Saturday Science Lesson Plan – Fall 2008

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

STANDARDS

1.1.1 Observe, describe, draw, and sort objects carefully to learn about them.

1.2.6 Describe and compare objects in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color, and

motion.

2.1.3 Describe, both in writing and verbally, objects as accurately as possible and compare

observations with those of other people.

2.1.4 Demonstrate the ability to work with a team but still reach and communicate one’s own

conclusions and feelings.

1.6.2 Observe that and describe how certain things change in some ways and stay the same in

others, such as in their color, size, and weight.

2.1.1 Manipulate and object to gain additional information about it.

2.2.5 Draw pictures and write brief descriptions that correctly portray key features of an

object.

2.3.5 Investigate that things can be done to materials- such as freezing, mixing, cutting,

heating, or wetting – to change some of their properties. Observe that not all materials

respond in the same way.

WEEK 1: Introduction to States of Matter and Exploring Solids

 Chart Paper (class KWL)

 PART II: Exploring Solids

 solid chart

 20 solids/group

 Large sheet of paper – 5

 Markers (each group)

 sentence strips

 science journals

B) DESCRIPTION OF LESSONS

INTRODUCTION TO STATES OF MATTER

Engage: Read Aloud – What is the World Made of? As we read we will generate a list of solids,

liquids, and gases from the story. These will be listed on a solid, liquid, or gas chart on the board.

Explain: Discuss how students made observations and described objects. Introduce terms

observation and inference in reference to the experiences students have just had in describing

the states of matter.

Elaborate: Generate individual KWL charts in student science journals. With ideas from personal

KWL charts, create a class KWL chart that will be referenced throughout the unit. What do we

know? What do we want to know? What have we already learned? (add questions and

comments with student name next to it on the chart)

Evaluate: Look at individual KWL charts, class KWL charts, and the properties/characteristics

into like groups using whatever strategies (properties) that they would like.

Explain: As a class, groups will share-out the strategies they used to sort solids. I will list

strategies on the board or solid chart. After all groups have shared, we will discuss the

properties that they experienced during the sorting activity. These properties will be listed on

the solids chart.

Elaborate: In groups, students will receive one sentence strip. Each group should write a

‘definition’ for the term solid. All sentence strips will be posted on the board and as a class we

will compare and contrast descriptions and either combine or choose one definition. This

definition will be recorded on a single sentence strip and we will use this definition of a solid for

the duration of our unit on states of matter.

Evaluate: Students will complete this prompt in their science journals “I think _____ is a solid

WEEK 2: Exploring Liquids

A) MATERIALS

 PART I: EXPLORING LIQUIDS

 Properties of Solid chart

 4 cups/ group

 4 plastic spoons/ group

 4 different liquids/ group

 Sentence Strips

 KWL Chart

 PART II: ARE ALL LIQUIDS ALIKE?

 2 new liquids (per group)

 2 cups per group

 Flat surface (1 per group, marked with start and finish lines)

 Droppers (1 per liquid)

 Sentence Strip

 Journals

B) DESCRIPTION OF LESSONS

observe one spoon full of each liquid on wax paper with hand magnifying glasses.

Explain: As a group, discuss and record observations of each (look like, feel like, how does it

move?). Share out as a whole class. Record observations on the class Properties of Liquid chart.

Elaborate: In groups, students should work together to help describe a liquid and write their

description on a sentence strip. As a class, compare and contrast sentence strips. Vote on final

description (description will work as our ‘definition’ of a liquid).

Evaluate: Properties of Liquid chart, sentence strips with liquid definitions, Revisit KWL Chart –

Journals:

drawings in their journals. Give students 1 minute to complete observations. Explain that

students will race the two liquids by dropping a similar amount of each liquid at the same

starting point on a flat surface, tipping the surface, and watch to see which liquid crosses the

finish line first. Have students complete the ‘race.’

Explain: Record results in journals and discuss if their ‘guesses’ were supported or not after their

races were complete. Why or why weren’t they ‘right’? Why do they believe those outcomes

happened? Discuss which properties linked winning liquids and losing liquids. (thickness,

texture, etc.)

Elaborate: Share out results as a class. Discuss different outcomes and the importance of

evidence or support to check your guesses. Explain the term hypothesis. Create a sentence strip

WEEK 3: Solids to Liquids

A) MATERIALS

PART I: Water Race

 Plastic Bag (1 per person)

 Ice Cube (1 per person)

 Plastic Cub (1 per group)

 Journals

 Stop Watches? (1 per person)

 Journals

 Permanent Markers (to mark waterline, label cups for experiment)

 Journals

 Class Chart

strategies. Overall, which strategies worked the best? What did they all have in common?

will discuss evaporation.

water line on your cup so we will be able to see how much water we started with in our cup. I

would then like each group to discuss for 1 minute, where they would like to place their cup for

this experiment. After this time, we will place our cups there and we will check in with them

next week to see if any changes have occurred.” (after one minute)

Evaluate: Journals, property charts

WEEK 4: EXPLORING GAS

A) MATERIALS