Solid or Liquid?

1. Students will classify materials as solids or liquids.
2. Students will make observations and draw conclusions about a number of materials.
3. Students will use tools to make observations.
4. Students will formulate additional questions.

Vocabulary
solid
liquid
flow
absorb
prediction
observation
conclusion

This lesson is appropriate for the K-2 classroom and would take approximately 45 minutes. It involves whole group and small group activities. Guided inquiry is the main learning method. The lesson deals with properties of matter specifically dealing with solids and liquids. Students should have some prior knowledge about solids and liquids. This lesson directly aligns with the state standards for first grade. This lesson could easily be adapted to other settings.

1. Display wood and colored water. Toss the block to a couple kids. Ask if you can throw the water. Why not? Pour the water showing that it flows.
2. Label the Venn diagram solid and liquid and both. Ask children to describe the wood and record their observations in the solid section. Do the same with the water.
3. Display salt and have the kids try to classify if it is a solid or liquid using their observations of the wood and water.
4. Don't tell them if it is a solid or liquid. Explain that they will explore and observe four materials and decide if they are liquids or solids.
5. Review the four overhead questions to help guide their exploration.
6. Review proper use of materials and safety rules.
7. Divide students into groups and have them explore the first material for a number of minutes.
8. Draw the students to attention and ask them to think about their material. Review the questions and ask the students to discuss and record if they think their material is a solid or liquid and one reason why.
9. Rotate through all the stations until each group has worked with each material.
10. Back as a whole class tally the results for materials 1-4.
11. Show each material and have one group explain how and why they classified the material how they did. Continue with each group reviewing the questions as you go.
12. Can the class come to a consensus for each material? If not, generate other questions that can be asked to determine if the materials are solids or liquids.
13. Do the students have any other questions about solids and liquids that be investigated?

Alternate intro would be to use a text about solids or liquids.

Overhead questions

1. Does the material flow?
2. Does the material pile up?
3. Does the material take the shape of the containers?
4. Does the material make the paper towel wet?
recording sheet solid or liquid (Microsoft Word 319kB Aug3 09)

Materials:
Part I-

• Venn diagram
• piece of wood
• colored water
• flour
  

Part II-

• Overhead questions
• Recording sheet for each group
• 4 plastic bins or tubs
• 1 for each tub beans, water, flour, salt
• Tools (4 of each) plastic container(s), spoon, paper towel, funnel, screw, any other material that they can use to manipulate the material
• goggles and paint shirts
  

Part III-

• Overhead questions
• Chart paper for recording additional questions
  

Preparation:
There will be four stations. You can double the stations depending on the number of kids you have in your class. Each station or tub should have one material and materials to manipulate the material.

The assessment for this lesson will be informal. Anecdotal notes are recommended. Students are required to draw conclusions from their exploration based on guiding questions. As the students are working circulate and ask questions to check their understanding. Other observations of students' understanding can be done during the concluding discussion.

1.1.1.1.1-Whan asked "How do you know?" Students support their answer with observations.
1.1.3.2.1-Recognize that tools are used by people, including scientists and engineers to gather information and solve problems.