LESSON PLAN OUTLINE

JMU Elementary Education Program

The following information should be included in the header of the lesson plan:
Mrs. Rooney
YCP, 4 year olds
Plan to be implemented on November 2, 2015 at 2 p.m.
I. TITLE OF LESSON Cornstarch and water art activity (Ublet)
II. CONTEXT OF LESSON
Meaningful art activities are great for young children because they give them the time they need
to be creative. This cornstarch and water activity will allow the students to tap into their sensory
play. The cornstarch and water activity will allow the students to make predictions, use their
sensory skills to evaluate the mixture, and learn about the scientific process from solid to liquid.
This art activity will focus more on the process rather than the product because each child will have
a chance to experiment with the water and cornstarch at their own pace.
III. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand: The students will have understand the differences between a solid and a liquid
discussing the transformation the substances will make.
Know: The students will know characteristics of a solid and a liquid by closely examing the
substances provided.
Do: The students will mix the cornstarch and water and describe each substance using the 5
senses.
IV. COLLECTION OF ASSESSMENT DATA
The children will answer the questions, What does the cornstarch and water feel, smell,
and look like? What began to happen when the water was added to the cornstarch?
V. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (K & 1) OR FOUNDATION BLOCKS
(Preschool)
Virginia Fundamental Block 1: Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
a) Use the five senses to explore and investigate the natural world.
b) Use simple tools and technology safely to observe and explore different objects and
environments.
c) Ask questions about the natural world related to observations.
d) Make predictions about what will happen next based on previous experiences.
e) Conduct simple scientific investigations.

Fundamental Block 3: Matter/physical properties

a) Describe and sort objects by their physical properties, e.g., color, shape, texture, feel, size
and weight, position, speed, and phase of matter (solid or liquid).
b) Recognize water in its solid and liquid forms.
Page 1

c) Describe the differences between solid and liquid objects.

Matter/Simple physical and chemical reactions
a) Predict changes to matter when various substances are to be combined.
b) Observe and conduct simple experiments that explore what will happen when substances
are combined.
c) Observe and record the experiment results and describe what is seen.
VI. MATERIALS NEEDED
3 metal trays to place ingredients in (provided by me)
Cornstarch (provided by me) and tap water
Newspaper to cover table (provided by me)
Direction cards (provided by me)
Measurement cups (available at YCP)
VII. PROCEDURE
A. PREPARATION OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
I will have all necessary materials available out on the desks so the students can get started
as soon as possible.
B. INTRODUCTION AND ORGANIZATION
I will start by having the children standing around the table where the activity is going to be
implemented. I will inform them that we are going to be doing a hands on activity with a product
called cornstarch and some water. I will have all of the products on the table (bowl of cornstarch,
squirt bottle of water, and a stack of bowls). The students will be asked the follow the directions.
The directions will move from left to right as they begin to grab one bowl and they will take one
scoop (cornstarch). I will ask the students to take a minutes and I will ask the students what the
cornstarch smells and feels like. I will ask the students to hold the cornstarch tight in their hand to
demonstrate the form of a solid. Once the students make some observations I will ask them, what
do you think will happen to the cornstarch when the water is added? Then they will take one
scoop (water), and then the students will sit or stand at the table with the bowl of ingredients in
front of them. The students will then begin to play around with the cornstarch and water. Im sure I
will hear a lot of ahhhhhs! I will ask students questions such as, what are you noticing about what
is happening to the cornstarch? Prediction and sensory questions will be asked until the final
product of the mixture is a milky water base. I will inform the student that they just a created a
chemical reaction from solid to liquid.
C. IMPLEMENTATION
The students are going to experiment with cornstarch and water. The measuring utensils,
bowls, water, and cornstarch will be set up on the tables and each student will have a chance
to experiment with the cornstarch and water by making predictions and physically seeing
what type of change from solid to liquid the two ingredients will make.
D. CLOSURE
I will have a conversation with the students and talk about their predictions that they
Page 2

discussed with me before they experimented with the ingredients. I will talk about the final
process and texture of the cornstarch and water.
E. CLEAN-UP
I will need to make sure that all materials such as the trays, newspaper, and materials are
thrown away or put back in there original spots. I will make sure the table is wiped down and
there is no mess left over. I will make sure everything in the classroom is back to normal and
back in there original places.
VIII. DIFFERENTIATION
This art activity is being used for four year old students. Some of the children might need a
little bit more one on one support when measuring the ingredients into their trays. I would just
make sure that there was a teacher available at all times (me) to help any child that was struggling
with starting the activity. Nothing about the activity would necessarily change, but the scaffolding
support for each child might change. Also some children might add too much cornstarch and not
enough water vice versa so I would help them so they can see the final product that the two
substances are supposed to make.
IX. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
The lesson could get a little messy. I will make sure I have plenty of newspaper down and
around the area where the kids are working. Some children might not want to get their hands dirty
and play with the cornstarch. I will let them know that they can watch the activity being
demonstrated and that they are free to join before the activity is put away if they choose.

Page 3