2-2-14 - Water and the States of Matter (Julia Carreiro)

 Exploring the changes of water adding/removing heat

Teacher: Julia Carreiro
Subject: Science – Solids, liquids and gases

Grade: 2

Rationale:
This lesson provides students with the opportunity to explore and discover how water changes from one state of matter to another: ice, liquid, gas. Moreover, this lesson promotes hands-on learning opportunities and inquiry based activities that encourage students to make meaningful and real life connections to the science outcomes (SLOs).

Prescribed Learning Outcome(s): 

2-2-14 Explore how water can be made to change from one state to another and back again with addition or removal of heat.

Instructional Objective(s):
The objective of this lesson is to have students develop an understanding that water can move back and forth through the states of matter and how the addition or removal of heat affects the state of water. Students also practice thermometer reading skills while developing this knowledge.

Prerequisite Concepts and Skills: 
The following vocabulary are required for comprehension: solids, liquids and gases such as matter, states of matter, liquid, gas, solid, evaporation, condensation, water vapour, boil, freeze and melt would be necessary for this lesson. This would be covered in lesson focusing on SLO 2-2-01 and 2-2-02. Also, a required skill is the ability to use and read thermometers in order to accurately read the temperature of the gas, water or solid during their experiments.

Materials and Resources: Teacher	Materials and Resources : Students
Activate: Brainstorm on the board with white board markers Acquire and Activate Center 1: ice cubes in zip lock bags, invitation, thermometer Center 2: water in zip lock bags, invitation, thermometer, Center 3: water in a kettle, a sink, invitation, Center 4: water in a kettle, a sink, a pot with a lid, an invitation	- Science Inquiry Journals - Pencil and eraser - Safety glasses and lab coats  (if available – make the experiments authentic and younger students love to feel like true scientists)

Teacher Activities

Student Activities

Activate - Brainstorm on the board with prompting questions Acquire and Activate - Students rotate through 4 centers exploring the changes water undergoes through states of matter.

Have you ever seen water when it’s not a liquid? What happens when water get really hot? Really cold? What happens to snow in spring? What happens to rivers in winter? Acquire and Activate - Center 1: changing solid to liquid      - melting an ice cube in their hand into water      - check temperature of both with a thermometer      - timing the length that it takes to melt -  Center 2: changing liquid to solid      - putting water in zip lock bags then into the freezer      - check temperature of both with a thermometer      - timing the length that it takes to freeze - Center 3: changing liquid into gas      - boiling water in a kettle to create water vapour      - checking temperature of water vapour and water      - timing the length that it takes to evaporate - Center 4: changing gas to liquid      - hot water in a covered pot capturing water vapour     - checking temperature of water vapour and water

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI):

This lesson teaches to a variety of learning preferences. Since it is a hands-on activity, students who are kinesthetic learners, visual learners, and auditory learners benefit from the brainstorming and manipulation during the activities. Oral learners who have strong interpersonal skills can work together. While those who are more intrapersonal, linguistically strong and artistic will be able to demonstrate their understanding through the sketch and observations in their inquiry note book and or working independently. The differentiation instruction in this lesson assures that all students can achieve success through.

The following modifications are suggestions that will students with specific needs. If students need assistance drawing or writing, they can work on the computer to either typing their science observations or finding pictures to match their observation. For students who have difficulty working alone, they will be encouraged have work with a buddy who will act as a positive role model and I will make frequent check ins ensuring that they are focused. If a student has difficulty keeping track of their observations and staying organized, a template will be posted on the projector for students who require extra guidance. Also, the centers will be at tables that are waist height to accommodate student with mobility issues

Organizational Strategies:

This lesson does require a lot of set up. Due to this specific need, it would be ideal to teach this lesson first thing in the morning or after a recess in order to prepare the classroom effectively. Four centers need to be prepared with the materials necessary for the experiments. Each student would have their inquiry journals and a pencil before they began the experiment to ease the flow of the activity. Moreover, students would gather for the activation activity on the carpet usually used for story time to ensure that you had their full attention and the materials were being left alone as the centers.

Behavioural Management Strategies:

To ensure the centers ran smoothly, I could pre-pick students in the centers or picking a buddy and then separate groups to ensure the groups will work well together. Also, it’s important to provide just enough time for each centre so that students don’t have the opportunity to finish and fool around. Keeping students focused and engaged will help prevent as behavioural disruptions during this activity. I will have a song/noise to indicate to switch centers to ease the transitions. I will ensure that I am circulating and any other students who require adults are present at all times to ensure safety. With the students, the class will review our “Experiment Expectations” discussing class respect rules and safety concerns. If students feel that they helped create the rules they will have a sense of ownership and decrease behavioural interferences.

Assessment and Evaluation:

Students will demonstrate their understanding by making an observation in their Science Inquiry Journal for each station (fig 1). Like real scientists, students will note scientific observations on the change in state of matter, the changing temperature, and add a diagram/image to reflect their findings. Some questions to help prompt students are “As the water froze, the temperature went _____________(down or up).” “As the ice melted, the temperature went ______________(down or up)”.

Students will be marked on a scale of 1-4. Based on the students understanding of the outcome, they will be receive:
- 4 (complete understanding), a 3 (a developing understanding), a 2 (developing understanding with assistance) or a 1 (lack of understanding, assisted). This mark will signify whether the student demonstrates independent exploration and understanding that water changes from gas to liquid, liquid to gas, liquid to solid and solid to liquid. Moreover, students can explain how the removal or addition of heat changes the substance from one sate of matter to another.

While students are working, I will circulate the classroom to assist students if needed, to ensure students are being safe and to observing students for assessment. Informal assessment can be a great tool to use as a teacher. Some students have difficulty showing their understanding and        Fig.1 Example of a science journal entry from comprehension in writing but can orally or visually explain the how or       First Grade Randomness 

why of a concept. If I notice that a student can explain the concept in their
center but is having difficult putting it into words, and then they are still
showing understanding and that should still be honored as comprehension.
Being able to prompt students or question their thought process often gives
 a very good idea of their comprehension level.

Extensions:
After this lesson, students will understand that water can change through the states of matter. A possible extension is to focus on the following three SLOs 2-4-06 Observe and identify examples of water in the environment. Examples: dew, frost, snow, rain, lakes, puddles, clouds, fog, perspiration, 2-4-07 Describe evidence of water changing state, and recognize that these changes are part of the water cycle. Examples: puddles evaporating after a rainstorm, snow melting and 2-4-08 Investigate to determine factors that cause things to dry quickly or slowly. Examples: air temperature, amount of moisture in the air, etc. Students will apply their understanding by observing these changes in the natural environment such as puddles evaporating on a sunny warm day. These SLOs provide the opportunity to take content and apply it to context where student can use their knowledge of water and the states of matter and apply it to create meaning real-life connections to other science outcomes.