FOSS+Solids+and+Liquids

=Solids and Liquids=
 * This kit is all about making good **observations** about the **properties** of solids and liquids. These are the two key concepts for the students to learn.
 * Making good **observations** means finding the basic **properties** of an object or substance. Thus, if students see a clear colorless liquid:
 * Bad observation: "It looks like water" (or even worse: "It is water")
 * Good observations: "It is transparent," "It is colorless", "It is a liquid", etc.
 * Students learn how the **properties** of objects can make them useful for building, separating, etc.
 * Simple definitions of the three states of matter:
 * **Solid:** has a definite shape, although it may be flexible.
 * **Liquid:** Can be poured, fills its container from the bottom up, has a level surface when still.
 * **Gas:** Fills its container completely; expands or contracts to fill its container, can only be contained in a closed container.
 * General Advice for the kit:
 * The kit presents many investigations as learning center activities. Usually when the fellows teach these lessons, we teach them as a whole class. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. For larger classes, there may not be enough materials for all the students. However, with a learning center, the teacher will probably need an aide to work the center while he/she leads the rest of the class in another lesson, and will need to train the aide in how to lead inquiry-based science.
 * Students at this age are very suggestible; that is, if you demonstrate one way (of many) of doing something, they will pick up on this. They will tend to copy you instead of coming up with their own ideas. To encourage open-endedness, keep pre-activity demonstrations to a minimum.

Restocking Notes

 * Bottles filled with liquid can (and should) be saved for reuse. This will reduce the frequency with which the liquids must be purchased, in addition eliminating the time required for filling and cleaning them. If possible, they should also be left bagged in sets that include one of each bottle.

Possible Lesson Plan

 * Kits tend to have more lessons than we have time to get through. Some lessons can be combined with others, or omitted entirely. Here is where we can suggest the 10 or so lessons for fellows to get through.
 * Day 1: Investigation 1.1
 * Day 2: Investigations 1.2 and 1.3
 * Day 3: Investigation 1.3 Extension: Build a Paper Bridge
 * Day 4: Investigation 2.1
 * (Omit Investigation 2.2)
 * Day 5: Investigation 2.3
 * Day 6: Investigation 3.1 (and maybe 3.3)
 * Day 7: Investigation 3.2
 * (Omit Investigation 3.4)
 * Day 8: Investigation 4.1
 * Day 9: Investigation 4.2
 * Day 10: Investigation 4.3

Investigation 1: Solids

 * Typical Duration:** 45+ minutes
 * **Overview:** Students study seven different solids and make **observations** about their **properties**.
 * **Observation**: what do you notice about this object?
 * Use 4 of the 5 senses (all but taste).
 * **Property:** something that describes the object, or something it can do.
 * With the bag demo at the beginning, students are introduced to the difference between a **solid**, a **liquid**, and a **gas**.
 * Solid: Has a shape, cannot be poured
 * Liquid: Needs a container, can be poured, fills up and takes the shape of its container, has a flat surface when still, etc.
 * Gas: Entirely fills its container.
 * Ask students "Is a gas //something// or //nothing//? It may initially be difficult for them to answer this question. Then, show them the air-filled bag and the empty bag (or a full balloon and an empty balloon). Because the bag or balloon is inflated, the students can understand that you have put something (= air) in the balloon that makes it inflate.
 * Preparation
 * Demo: 4 plastic ziplock bags, containing:
 * A rock
 * Water (about 1/3 full)
 * Air (zip the bag nearly closed, blow into it to inflate it, and then zip it closed.
 * Nothing (a flat, deflated bag).
 * Activity:
 * Organize the first set of solids together, and the second set of solids together.
 * The teacher's guide says to go ahead and divide up the solids before class. However, it might be easier to just hand a student a bag of solids and have them place one on each student's desk. This works for picking them up at the end, too. That will save you some prep time.
 * Advice
 * Students can easily tell that a **rigid** object is a solid. They have a harder time with **flexible** objects, like the cloth and the piece of tubing. After some discussion, ensure them that these are indeed solids.
 * Have the teacher write down a list of property words as you go along. Post this list for the students to refer to in Lesson 1.2.
 * When filling out the //Properties of Solid Objects// worksheet, it is easiest for the students to work **down** the sheet, not across. This way they hold a single object in their hands and decide which of the listed properties it has (as opposed to looking through the objects for things which have a certain property). Also, remember that this may be their first time filling out a table.
 * Solids Vocabulary (note: it is not necessary to cover all of these):
 * Smooth
 * Rough
 * Flexible
 * Rigid
 * Transparent
 * Translucent
 * Opaque
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 1.2: Sort Solid Objects

 * Typical Duration:** 30-45 minutes
 * **Overview:** Students play a sorting game based on the **properties** of their solids.
 * Working in pairs is best.
 * Preparation
 * See Investigation 1.1.
 * Advice
 * If you feel the students already understand what a **property** is after Investigation 1.1, you may want to breeze through this lesson. If you have an hour, you can do the sorting game for 30 minutes and then do part 1.3 for 30 minutes.
 * Post the list of properties somewhere so the students can use it when coming up with ideas for the sorting game.
 * The //Sorting Circle// handout isn't really necessary. Students can just put the objects next to each other on the table or in their hands.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 1.3: Construct with Solids

