Break, Bounce, or Deform?
Focus and Objectives: Children will be allowed to experiment with different types of matter in order to discover that with force, they can me moved and changed in different ways. In addition, they will recognize that by changing the amount of force applied to some types of matter, they can change how it reacts.
Materials: Lasagna (uncooked); butter; rubber eraser; molding clay; putty; cornstarch and water mixture; tools for manipulating solids may include: plastic tooth picks, safety scissors, plastic knives or spoons, a hammer or block; chart paper and markers for each group.
Procedure:
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1. The teacher will introduce the lesson by showing the children the lasagna, butter, and rubber eraser. The teacher will facilitate a short discussion about what the objects have in common. If the students do not come up with it on their own, the teacher will point out that all three are matter.
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2. The teacher will ask the students, “What do you think will happen when I try to smash these materials with this hammer/block?” The teacher will then record the students’ predictions on the board.
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3. The teacher will hit each type of matter with the hammer or block and compare the results to the students’ predictions. The teacher will then introduce the vocabulary words break, bounce, and deform and apply the words to the results (The eraser bounced, the lasagna broke, and the butter deformed).
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4. Distribute the putty, molding clay, and cornstarch and water mixture to the children and allow some time for free exploration and play. Then, call the children together and ask them to perform various tests on the materials to see if it bounces, breaks, or deforms.
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5. Distribute one testing chart to each group (see appendix I); and allow them to complete the activity.
Conclusion:
Conclude the lesson by having students share their results and guide them to the conclusion that sometimes you can control what happens to matter by acting on it in different ways.
How Long Does it Take to Pour?
Focus and Objectives: Children will be allowed to experiment with different liquids in order to discover that different liquids have different viscosities and flow at a different rate. During this lesson, the children will synthesize information, in order to sort and graph the relative viscosity of different liquids.
Prerequisite: Some experience with time is necessary for this activity.
Materials: Liquids of varying viscosity can include: water, milk, maple syrup, molasses, honey; one additional container for each liquid; activity direction sheet (see appendix II); viscosity graphing chart (see appendix II); a stopwatch for each group or a clock with a second hand.
Vocabulary: Viscosity, viscous, liquid, flow
Procedure:
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1. Ask the children what they know about liquids and facilitate a short discussion about the properties of liquids.
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2. If it is not mentioned, point out the fact that all liquids can be poured and tell students that scientists have a word for the thickness or stickiness of a liquid- viscosity. Liquids that are very viscous are thick and sticky. Liquids that are less viscous are not as thick.
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3. Introduce the activity by distributing the liquids to the groups and allowing the students to make observations. When interacting with the students, it is important to prompt them by modeling appropriate use of the vocabulary words.
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4. Distribute the materials and read through the activity directions with the children.
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5. Elicit predictions for the outcome of the experiment: “Which liquid do you think will take the longest to pour and will be the most viscous?” “Which liquid will flow the fastest and be the least viscous?”
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6. Monitor the students while they engage in the experiment in small groups.
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7. Post all of the completed graphs in the meeting area for a culminating discussion about the results.
Conclusion: The following things may be discussed in the conclusion of the lesson: Which liquids were the most viscous, and how do you know? Which liquids were the least viscous and, how do you know? Did some liquids have similar viscosities?
Questions Lesson
Focus and Objectives: Students will learn how to use questioning as a reading comprehension strategy before reading.
Materials: Sticky notes, any one of the big books from the Student Resource List.
Procedure:
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1. Tell the students the title of the book that you will be reading and model your thinking. For example, “This book is called
Volcanoes
, I am wondering what types of volcanoes the author will teach us about in this book.”
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2. Tell the students that good readers always ask questions before, during, and after reading to help themselves learn more about a topic.
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3. Model for students how to ask questions based on the title, and write your questions on sticky notes.
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4. Use the table of contents or headings to model asking more specific questions about each section of the book and write the questions on sticky notes.
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5. Sort the questions using a chart with columns labeled important questions, unimportant questions, and not questions at all.
Note: Allow students to interject their own questions as they feel comfortable doing so.
Conclusion: Ask students, “What makes a good question?” Facilitate a short concluding discussion, and instruct students to practice asking questions while they are reading independently.
Questions Lesson Part II
Focus and Objectives: Students will learn how to use questioning as a reading comprehension strategy before reading.
Materials: Sticky notes and chart from Questions Lesson Part I, the big books from the Student Resource List that was used in Questions Lesson Part I.
Procedure:
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1. Remind students of the questions they sorted the previous day.
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2. Model using the table of contents, index and book illustrations to find the answer to one of the questions. Stick the sticky note to the page with the answer.
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3. Encourage students to participate by helping you locate the answers.
Conclusion: Facilitate a discussion prompting students with the question, “How do text features help us find the answers to our questions?” and, “Why does asking questions help us to be better readers?” Instruct students to practice finding answers to their own questions in their independent reading.