Lesson Plan Description

students learn about changes in states of matter

Students will be engaged in hands-on activities that involve melting ice to answer a comparative question regarding what materials speed up the melting process of water. Students will analyze their findings and present to the class. The project will link IBL with traditional teaching by giving teachers options to best suit the needs of the class. More questions will emerge to continue scientific investigations and further the learning process.

Ice cubes arranged on a black table

Grade Level

PreK/ K/1

Time Requirement

One Class Period at the Beginning of the sequence

10 minutes at the beginning of each class period for ~2 Weeks

One class period at the end of the sequence

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Practical Application

This experiment allows students to understand changes in matter, specifically the different states of water. Each student will have practice with the scientific process, including documenting and interpreting data.

Objectives

  1. Incorporate the process of inquiry-based learning into a traditional direct instruction classroom setting.
  2. Students will be able to use multiple means to find answers to their questions, including but not limited to participating in the inquiry experience, reading information from primary and secondary sources, watching videos, and talking with more knowledgeable individuals in their community.
  3. Students will be able to identify different states of water.
  4. Students will be able to investigate how to speed up the change of water from a solid to a liquid.
  5. Students will be able to uncover additional questions and think critically about the data found.

Educational Standards

Scientific Inquiry, Practices and Applications

  • Apply knowledge of science content to real-world challenges.
  • Plan and conduct simple scientific investigations using appropriate safety techniques based on explorations, observations and questions.
  • Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses.
  • Use data and mathematical thinking to construct reasonable explanations.
  • Communicate with others about investigations and data.
  • The world is discovered through exploration.
  • Exploration leads to observation. Observation leads to questions.

sPreK: With modeling and support, explore the properties of objects and materials.

K.PS.1: Objects and materials can be sorted and described by their properties.

1.ESS.2: Water on Earth is present in many forms.

1.PS.1: Properties of objects and materials can change.