Grocery store matter

The lesson stimulates students' thought processes and makes students aware of the things around them by teaching them about the three kinds of matter and their properties.

A lesson plan for grade 1 English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science

By Indiana Jennette

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

1. Learn what matter is.
2. Investigate each state of matter to find out the different properties.
3. Choose pictures in magazines that represent each state of matter.
4. Make the connection by using the computer.

Find pictures that represent solids, liquids, and gases.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

7 days

Materials/resources

• construction paper
• pencil
• computer—Kidspiration and the Writing Center
• printed labels (solids, liquids, and gases)
• Destinations In Science Addison-Wesley
• General Store by Rachel Field
• balance scale
• funnel
• paper clips
• plastic container
• empty bottle
• balloons
• small box
• cans
• cups
• sponge
• pitcher
• baking soda
• water
• peanuts
• cereal
• oodles & noodles
• milk
• soda
• vinegar
• lemon
• grapes
• popcorn
• crackers
• large box of rice

Technology resources

Kidspiration software

Pre-activities

• Introduce and discuss the word matter and its three states: solids, liquids, and gases.
• Read General Store by Rachel Field
• Utilize Destinations In Science by Addison-Wesley throughout entire lesson.
• Students will discuss different properties on each state of matter.

Activities

Day 1

1. Review the words matter, solids, liquids and gases and discuss each. Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. Mass has weight. A solid is anything that retains its shape. A liquid is anything that you can pour. A gas expands to fill its container.
2. Use items found in the book entitled General Store by Rachel Field to discuss different items they might see in a grocery store. This will help the students understand matter and build from their background of experiences.
3. Observe things in the classroom. By doing this they will understand that matter is here, there, and everywhere.
4. The teacher will have a bag with different items from the grocery store. As each item is taken from the bag students will discuss and investigate if it’s a solid, liquid, or gas. Does it take up space? Can you measure it? Discuss size, shape, color, and texture. Encourage students to use “matter” words that were discussed earlier. (Examples of items found in the bag are: peanuts, cereal, oodles & noodles, milk, soda, and vinegar.)
5. Have students draw the items from the bag in their learning logs or journals classifying whether they are a solid, a liquid, or a gas.

Day 2

Investigate if matter takes up space (items needed: cans and a small open box).

1. Ask students to come up to the front of the classroom and demonstrate this experiment. Have students to predict the outcome.
2. Experiment: put a small can into a small box. Put another larger can into the same box. Do they both fit?
3. Continue placing different size cans in the box until the box is full. Then get students to explain why they can’t put another can in the box.
4. Have students write in their science learning logs or journal about what happened in today’s experiment. They should draw conclusions that matter takes up space.

Investigate if gas takes up space. (items needed: bowl of water, cup, and a tissue)

1. Call on student to come to the front of the room to demonstrate. Predict the outcome.
2. Put tissue into the cup.
3. Place cup upside down in the bowl of water. Does the tissue get wet?
4. Record results in their science learning logs or journals.

Day 3

Investigate if matter can be measured (items needed: large box of rice, cups, and paper clips).

1. Call a student up to the front of the room to demonstrate this experiment. Allow them to predict the outcome of this experiment.
2. Make a chain of paper clips. Measure using the paper clips exactly how tall the box of rice is using this non-standard type of measurement.
3. Have students estimate how many cups are in the box of rice. Then pour the rice into the cups.
4. Count the number of cups. How many cups of rice are in a box?
5. Using their science learning logs or their journals, have students write about today’s experiment.

Day 4

Investigate if matter is light or heavy (items needed: balance scale, sponge, lemon, grapes, and popcorn).

1. Call student up to the front of the room to demonstrate this experiment. Before completing the experiment have them predict which item is heavier or which is the lightest item.
2. Predict.…then give student a lemon and a sponge. Put each item on the scale. Students will see which is heavier and which is lighter.
3. Predict.…then give student a grape and a piece of popped popcorn. Put these two items on the scale.
4. Have students use their science learning log or journals to draw today’s experiment and write about what happened.

Day 5

Investigate if a solid keeps its own shape. First test something dry (items needed: container, cracker, water and cup).

1. Call student up to demonstrate. Predict the outcome.
2. Put cracker into the cup to show that is fits.
3. Take it out and trace its shape.
4. Put cracker back into the container but this time fill the cup with water. (Leave cracker in the water for a BRIEF period of time.)
5. Take it out and put it on your tracing paper. Does it keep its own shape?
6. Have students record results in their science learning logs or journals.

Next test something liquid (items needed: water, cup, and a box)

1. Call a student up to the front to demonstrate. Predict the outcome.
2. Pour water into a tall cup.
3. Pour the exact same water into a short fat cup.
4. Pour the exact same water into a plastic box.
5. Does this water remain the same shape or does it take the shape of the container that it is poured into each time?
6. Have students record results in their science learning logs or journals.

Investigate if gas has its own shape (items needed: balloons).

1. Every student can participate in this.
2. Blow up a balloon and talk about its shape. What’s inside?
3. Let the balloon go. Tell about its shape now. What happen to the air inside?
4. Record results in their learning logs or science journals.

Day 6

Make a gas (items needed: baking soda, vinegar, balloon, bottle and funnel).

1. Have student assist the teacher. Guess the outcome.
2. Put one tablespoon of baking soda in the balloon.
3. Put four tablespoons of vinegar in the bottle.
4. Place the balloon over the top of the bottle.
5. Shake the balloon until the baking soda falls into the bottle.
6. Record results.
7. Have students illustrate this experiment in their learning logs or journals.

Day 7

Students will take a piece of construction paper and divide the paper into three equal parts. They will place labels provided by the teacher: solids, liquids, and gases into each section. Use magazines to find pictures that would fit under each category.

Technology Integration:

Use computer program Kidspiration. Do the same activity as described above. Print out a document that features solids, liquids and gases. Students may choose to label the items.

Assessment

The students will use different magazines to find pictures associated with each state of matter. After they have completed this they will then have an opportunity to use the program Kidspiration and print a document that categorizes pictures of objects into solids, liquids, or gases. The teacher will monitor the students while they complete this part of the lesson and will give them the ok to print.

Supplemental information

Three States of Matter (JPG)

Comments

The children enjoyed the lesson because they were very involved throughout the lesson. They especially enjoyed creating a gas.