observations, not labels. A solid melting into its liquid state is a physical change because the substance remains the same material. Dissolving can also be a physical change: the dissolved substance may still be present even when it cannot be seen. By contrast, when the model shows atoms rearranged into new particle combinations with new properties, the evidence supports chemical change. Scientists often use clues such as gas formation, precipitates, temperature change or colour change, but they interpret those observations in context. A single clue can have more than one explanation. Reversibility can also help, but it should not be treated as a perfect test. Strong classification combines observations, particle-level reasoning and evidence about whether new substances formed.

MAKE THE CALL

Classify the four virtual Change Lab cases as physical or chemical using the complete evidence set. Then audit one ambiguous observation and explain what additional evidence you would seek before calling it proof of a reaction.

BUILD YOUR CASE CONCLUSION1. Make the call. 2. Use at least two relevant pieces of evidence. 3. Explain one limitation or uncertainty. 4. Finish with what can responsibly be concluded.Strong structure: My judgement is… The strongest evidence is… However, we still do not know… Therefore…

CASE CONCLUSION: Write 230–310 words comparing two Change Lab cases: one physical and one chemical. Separate observations from your inference, explain whether new substances formed, use at least two evidence clues, discuss why one common shortcut such as “colour change means chemical” or “reversible means physical” can fail, and state what extra evidence would strengthen one classification.

0/230 words minimum for this writing mission.

CLAIMEVIDENCELIMITATIONCONCLUSION

MATHS + DATA LAB

Check the numbers.

HOW TO SUCCEEDRead the situation first. Estimate what a sensible answer should look like, choose an efficient calculation, then use the feedback to check your reasoning.For data questions, explain what the number shows — and what it does not prove.

A virtual reaction starts at 21°C and reaches a maximum of 29°C. What is the temperature increase?

MISSION 05 · MATHS + DATA LAB

DATA TRAINING

ALGEBRA · YEAR 8 EXTENSION
6 PROBLEMS
QUICK METHODALGEBRA

Keep the equation balanced: undo operations in reverse order.

GUIDED · Q01–Q03Use the quick method, then check the explanation.
Q01

x + 4 = 39. What is x?

Q02

3x = 24. What is x?

Q03

If n = 5, what is 2n + 3?

INDEPENDENT · Q04

Continue the pattern: 4, 9, 14, 19, …

INDEPENDENT · Q05

Which expression means “five more than twice x”?

INDEPENDENT · Q06

2x + 4 = 18. What is x?

OPTIONAL CHALLENGE · OPEN RESPONSE

Create and solve a two-step equation whose solution is 12. Explain why each inverse operation is valid.

0 words · optional
0 / 6 completeComplete every problem to finish the data lab.

PROJECT HQ · PROJECT FILE 04

BUILD — first prototype/system model.

Start something real. Build an idea, test it, improve it, and share it. Make your move.

BUILD version 1 of your Resilient Systems Challenge model. Define the intervention and mechanism, choose response variables or comparison evidence, and state a failure criterion or constraint before testing.

MAP SYSTEM→FIND WEAK POINT→DISRUPT→DESIGN→TEST→REVISE→PRESENT

WEEK 4 · BUILD VERSION 1 · Build an explicit system model or prototype that can be tested against your own variables, constraints and evidence criteria.

Complete all five fields. Version 1 saves into your Resilient Systems Challenge on this device.

Project sharing will be optional. A future upload system must keep private submission separate from public-showcase/marketing permission.

CHECK-IN

What changed in your thinking?

YEAR 8 · REMIX · TERM 3 / WEEK 4

TRAFFIC ZERO

Lean through traffic and reach the finish before the clock closes.

UPGRADED DIFFICULTYBEST SCORE SAVED
PLAY TRAFFIC ZERO
A remastered ICONIC GAMES favourite · phone + keyboard controls.

YEAR 8 · SENIOR HOMEWORK CLUB

Your journey

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