KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate:

Erin Miller______

Date: 2/13/17

Cooperating Teacher: Dr. Verano ___

Coop. Initials KV

Group Size:

Allotted Time _60

Grade Level 3

Matter

Section

20

Subject or Topic:

STANDARD:
3.2.3.A1. Differentiate between properties of objects such as size, shape, weight and
properties of materials that make up the objects such as color, texture, and hardness.
Differentiate between the three states of matter, classifying a substance as a solid, liquid,
or gas.

I.

II.

Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):

a. The third grade students will be able to categorize objects into solid,
liquid, or gas by completing a graphic organizer based on an inquiry.
Instructional Materials
a. 4 Trays of Oobleck
1. 1 bag Corn Starch
2. Water
1. Mix the two together until it becomes the paste that acts as
a liquid when picked up, and a solid when pressure is
applied.
b. Whats the World Made of? By Kathleen Zoehfeld
c. Solids, Liquids, Gases Powerpoint presentation
d. Various solids, liquids and gasses (e.g., sand, cotton, wooden block,
gravel, peanut butter, juice, soda, empty water bottle, full water bottle,
bicycle pump, teatherball, balloon full of air)
e. Empty containers of various shapes and sizes
f. Solids, Liquids, and Gases worksheet
g. BrainPop video States of Matter
h. Wooden block
i. Empty water bottle with small opening
j. Large clear container
k. Glass

l. 2 Containers of different shapes and sizes

m. Water (sink with running water)

III.

IV.

Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of

additional content)
a. Prerequisite skills
1. Students should understand density
b. Key Vocabulary
1. Solid-matter that keeps its shape and size
2. Liquid-matter that keeps its size, but takes the shape of its
container
3. Gas-matter that can freely change shape and size; often it cannot
be seen.
4. Matter-anything that takes up space and has weight
5. Property-a feature or quality that can be used to describe
something
6. State of Matter-the solid, liquid or gaseous condition of a
substance
c. Big Idea
1. What differentiates solids, liquids, and gases from each other?
d. Additional content
1. The density of a solid, liquid, and a gas.
Implementation
a. Introduction
1. Have Oobleck mixture at each table, allow students to explore
the mixture
2. Ask student based on the Oobleck, what they think we are
learning in today.
3. Previous we talked about density and how it affect the world,
today we are going to talk about density and how it affects
something called matter.
b. Development
1. Have students gather at the reading carpet. Read Whats the
World Made of? By Kathleen Zoehfeld (do not read the activities
within).
1. Before
a. Introduce book, picture walk, predict, give purpose
2. During
a. Ask open ended questions, allow time to reflect,
continue to predict
3. After
a. Discuss the book, were predictions correct
4. Set the book out on an accessible table for the children to
explore for the remainder of the unit.
2. Have students return to their desks.

3. Pass out one copy of the Powerpoint notes to each student

4. Present Solids, Liquids, and Gases Powerpoint. During slides,
give short demonstrations:
1. Slide 2
a. Students will discuss facts about matter with a
partner, then as a whole group. Write a few ideas
on the board
2. Slide 4
a. Show children a wooden block and try to fit it into a
bottle with a small opening. For example this
wooden block. No matter how much you push it
around, you cannot change its shape to fit into the
bottle
3. Slide 5
a. Take out a container of water and containers of
different shapes. Pour water into the different
containers. Liquids are able to take on the shape
of its container. As you see here, the water is able
to go from this container to this container (pour the
water into a new container) and take on this
containers shape, but it does not lessen in weight
4. Slide 6
a. Take out a clear container of water and a clear class.
Place a bit of water or paper towel into the glass.
Ask the students to predict what will happen to the
paper towel will it get wet? Push the glass into the
water with the open end down. Have the students
observe and discuss why the paper towel did not get
wet in terms of gas density compared to liquid
5. Slide 7
a. Students will take out an item from their desk and
describe its properties to a partner. Ask for
examples of what they said and write them on the
board.
5. Students collect inquiry materials (trays with solids, liquids, and
gases provided, and containers)
6. In groups of four, students work through the provided materials,
categorizing each as a solid, liquid or gas on a worksheet
provided.
7. Once the students have finished categorizing their items, they
will state the properties that the items in each category have in
common and what makes them different (compare solids to
solids, liquids to liquids, etc). Then they will use the provided
Venn-Diagram to compare and contrast the properties of solids,
liquids, and gases
8. Collect worksheets.

c. Closure
1. As students clean up and put away the materials, play the
BrainPop video States of Matter
2. Tomorrow were going to learn about how matter transitions
between the three states.
d. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. DC has a hearing disability. He will wear his hearing aids and I
will wear the microphone that will feed directly into his hearing
aids. He will also be given preferential seating, towards the front
of the classroom.
e. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative
a. The completed inquiry worksheet will be collected.
2. Summative
a. There is no summative assessment.

V.

Reflective Response
a. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection
on student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation
for students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)

b. Remediation Plan

c. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective

answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. How can I improve this lesson?

2. Did the students gain enough information through the

Powerpoint to complete the worksheet?

3. Did the students struggle with the worksheet?

VI.

Resources (in APA format)

Holl, B. (2014). Plysical 3-4: Solids, liquids, and gases. Retrieved from Science a-z:
http://www.scienceaz.com/scienceweb/unit/Solids,%20Liquids,%20and%20Gases?unitId=57
Wilder, A. (2014). 3rd Grade Matter Unit. Retrieved from Williams College: Center for
Learning in Action: http://learning-inaction.williams.edu/opportunities/elementary-outreach/science-lessons/3rd-gradematter-unit/
Zoehfeld, K., & Meisel, P. (1998). What Is the World Made Of? All about solids, liquids,
and gases. New York: HarperCollins.