Date: March 23rd, 2017 Cycle Level: Kindergarten

Lesson Plan Subject area: Science

Duration: 20-30 minutes

Inquiry/objective:
- Our inquiry for this activity will be; what
sinks and what floats?
- Our objective is to get the students to
develop their inquirer qualities and to
investigate using a scientific work method.
By the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:
- Reflect in an inquiry method
- Work in a scientific work method (hypothesis, experiment,
result)
- Explain the properties of certain materials

Group Size & Materials: Previous knowledge required:

Group size: 20 students

Materials: - None!
- 5 clear aquariums
- Water
- 5 apples
- 5 marbles
- 5 tennis balls
- 5 pieces of 5 cents
- 5 pencils
- 5 leaves
- 5 rocks (different sizes)
- 5 magnifying glasses
- Protective glasses for every child

Pre-school Competency:
- Competency 1: To perform sensorimotor actions effectively in different contexts. The children will have to
play with different objects and put them in their aquarium to record if they float or sink.
- Competency 3: To interact harmoniously with others The students will be asked to work in small teams and
will need to interact with their peers.
- Competency 4: To communicate using the resources of language. The students will be asked to communicate
with their team mates clearly to express their opinion.
- Competency 5: To construct his/her understanding of the world. They will be introduced to new scientific
concepts, whether about the content or about the method of scientific research. They will also investigate
objects that surround them in their everyday life.
- Competency 6: To complete an activity or project. The students will complete an activity during this lesson,
along with the team they are placed with.
Cross Curricular Competencies:
- Works in team: The students will be put in small groups for the lesson. They will have to collaborate
harmoniously in order to obtain good results.
- Organizes his/her work: The students will have to follow guidelines and fill a handout as they are exploring.
They will need to be organized.
- Communicates effectively: The students will have to communicate their opinion with their classmates and agree
on an answer.
- Exercises critical judgement: The students will have to predict whether an object floats or sinks according to
the information they learned during the story telling.

Broad Area(s) of Learning:

- Personal and career planning: The student will investigate and therefore discover new scientific ways of
inquiry.
- Citizenship and community life: This activity will be a great exercise of socialization as the students will be
asked to share with their peers and take turns.

Time Lesson

7 minutes Introduction:
As an introduction, the teacher will use the book Things that float and things that dont
by David A. Adler. This book is beautifully illustrated and explains some phenomenon,
linked to the floating or sinking of certain objects, in an easy way. The teacher could
therefore read this story as a hook for the following activity.

Also, it will give the students an opportunity to imagine what would happen during their
experimentation.

TEACHER: Hi boys and girls and welcome to our science session. Today, we
are going to read the book (show the cover) things that float and things that dont.
Have you ever noticed something floating or sinking in the pool for example?
TEACHER: While I read the book, I would like you to keep in mind which
discoveries are made by our two friends. You will have to think about them
afterwards.
TEACHER: Read the book.
TEACHER: The teacher should ask questions such as; What did you think of the
book boys and girls? Can you remember what happened to the apple? What
do you think would happen if we were to try it out in an aquarium?
 TEACHER DIFFERENTIATION: If a disability prevents a student from seeing
the book and the pictures, the teacher should keep him close to him/her and have
him turn the pages. To make the activity more interactive, the teacher could ask
can anyone describe what is happening now to the apple, clearly enough so that
we can understand? Therefore, the student who is blind or partially blind will
benefit from an explanation from his peers that will give him/her details on what
is happening.

Development:
10-15 minutes TEACHER: Great thinking boys and girls, now I would ask you to please go
back to your seats, and we will start our activity.
TEACHER: You will find an aquarium with water at your places and different
materials. You will also see a sheet of paper with images representing the
materials you have on your tables. You will take a pencil and a red pen.
TEACHER: On the sheet, the middle column is for things that float and the right
column is for things that sink. Thinking back to our reading, I would like you to
try to imagine which one will float and which one will sink, you can touch the
material, weight it, look at it with your magnifying glass.
TEACHER: Now you can take the materials and put them in the water! Dont
forget to wear your protective glasses!
TEACHER: Please make an X for the final answer in red and we will discuss it
after. Dont forget, the column in the middle is for the objects which float and the
right column is the one for the objects that sink!
The teacher can go around and look at the sheets. While observing where the student put
their X, he/she can ask: What happened here with the tennis ball?

We expect the students to answer things like I thought the tennis ball would sink
because it was heavy, but it floats!

When the experimentation is done, the teacher can go on to the closure activity.

