Arts Integrated Lesson Plan: The Atom of My Eye

Objective(S): The students will be able to act out differences between solids, liquids, and gases at the atomic level, and
connect this understanding to why objects in these different states of matter have different properties.
TEKS: 3rd Grade: Science-112.14.b.5.B - describe and classify samples of matter as solids, liquids, and gases and
demonstrate that solids have a definite shape and that liquids and gases take the shape of their container
4th Grade: Science-112.15.b.5.A - measure, compare, and contrast physical properties of matter, including size,
mass, volume, states (solid, liquid, gas), temperature, magnetism, and the ability to sink or float
STAAR: 5th Grade: Science-5.5A - classify matter based on physical properties, including mass, magnetism, physical
state (solid, liquid, and gas), relative density (sinking and floating), solubility in water, and the ability to
conduct or insulate thermal energy or electric energy
Materials needed:
Open space
Pre Assessment:
Students must understand that all matter is made up of small particles, called atoms.
Students must have basic counting skills.
Engagement/Hook: Atom 1-2-3
Have students walk freely around the room (slow enough that they do not bump into each other)
When you call out Atom (number), the students will quickly gather into groups of the appropriate number
-Example: Atom 5! - Students will form groups of five
The number one can be used, in which case students should huddle with only themselves, touching no one else
Autumn Simpson September 4, 2013
Lesson Title: The Atom of My Eye Content Areas: Theatre & Science
After calling out Atom and then the number, you will count up to that number. By the time you reach that number,
students should be in their groups
-Example: Atom 5!...1...2...3...4...5
Any student(s) not in a group of the correct number or not in a group at all, is out
Special note: Students in groups should be huddled closely together, physically making contact with each other, so that it
is easy to tell who is in which group
Continue this process until game winners can be chosen, or until the whole class is fully warmed-up
Have students sit in a circle
Discuss what their movements were like when they were simply walking around the room
-What was their speed like?
-How often and/or quickly did they change direction?
-What did the energy in their bodies feel like?
Ask similar questions about after a number was called out and they were trying to find a group, and also once they found
a group, and were huddled
-What was their speed like? (They probably moved very quickly when looking for a group)
-Did they have to change direction at all, if the group they were heading towards turned out to be full?
-How did changing direction during this time differ from changing direction while simply walking?
-What was their movement like once they found a group? (In groups, their movement was probably minimal,
because they had to be touching their group, to not become separated)
-What did the energy in their bodies feel like when searching for a group compared to once they found a group?
Let the students explore these questions, to get a sense of how their movement changed throughout the game
Activity Instructions:
States of Matter:
Have the students sit in a circle
Ask the students for examples of solids
Then ask what these different solids have in common (looking for for concepts like being hard or more specifically,
keeping their shape). Students may need help getting to this type of conclusion, especially on this first vocabulary
word, and the conversation will likely need to be guided by the instructor
Autumn Simpson September 4, 2013
Lesson Title: The Atom of My Eye Content Areas: Theatre & Science
Explain how solids keep their shape because their atoms stay still and close together
Relate this concept back to Atom 1-2-3, when they were huddled in their groups. They were like the atoms of a solid
Have the students stand up and get into one big group, the way they huddled for Atom 1-2-3
Explain how their group is maintaining its shape because each student (or atom) is staying in one place
Ask them questions about how it feels to be an atom in a solid
-Do you feel loose or rigid?
-Are you moving a lot, or are you mostly still?
(If they bring up the fact that they still have tiny movements, even though they are not walking around, then
you can explain how atoms in a solid actually do vibrate a little, but they stay in their one place)
Ask them if their whole group could fit through a small space, like a small doorway, while still in the same huddle
they are already in, touching the same people they are already touching (having an actual doorway or something
similar would be helpful, for students to see it in front of them and be able to spatially tell that it is not possible)
Have the students return to their seats, and then repeat the process with liquids, and then gases:
Ask the students for examples of liquids
Then ask what these different liquids have in common (help the students to reach the conclusion that liquids do not
hold their own shape, but take the shape of whatever they are put in)
Explain how liquids take on other shapes because their atoms flow around freely, shaping into whatever they are in
Relate this concept back to Atom 1-2-3, when the students were simply walking around, and have them return to
walking around the same way
Explain how each student is flowing freely like the atoms in a liquid, which is why they cover the whole floor space,
spreading out the same way a bucket of water would if you dumped it out onto the floor
Ask them questions about how it feels to be an atom in a liquid
-Do you feel tense or relaxed?
