Katherine Hayse

Term III Science Lesson: Solids Investigation: Properties of Solids

Before
My CM does science instruction about twice a week, so my students will have a
background in science investigations prior to this lesson and I have a model from which to lead a
science investigation lesson. So far this year, my students have been studying the unit Thinking
like a Scientist and using Science Tools. My lesson will be the first or one of the first lessons
that my students will have in their next unit, which is on matter. I chose a solids investigation,
since it is just one part of matter, and I thought it would be a good introduction to just one part of
the next upcoming unit.

What
Through this lesson, students will begin to develop an understanding of the properties of
solids. This is an essential understanding to build upon as the students begin their study of
matter. Students will understand that solids have observable characteristics called properties.
They will also understand that an object can have more than one property at a time.
Additionally, students will practice their identification of patterns, which is an important
piece of both math and science in first grade. Students will need to successfully identify patterns
among the objects in order to classify them into the different groups. Finally, students will be
practicing the skill of developing an argument to support a claim when they explain why they
chose to group objects a certain way. While they may not be completely aware of it, as they
share their reasoning for grouping objects together, they will be using evidence to support an
argument.

How
Students will discover some of the properties of solids through an investigation in the
form of a solids sort that requires them to observe the properties of solids. The students will sort
solids into groups in as many different ways as they can in an effort to discover some of the
different ways that it is possible to classify solids by their properties. After the sort, the students
will engage in a discussion in order to make meaning from the groups they have sorted their
objects into and share ideas about what the different groups might mean.
Throughout the lesson, I will act as a facilitator, guiding the students towards and
understanding of the properties of solids through asking questions and recording their ideas to
help them make meaning from what they are seeing in their different ways of grouping.

Why
All of the world is made up of matter, therefore, it is essential that students understand
how to classify matter, the different types of matter, and how matter can change. My lesson just
begins to scrape the surface of this broader idea, since it is a brief introduction to the idea of
matter through introducing the idea that matter can have different properties. This is important,
because it sets the stage for the rest of the students studies on matter for the rest of the unit, and
into the upper grades in the following years.
Additionally, the scope and sequence of SDP as well as the science sequence in my CMs
classroom influenced my decision to introduce properties of matter in this lesson. Since the class
will just be beginning their study of matter, my students will not have any experience with this
concept yet, so I will just be introducing a smaller, introductory, piece of the overall study of
matter that the class will be delving into over the subsequent five week period.

Lesson Plan
Goals/Objectives:
Students will be able to group solids in different ways to identify the properties of solids.
Students will be able to identify patterns in the way that solids can be classified

NGSS Standards:

Disciplinary Core Idea

PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter Different kinds of matter exist and many of them
can be either solid or liquid, depending on temperature. Matter can be described and classified by
its observable properties. (2-PS1-1)

Crosscutting Concept
Patterns Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed. (2-PS1-1)

Science and and Engineering Practice

Engaging in Argument from Evidence Construct an argument with evidence to support a
claim. (2-PS1-4)

Materials and Preparation:

- 3 Sets of solids from STC Solids and Liquids
- 6 Sorting Trays
- Anchor Chart/Markers

Classroom arrangement and management issues:

Students will be sitting in groups of two either around the table or in a circle on the
ground (depending on the space I can acquire to do the lesson. I have chosen this arrangement so
that students can all see each other and so that I can see all of them. Since my overarching
question is about formulating meaningful discussion, it is important that we are sitting in a way
that works well for discussion, so we can share our ideas and sorting patterns with each other.

Plan (30 mins):

Introduction (2 mins): I will say: Today we are going to begin a new science unit with a sorting
investigation. Does anyone know what sorting is? Sorting means putting things in different
groups based on something similar about them? For example, I could sort these scissors, this
crayon, a pencil, this marker, and this gluestick into a group by color [move objects] or by use
[move writing objects and non-writing objects together. In just a moment, I am going to put a
collection of objects on your desk. In pairs, you are going to sort these objects into groups based
on similarities between them. There is no right or wrong way to sort as long as you have a
reason for why you sorted them the way you did. You can sort them into as many or as few
groups as you would like. Whatever you need to make your groups make sense. After we finish
sorting, were going to share out how each of the groups sorted them, so make sure you leave
your objects sorted so we can all see them and dont forget to have a reason to share with the
group about why they are sorted that way.

During (15 mins): I will give the students the group of objects to sort into groups. As they are
sorting, I will circulate and ask questions about what they are thinking. As well as listen to their
reasoning and discussion as they talk with each other to try and understand their thinking. When
all of the students have objects in groups, I will ask each pair to share out what their groups are
and what their reasoning is for making those groups. Students will likely have sorted into
different groups, so I will have them share out with the other groups. As groups share out I will
be recording on an anchor chart, but I will have left the title of the anchor chart blank for us to
fill in later. I will ask, These groups, and this other group both sorted in different ways, are they
both right? Why? Now try sorting in a different way. [Give the students more time to sort the
objects in a different way.] Then ask for new groups. Ask students if they think there are any
more ways to group the objects that we havent tried yet. [The groupings I am looking for are:
Color, clear/not clear, and by shape].[Some groupings I think the students might do are: color,
clear/not clear, by shape, shiny, heavy, roll/doesnt roll, but I will accept and listen to what the
students come up with. This is just what I am anticipating] [I will photograph their sorted
groups].