Closure:
5-7 minutes On the other side of the worksheet, the students will be asked to draw what they are
observing. There is an outline of the aquarium and the water, the students will be asked to
draw on the other side what they can observe.

TEACHER: Now boys and girls, I will ask you to turn your paper around, and
draw in the aquarium what you observe is happening in your groups aquarium.
During this time, the teacher could put on some music, such as ocean sounds or
waterfalls.

Assessment:
As mentioned in the QEP, chapter 4, these are the criteria we should be evaluating the
students on, according to the competencies targeted;

Competency 1
- Execution of various gross motor movements
- Execution of various fine motor movements
- Adjustment of actions to the environment
- Recognition of factors that favour well-being (health and safety)
Competency 3
- Demonstration of openness to others
- Participation in the group
- Observance of the groups rules of conduct
- Application of a conflict-resolution process, with help
- Personal involvement with others
Competency 4
- Interest in communication
- Demonstration of understanding of the message
- Production of messages
Competency 5
- Demonstration of interest, curiosity and a desire to learn
- Experimentation with various ways of exercising thinking
- Use of pertinent information to learn
- Description of the process and strategies used in learning
Competency 6
- Involvement in the activity or project
- Use of his/her resources in carrying out the activity or project
- Perseverance in carrying out the activity or project
- Description of the strategies used in carrying out the activity or project
- Assessment of the learnings acquired and difficulties encountered
- Expression of satisfaction with the activity or project
The aspects written in blue are the ones that will be assessed during this lesson. For the
detail of the assessment, please see the handout section. (Handout 2 Science
assessment).

The easiest way for a teacher to assess the students in that kind of learning situation is to
collect their work. That way, the teacher will be able to assess if they have been able to
 follow the guidelines and to work in teams. Also, the teacher could keep a log/journal of
observations he/she may make during the experimentation.

Follow- - The teacher could help the kids create little boats made out of different
up/extensions: materials and they could try to make them float in a puddle on a rainy day.
- Another activity to do with water could be to create sensory bottles with the
students (made with glitter, colors, etc.)

PROFESSIONAL - Competency 2: To communicate clearly in the language of instruction both orally

COMPETENCIES and in writing, using correct grammar in various contexts related to teaching.
ADDRESSED: Features:
(which 1. Communicates ideas concisely using precise vocabulary and correct syntax.
professional 2. Corrects the mistakes students make when speaking and writing.
competencies are The teacher will have to communicate clearly what he/she wants the student to do, in
you addressing; order to get great results from the experimentation.
which feature?
And specifically, - Competency 3: To develop teaching/learning situations that are appropriate to the
how?) students concerned and the subject content with a view to developing the
competencies targeted in the programs of study.
Feature:
1. Selects and interprets subject-specific knowledge in terms of the aims,
competencies and subject content specified in the program of study.
This lesson was designed for the kindergarten students to develop specific knowledge
and skills. (See the introduction of the lesson)

- Competency 4: To pilot teaching/learning situations that are appropriate to the

students concerned and to the subject content with a view to developing the
competencies targeted in the programs of study.
Features:
1. Creates conditions in which students can engage in meaningful problem
situations, tasks or projects, based on their cognitive, emotional and social
characteristics.
2. Provides students with the resources they need to take part in the learning
situations.
3. Encourages teamwork.
The teacher will have to be very clear and specific for the students to engage
meaningfully in the scientific experimentation. The teacher will provide the students with
material, and enough information and guidance to create a meaningful learning
experience. The class will work in teams for this activity.
 - Competency 6: To plan, organize and supervise a class in such a way as to promote
students' learning and social development.
Feature:
1. Develops and implements an efficient system for running regular classroom
activities.
The handout created will help the teacher manage the classroom, as the students will have
to think about the materials and share their ideas.

- Competency 11: To engage in professional development individually and with

others.
Feature:

1. Reflects on his or her practice (reflective analysis) and makes the appropriate
adjustments.
There is a space for the teacher to reflect on his/her practice at the end of the lesson. In
order to improve his/her teaching, it is important that the teacher engages in this exercise.

- Competency 12: To demonstrate ethical and responsible professional behaviour in

the performance of his or her duties.
Feature:
1. Provides students with appropriate attention and support.
While the activity takes place, the teacher will have to visit each group to make sure
every students follows and really understands what is going on.

Reflection on my To be completed after the lesson.

lesson:
Handout 2 What will float and what will sink recording
Side 1

What will float and what will sink?

Object Floats Sinks

Apple

Marble

Tennis ball

Money

Leaf

Pencil

Rock
Side 2