 * Typical Duration:** 30-45 minutes
 * **Overview:** Students use solid objects to construct a tower. Students learn how the properties of an object affect how it can be used to build something.
 * Working in pairs is best.
 * Preparation
 * See Investigation 1.1.
 * Advice
 * By the end of the activity, the students should be able to answer the question "What **property** of (object) makes it good for (part of the tower)?" This can often be difficult for kids of this age. To lead them to this, ask things like:
 * Which object makes a good base for the tower? What **property** makes it a good base?
 * When you used the wood cylinder, did you lay it on the round side or the flat side? Why?
 * For consumable objects (aluminum foil, cup, straw, cardboard), the students can cut, tear, or otherwise change them. However, when telling them this, be careful not to give them too much guidance (i.e. don't tell them they can poke a hole in the cup for the straw).
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Powerpoint Slideshow on Towers (by Ginny)[[file:Engineers and Towers v2.ppt]]
 * Extensions
 * Build A Paper Bridge: Students use a piece of paper to make a bridge. They test the bridge's strength with a cup of weights.
 * Weights are not provided. Teachers often have small plastic blocks or counting pieces which can be used as weights. Just be sure that the weights are all the same.
 * At first, allow the students to change the paper in any way they want. However, they will probably not figure out how to fold it accordion-style, as shown in the teacher's guide. After a while, you can give them this idea.
 * Some of the students will have a hard time understanding how to fold the paper accordion-style. Others may understand, but may have poor motor skills. Be prepared to talk them through it.
 * Don't Demonstrate folding the paper in any way at first. It is okay to //talk// about the idea of folding the paper to make a better bridge, but if you actually show them one way to fold it, they will often pick up on that and may only try to fold it the way you did.

Investigation 2.1: Liquids in Bottles

 * Typical Duration:** 45 minutes
 * **Overview:** Students begin to investigate the properties of liquids.
 * Students are given bottles of seven different liquids.
 * Preparation
 * Decide whether to teach this lesson as a learning center or as a whole class. If as a learning center, you may want an aide to help, and you will need to have something else prepared for the rest of the students.
 * Prepare 5 (or more) bottles of each liquid:
 * Water
 * Corn Syrup
 * Cooking Oil
 * Liquid Dish Detergent
 * Liquid Hand Soap
 * Liquid Starch
 * Colored Water (try to match the color of the detergent, if possible)
 * Note that these liquids are **NOT PROVIDED** in the kit. You may need to purchase them yourself.
 * Fill the bottles about halfway full. Try to put the same volume in each bottle, so the liquid levels are the same.
 * If the kit has been used before, the bottles of liquids may already be prepared.
 * Advice
 * The kit presents this investigation as a learning center activity. Usually when the fellows teach this, we teach it as a whole class. Whichever method is up to the teacher, but remember that if it is taught at a learning center, the teacher will probably need an aide to work the center while he/she leads the rest of the class in another lesson.
 * Allow the students to investigate the liquids without giving them any suggestions at first. Once they begin to get bored, use the list of questions at the bottom of page 13 to suggest more things they can try.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 2.2: Properties of Liquids

 * Typical Duration:** 45 minutes
 * **Overview:** Students describe properties of liquids, and use a vocabulary card game to learn vocabulary.
 * **NOTE:** This lesson is not very hands-on, and may be omitted. If so, be sure to cover liquids vocabulary in Inv. 2.1.
 * Preparation
 * Copy sheet #6, //Labels for Card Decks// and cut out the labels. Tape each label to a 1 liter ziplock bag.