After/Discussion (8 mins):
I will say: As weve been discovering the different groups we can make with these objects, Ive
been recording some of our groupings on this anchor chart. What do each of these things Ive
written down help us learn about the objects we have? [Im looking for the students to say that
the words describe or tell us about what the object looks like, so I will probe until they come to
that]. Exactly, these are all ways to describe the objects and tell us something about them. When
we describe something like this in science it is called talking about the properties of an object.
What is it called? [Properties]. I will write Properties of at the top of the anchor chart. Now,
there is one big property that all of the objects we looked at have in common they are all
solids. What are they called? [Solids]. Does anyone know what all of these objects have in
common? What have we been discovering the properties of today? If a student says solids, I will
write that at the top of the chart, if they arent sure then Ill say: Okay, well thats okay, Im
going to leave that part blank for now, and maybe well find out in our next science
investigation.

Exit Ticket (5 mins): Now, in just a moment, Im going to show you a new object (the orange
ping pong ball) that was not one of the objects we were sorting and Im going to give you a piece
of paper. On that paper, I want you to draw this object, you can use your crayons, and then write
two properties of this object on the lines underneath. [I will pass out papers and hold up the ping
pong ball].

Anticipate student responses and possible responses:

I anticipate that students will first group the objects by color, since I assume that most
young students will be most familiar with the property of color. If students are having difficulty
seeing shape as another way to sort, I will prompt with questions like, Are these objects all the
same [No], Okay, so what other ways are they different other do they look different than being
different colors? And if students are having difficulty seeing the clear vs. opaque distinction, I
will ask, Is there any way you could group the colored groups you have into just two groups of
objects? Though I also think that the clear vs. opaque distinction is a bit more advanced for first
graders, so if they really dont understand that distinction, then I wont push it, since I want them
to reach the understanding in a way that is meaningful to them. (I dont want to push them
towards certain groupings I want them to reach the understandings in a way that is meaningful to
them).
Each group will receive a set of solids and two sorting trays to share. While I dont
anticipate that students will misuse the materials, I will address this beforehand through giving
very explicit directions about tools versus toys, an idea that the students are familiar with from
using tools during math class. I will wait to pass out the materials until it is time to use them, and
I will offer reminders about taking care of our classroom materials (power of three) if students
begin to misuse the materials. If this persists, the student will lose the privilege of using the
materials, however, I will keep him/her engaged during the discussion through asking what
patterns they see in other groups sorting, so that he/she doesnt lose out on the science aspect of
the activity.
Another issue that may arise is sharing, since the students will need to share the materials
with another student. I plan to handle this in a similar way first with reminders about taking care
of others (power of three) and then by removing the materials but continuing to engage the
students in the discussion.
I also want to be clear that taking materials away is truly a last resort option for me, and I
really dont anticipate having to do that with this group, but I do think that it is important to think
through how to handle behavior if it were to get out of control and I think that it is important if I
ever did have to remove materials from a student that they are still engaging in the discussion
and working to understand the scientific concepts.

Assessment of the goals/objectives listed above:

My assessment is going to be an exit ticket that asks students to draw and write two properties
about a mystery object, which will be an orange ping pong ball. I will know that students are able
to do this if they are able to apply their knowledge of the properties that determined are ways to
describe groups of objects during the lesson. This exit ticket will be a formative assessment that
will tell me if students understand what a property is, and how another object outside of our sort
might be described using properties we developed during our sort. I have allotted 5 minutes for
this in the lesson plan, because I anticipate that students will take a few minutes to look and think
about the new object and no more than two minutes to write the words down. My students are
very proficient writers and I am certain that even my lowest students could write two words in
under a minute.

Accommodations
One built in accommodation with this activity is that students will be working with partners, so if
one student is struggling to understand, their partner will be there to guide and support them. If
students continue to struggle to make groups, I will scaffold the activity down. I will choose one
object, show it to the students, and say, Tell me something about this object. [Hopefully, they
will say something about its shape or color]. Then I will say okay, now see if you can sort your
objects by [shape/color].
If students finish the sort too quickly, I will tell them to start thinking of different ways they
might be able to sort their objects without actually moving them, so they are still able to share
out once the other groups finish.
Name:__________________________

Exit Ticket: Draw a picture of the mystery object and write two properties of the
mystery object.

1.

2.

Name:___________________________

Exit Ticket: Draw a picture of the mystery object and write two properties of the
mystery object.

1.

2.