-Are you moving fast, slow, or medium?
Ask them if their whole group could fit through that same small space, now that each of them is free to move through
it one by one (they can)
After having them return to their seats again, ask for examples of gases
Then ask what these different gases have in common (help the students to reach the conclusion that gases completely
fill up anything they are in)
Autumn Simpson September 4, 2013
Lesson Title: The Atom of My Eye Content Areas: Theatre & Science
Explain how gases completely fill up other shapes because their atoms bounce around crazily, like if you threw
bouncy-balls in every direction, they would bounce off the floor, all the walls, and even the ceiling, spreading out and
touching every surface
Relate this concept back to Atom 1-2-3, when the students were trying to find a group, how quickly and frantically
they would change direction, and would move anywhere they had to, in order to find a group and not get out
Play Atom 1-2-3 for a minute or so, calling out the Atom (number)s back to back, so the students can really get a
feel for this hectic searching in their bodies
Explain how each of them is feeling that chaos of the atoms in a gas, bouncing against everything, always expanding
the space they are in
Ask them questions about how it feels to be an atom in a gas
-Do you feel calm or rushed?
-Are you moving fast, slow, or medium?
-How much energy do you have?
Cycle through calling out these different states of matter, and having the students act like the atoms of each state, so
that they really get the feel of it in their bodies
Have students call out words for what their bodies are doing and/or how they feel when being an atom of each state
-Example: crazy for gas, and hugging or still for solid (Any word that describes their experience works)
Vestures: VESTURES = Vocabulary gEstures.
(They are body shapes and/or movements that help students remember vocabulary words in a way that makes sense to
them, and are not just words on paper)
Have the students stand up in their circle
Ask them to all try to come up with one movement or pose that makes them think of solid
-(This can be individually, or in pairs, however comes to them to put the idea of solid in their bodies)
-Example: Students may hug themselves or hug a friend to represent being a solid, and being close and still
Or, students may do their arms in a wave to represent flowing in a liquid
Or, students may mime that their arms are a balloon being blown up to represent gas filling a space
Take it one step further, and have them add in saying one of the words they called out before, when being a solid
-Example: Students may say hugging! while grabbing onto a partner
Or, students may say still while holding very still
Autumn Simpson September 4, 2013
Lesson Title: The Atom of My Eye Content Areas: Theatre & Science
Looking at everyones, work as a group to agree on one that everyone can do
Repeat this process with liquid and then gas, including adding in a word that describes it
Review these Vestures several times, as they will be used in the assessment game
Assessment/Questions:
Quizzle:
Have the students walk freely around the room (at a slow enough pace so that they do not run into each other)
Whenever you call out a command, the students will stop and do that command
-Stop: students stop walking and stand still
-Go: students resume walking
-Clap: students clap once
-Hop: students hop once in place
-Twinkle: students hold their hands above them, and quickly open and close their fists, like flashing lights
-Quizzle: students jump up and spin around in place, once
For older students, sets of commands (stop-go, clap-hop, twinkle-quizzle) can be switched, so that Stop means Go
and Go means Stop, etc.
Then add in the Vestures the students created
Make sure to call out the Vestures often enough to assess if the students remember which vocabulary word is which
Once they begin performing very well in the game, start asking students questions after each Vesture
-Example: Call out solid, students will do the Vesture (with the word) for it, and then the instructor should
point to a student and ask a question like:
*What state of matter are you (solid, liquid, or gas)?
*What do your atoms act like?
*What happens to your shape, because of how your atoms move?
(Looking for answers relating to solids holding their shape, liquids taking the shape of a
container, and gases completely filling any space or container)
Really let them explore these answers based on how they have been able to feel these states of matter in their bodies,
by acting like their atoms
Autumn Simpson September 4, 2013
Lesson Title: The Atom of My Eye Content Areas: Theatre & Science
Citations:
Vasquez, Jo Anne, Cary Sneider, and Michael Comer.STEM Lesson Essentials: Integrating Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2013. Print.
Moomaw, Sally. Teaching STEM in the Early Years: Activities for Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics. St. Paul: Redleaf Press, 2013. Print.
Sutton, Mary. Personal Interview. 14 Jun 2013.
Autumn Simpson September 4, 2013
Lesson Title: The Atom of My Eye Content Areas: Theatre & Science