Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson plan

Mathematics- 2007 ACEI Standards

Student: Briana McLeland School: Westview Elementary

IWU Supervisor: Anita Manwell Co-op Teacher: Julia Poe
Teaching date: November 29, 2018 Grade Level: 1st grade

States of Matter: Solid, Liquid, Gas

Lesson Rationale
I am teaching this lesson because it is important for students to understand that matter
is in all things and makes up the world around us, even including us. I will be asking my students
“What are solids, liquids, and gases, and how do we know?” and will further explore the
question throughout the lesson by first teaching the content and then exploring alongside the
students.
Readiness
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goals-
i. The students will understand the different physical properties of solids,
liquids, and gases.
B. Objectives-
i. After the lesson, students will be able to identify a solid, liquid, and gas
by separating given objects into groups.
ii. Following the lesson, students will be able to identify the different
physical properties of solids, liquids, and gases by experimenting with Ice
Cream and Root Beer.
C. Standard(s)-
1.PS.1: Characterize materials as solid, liquid, or gas and investigate their
properties, record observations and explain the choices to others based on
evidence.
II. Management plan
A. Time: 30 minutes
B. Where: The students will be on the carpet during the anticipatory set, mini-
lesson, and demonstration. The students will be back at their seats to finish out
the lesson.
C. Materials
i. Brown Bag
ii. Solid objects
iii. Liquids (i.e. water in a bag)
iv. Empty bags (gas)
v. Cups
vi. Spoons
vii. Ice cream
 viii. Root beer
III. Anticipatory set
A. “Friends, I have something with me today that I’m going to need a little help
with.” I will have a bag with different objects that will represent a solid, liquid, or
gas (I will not be using these terms with them until the lesson). “I need you all to
help me decide what to do with what is inside.” I will pull out the items one by
one and lay them on the table. “Can someone tell me what you notice about
these objects?” Students will respond when called on. “Great observation! I’m
going to put all of the objects you pointed out into one pile. Who can tell me
about the rest of my objects?” Students will respond when called on. “That’s a
great observation too!” I will then move into the mini lesson about matter.
IV. Purpose
A. “Today we are learning about solids, liquids, and gases. It is important to know
about solids, liquids, and gases because they are in everything around us. Even in
you.”

Plan for Instruction

V. Adaptations:
A. Students will not need adaptations during the whole group time.
B. Students will need assistance scooping ice cream and pouring the Root Beer into
their own cups.
VI. Lesson presentation
A. Lesson:
i. “Now that we have the items in groups, let’s talk about what makes them
similar. The first group that we have here are all hard. There is no air in
the middle of them. The second group is all water. The water flows
around freely. The third group is a bag that seems to be empty. What’s in
this bag is similar to when it’s cold outside and you can see your breath.” I
will then ask the students if they can think of other examples of the first,
second, and third groups before moving on and labeling.

“Solids, Liquids, and Gases are all parts of something called Matter.” I will
have an anchor chart of what matter is and then what solids, liquids, and
gases are. “On the board I am putting a chart that might help us
understand the what the differences in these objects are.” I will read what
matter is and then go into the other definitions. “First, we have solids.
Solids have their own shape and does not change. Which two objects on
our table are solids?” Students will raise their hand and answer. “How do
you know?” Have someone answer. “Great job! These two objects are
solids because they cannot change their shape.” “Next, we have liquids.
Liquids can take the shape of the container that it’s in. Which two objects
on our table are liquids?” Students will raise their hand and answer.
“Great answer! These two objects are liquids because they have taken on
the shape of their container.” “Last, we have gases. Gases, like liquids,
 take on the shape of their container. Which two objects on our table are
gases?” Students will raise their hand and answer. “Yes! These two
objects are gases because they take on the shape of the container.
Although we cannot see the gas in the bag, it is still there. Just like the air
around us that you are breathing. You can’t see it, but it is taking the
shape of this room.”
B. Experiment: Hopefully time will allow this.
i. “Now I’m going to show you a fun way to see a solid, liquid, or gas.” I will
pull out a cup first and then place a scoop of ice cream in the cup. “I just
put a scoop of ice cream in my cup. Turn to the person next to you and tell
them what you think it is.” Give a few seconds for students to discuss.
“Can anyone tell me what type of matter this is? Is it a solid, liquid, or
gas?” Students will raise their hand and answer when called on. “It’s a
solid! That’s right.” “Now I’m going to pour some Root Beer into my cup.”
I will pour the Root Beer into the cup. “Turn to the person next to you
again and tell them what you think it is.” Give a few seconds for students
to discuss. “Is my Root Beer a solid, liquid, or gas?” Students will raise
their hand and then answer when called on. “Yes, it’s a liquid!” “Now, I
don’t have anything else to pour into my cup, but I still have to know what
the gas is. Turn to your partner one last time and tell them what you are
thinking the gas might be.” Given a few seconds for students to discuss.
“Can someone tell me what in my cup could possibly be gas?” Students
will have some time to think before answering. “The bubbles/fizz in the
cup is the gas! Great observation!” “When the solid, the ice cream, mixes
with the liquid we get gas.” “Friends, you did such a great job today! How
would you feel about doing your own experiment?” The students will then
be able to have their own Root Beer Float experiment.
C. Closure:
i. “What a fun lesson! I’m passing out papers that have pictures of a solid,
liquid, and gas. The words are at the bottom of the page for you to look
at. Once you get your paper go ahead and label the pictures with the
correct word from the bottom. When you are done flip your paper over
and put your head down to show me.” Call on a couple of students to
answer. “What was something maybe you already knew about solids,
liquids, or gases?” Call on a couple of students to answer.

VII. Check for understanding

A. During the lesson I will observe which students seem to understand what the
properties of matter are when sharing with the partner next to them.
B. I will ask the students at the end of the lesson if they can give me a thumbs up if
they feel like they understand solids, liquids, and gases, and a thumbs down if
they don’t fully understand yet.

Plan for Assessment

 Informal: I will observe student answers to my questions throughout the lesson.
Formal: The students will fill out an exit slip that will show if they understand the
difference between a solid, liquid, or gas.

Reflection and post-lesson analysis

1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I pace it differently?
4. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
5. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
6. Did my students achieve the objectives and goals?
7. Where my students engaged?
8. What could I have done better to teach this lesson?
9. Did my students understand the difference between a solid, liquid, and gas?
10. How can I grow this lesson up? How can I grow it down?