Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template

Science
2007 ACEI Standards

READINESS
I.

Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A.

Goal(s) Students will be able to classify solids, liquids, and gases based on their
properties.

B.

Objective(s) After the experiment, students will be able to list characteristics of

solids, liquids, and gases.

C.

Standard(s): 1.PS.1 Characterize materials as solid, liquid, or gas and

investigate their properties, record observations and explain the choices to others
based on evidence (i.e., physical properties).

II.
-

III.
-

IV.

MaterialsSmall ziplock bags for each student filled with ice cream ingredients
Large ziplock bag for each student filled with ice and salt
http://files.havefunteaching.com/activities/science/state-of-things-states-ofmatter-activity.pdf (use the pictures and the second worksheet. Have the students
cut out the pictures and glue them into the correct category)

Anticipatory Set
I have three different things that I am trying to take home with me after school. Can
you help me figure out how to take them home?
So I have these big books, how do you think I could carry them home?
Let students respond
Now I want to take this big pitcher of water home too. How could I take it home with
me?
Let students respond. Make sure they mention or I will bring up the fact that it will
have to be put into a container that I can carry.
I really like the way this room smells too. I would like to take that home with me.
How do you think I can do that?
Let students respond. Make sure to discuss that smell and air are things you cannot
take with you.
Purpose: We are going to learn about solids, liquids, and gases which will help us
understand more about our world and how it works.

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

III. Adaptation to Diverse Students
-

For my lower ability students, I will take extra time while walking around the class
during the lesson to make sure they are grasping the concepts.
I will walk around the classroom during the lesson presentation to make sure all of my
students are paying attention to directions since many of my students are ADD and
have trouble focusing, especially during directions
(ACEI 3.2)

IV. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output) (25 minutes)

-

Write solid, liquid, and gas on the board in columns

Have an apple in front of the class: can someone raise their hand and tell me if they
think this is a solid, liquid or gas and why they think that?
Take a few responses. Write on the board descriptions that make the apple a solid.
Add a few more things, such as: you can touch it, it is hard, and it stays the same if
students do not say it
Hold up a bottle of mountain dew. Can someone tell me if this mountain dew is a
solid, liquid, or gas and why?
Take a few responses and continue to write on the board characteristics of a liquid in
the liquid column. Write in that it moves, it takes the shape of its container and that it
is wet if students do not say it.
Hold up a balloon and ask the student what is inside the balloon. Is there a solid,
liquid, or gas inside of the balloon? Why do you think that?
Write characteristics on board under the gas column. Include characteristics that
students come up with as well as the fact that you cannot touch it, it takes the space
of its container, and it does not have mass.
We can classify everything in our lives into solids, liquids, and gases, because they
make up our world. Today we are going to experiment with some solids and liquids. I
have here a bag of heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, etc. (ice cream ingredients). You are
each going to get a bag with these ingredients in it. Then we are going to put our
little bags into bigger bags with ice and salt. Then we are going to shake it up.
I want to know, what do you think is going to happen to our liquid when we shake it
in the bag? We are going to form a hypothesis as a class. A hypothesis is a fancy
word that means we are going to make an educated guess about what is going to
happen.
Let students respond and write their hypotheses on the board.
Give students each a bag and let them shake it until it turns into ice cream.
What happened to our liquid? Let students respond that it turned into a solid. How
can you tell it is a solid? Let students respond. So was our hypothesis correct?
(ACEI 2.2)(ACEI 3.3)

V. Check for understanding.

While students are shaking up their bags, I will walk around the classroom and ask
questions about solids, liquids, and gases to make sure students are understanding the
different characteristics of all three.
VII. Review learning outcomes / Closure (5 minutes)
-

When you are finished with your ice cream, bring it to me and I will put it in a bowl
for you. While you are waiting for your ice cream to be ready, I want you to go back to
your seat and complete the sort I have on your desk. Put the pictures of solids in the
solids column, and the same with liquids and gases. When you are finished, turn it
into the desk work box. And then you may come up to get your ice cream.

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

For my formative assessment, I will walk around the classroom and ask specific
questions that will check each students understanding of the characteristics of solids,
liquids, and gases.
For my summative assessment, I will have the students complete a picture sort of
solids, liquids, and gases.
(ACEI 4.0)
REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS
1.

How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not,
why not?

2.

What were my strengths and weaknesses?

3.

How should I alter this lesson?

4.

How would I pace it differently?

5.

Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?

6.

What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
a.

Blooms Taxonomy

b.
Gardners Multiple Intelligences
7. Were the students able to understand that the liquid turned into a solid and how?
8. Were the students able to see the change from liquid to ice cream in the time
allotted?