 * Advice
 * Liquids Vocabulary
 * Viscous
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 2.3: Liquid Level
Typical Duration: 45 minutes
 * Overview: Students study how the level of a liquid changes as its container changes.
 * Students study a bottle of water as it is tipped, recording where the water line is at each stage.
 * Students find out how a specific amount of water fills different-shaped containers.
 * Preparation
 * A quick, bulleted list of the things you will have to have prepared before yo u teach the lesson, along with any hints for their preparation.
 * Advice
 * For the first activity, use the bottles of colored water. This makes it easier for the students to see the liquid level. Also, they can color in their pictures of the water.
 * For the second activity, use tap water, because spills are more likely with the open containers.
 * One of the key points is that no matter what container it's in, the water level is always horizontal ("straight across") when still. This is an important property of liquids.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 3.1: Solids in Containers
Typical Duration: 60-75 minutes (according to the book)
 * Overview: Students begin their study of particle-sized solids.
 * Students are given five types of materials (lima beans, pinto beans, mung beans, rice, and cornmeal) and observe them by pouring them, piling them, etc.
 * Can be combined with Investigation 3.3 if time permits.
 * Preparation
 * Be sure the containers from Investgation 2.3 have been completely dried.
 * Set up the five centers, one for each material. Each should be inside a bus tray, and should have scoops, funnels, bottles, etc.
 * Advice
 * If conducting this lesson as a class, form five groups. Set up five work stations (one for each material), and have the groups of students rotate through the centers. Give them about five minutes at each station.
 * Students may be unsure whether these are solids or liquids, because they share properties of both (have a shape, but can be poured, spilled, etc.) Be sure the students notice that:
 * they can be piled up, and don't create a flat surface.
 * Other objects (like the wood cylinder and screw) can sit on top of them.
 * After their exploration and discussion of the properties, assure them that these are in fact solids.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * This is a great opportunity to incorporate a digital microscope, or ProScope into the lesson. Students can look at small solids and liquids magnified.
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 3.2: Separating Soup Mix
Typical Duration: X minutes (or Y 1-hour class periods)
 * Overview: Students learn to separate a mixture of solids based on size.
 * Points of Interest: A brief, bulleted outline of the contents of the lesson.
 * Preparation
 * You can make the mixture beforehand, or you can make it as a demonstration at the beginning of class.
 * Advice
 * Put the screens in the bus trays, but don't (at first) mention their existence. If the students have not caught on after 10 minutes or so, then you can discuss how the screens might be helpful.
 * What property of the solids allows the screens to separate them?
 * For the more advanced students who might finish early, ask them to see if they can separate the solids in the least number of steps. This might involve changing the order of separation, or using multiple screens at once. //Ideally//, the separation can be accomplished in as little as two steps (using all the screens at once), although practically this doesn't work very well. Still, it is fun for the kids to brainstorm ways of doing this.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 3.3: Solids in Bottles
Typical Duration: 30 minutes or less.
 * Overview: Students place the small solids in bottles, cap them, and observe them.
 * Students turn the bottles slowly, shake the bottles, spin them, roll the bottles down ramps, etc.
 * Preparation
 * A quick, bulleted list of the things you will have to have prepared before you teach the lesson, along with any hints for their preparation.
 * Advice
 * If you feel the students have already studied the properties enough in Investigation 3.1, you may omit this lesson. You may also do a brief version of this lesson in combination with Inv. 3.1.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 3.4: Separating Beads with a Screen
Typical Duration: X minutes (or Y 1-hour class periods)
 * Overview: Students use their knowledge from Investigation 3.2 to separate a mixture of different-sized beads (on paper).
 * Note that this is NOT a hands-on lesson. The kit doesn't actually come with beads.
 * Students use screen transparencies to figure out which-sized beads will go through which screens.
 * Preparation
 * Copy student worksheets #24 and #25, //Bead Mix A// and //Bead Mix B//.
 * Prepare the screen transparencies by cutting the transparency sheets. You can either cut them in half (one set of 3 screens per sheet) or in six pieces (one screen per sheet).
 * Advice
 * Tips from fellows on how to best execute the lesson.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 4.1: Solids and Water
Typical Duration: 2+ hours (Three 45-minute sessions, according to the book)
 * Overview: Students mix various solids with water in a ziplock bag.
 * After the solids are placed in the water, they will be stored for a day.
 * Preparation
 * List of solids to be provided by the teacher:
 * Raisins
 * Cookies
 * Chalk
 * Place all the solids in various ziplock bags. Label the bags.
 * For large materials, place two of them in each bag.
 * For particulate materials, place two teaspoons in each bag.
 * Advice
 * You don't have to do all the solids. However, here are a few important ones to do:
 * Rock salt. It will dissolve in the water, and then you can evaporate the water to re-crystallize the salt. That will take a few days.
 * Candy. This one will probably dissolve very slowly. There will probably be a big difference on Day 2.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 4.2: Liquids and Water
Typical Duration: X minutes (or Y 1-hour class periods)
 * Overview: What is the main point of the lesson? (one sentence)
 * Points of Interest: A brief, bulleted outline of the contents of the lesson.
 * Preparation
 * A quick, bulleted list of the things you will have to have prepared before yo u teach the lesson, along with any hints for their preparation.
 * Advice
 * Tips from fellows on how to best execute the lesson.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation 4.3: Toothpaste Investigation
Typical Duration: X minutes (or Y 1-hour class periods)
 * Overview: What is the main point of the lesson? (one sentence)
 * Points of Interest: A brief, bulleted outline of the contents of the lesson.
 * Preparation
 * A quick, bulleted list of the things you will have to have prepared before yo u teach the lesson, along with any hints for their preparation.
 * Advice
 * Tips from fellows on how to best execute the lesson.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Investigation X.X: Title
Typical Duration: X minutes (or Y 1-hour class periods)
 * Overview: What is the main point of the lesson? (one sentence)
 * Points of Interest: A brief, bulleted outline of the contents of the lesson.
 * Preparation
 * A quick, bulleted list of the things you will have to have prepared before yo u teach the lesson, along with any hints for their preparation.
 * Advice
 * Tips from fellows on how to best execute the lesson.
 * Demo ideas
 * Media Clips and Links
 * Extensions
 * Other useful additions to this lesson.

Links
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Solids and Liquids toolkit Created by WA State LASER program. Includes concepts; kit set up and management, teacher tips, literacy tips.

Fellows Who Have Taught This Kit: Charlie Fellows

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