Samantha Evans

University of Houston
Science for ELLs

Teachers Name: Samantha Evans

Basic Lesson Components

Grade Level: 5th Grade

Time Estimate: 35 minutes

Science Content: This lesson is about different states of matter. Matter is anything that has mass or
takes up space. We are going to learn about solids, liquids, and gases which are all different states of
matter. Students need to understand by the end of this lesson what each of these look like and what
the molecules are doing. In a solid, the molecules are compacted together and do not move past one
another (does not change shape). A liquid changes shape but not volume and the molecules start to
move past one another. A gas changes shape and volume, and the gases move quickly and freely
between each other. Each of these states are also known as a phase. Matter changes from one state to
another when physical conditions change. One item that can change matter is the temperature. When
the temperature goes up, the molecules get more exited and active. This is like when you are boiling
water. When the temperature of the water gets hotter, the molecules are getting more active and it
starts changing to the gas phase. The phase describes the physical state of matter. If energy is being
taken away from the molecules, the molecules will get slower and the matter will be turned into a
liquid or solid (frozen). The more energy you add, the faster the molecules get. Changing the
pressure of a system is another way to create physical change. The more pressure you add to the
molecules, they will change from a solid to liquid to gas. This is why the non-newtonian material
changes the more you add pressure to it. When it is just sitting there, it is more of a solid. When you
start to play with it and add pressure, it becomes a liquid (explain this to students).

I’ve added 4th grade TEKS to show what students should already know.
Matter TEKS: 4th Grade TEKS: 112.15 (b) (5) Matter and energy. The student knows that matter
has measurable physical properties and those properties determine how matter is classified, changed,
and used. The student is expected to:
(A) measure, compare, and contrast physical properties of matter, including size, mass,
volume, states (solid, liquid, gas), temperature, magnetism, and the ability to sink or float;

5th Grade TEKS: 112.16 (b) (5) Matter and energy. The student knows that matter has measurable
physical properties and those properties determine how matter is classified, changed, and used. The
student is expected to:
(A) classify matter based on physical properties, including mass, magnetism, physical state
(solid, liquid, and gas), relative density (sinking and floating), solubility in water, and the ability to
conduct or insulate thermal energy or electric energy;

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Content Objective(s): The students will classify matter based on physical properties including
solid, liquid, and gas.

ELPS:
Listening: (2) (E) Use visual, contextual, and linguistic support to enhance and confirm
understanding of increasingly complex and elaborated spoken language. Pg 27

Speaking: (3) (E) Share information in cooperative learning interactions. Pg 31

Reading: (4) (F): Use visual and contextual support and support from peers and teachers to read
grade- appropriate content area text, enhance and confirm understanding, and develop vocabulary,
grasp of language structures, and background knowledge needed to comprehend increasingly
challenging language. Pg 39

Writing: (5) (A): Learn relationships between sounds and letters of the English language to represent
sounds when writing in English. Pg47

Language Objective (s):

Listening: Frequently check for understanding since most students will not have the ability to seek
clarification.

Speaking: Focus on the content of student’s response and not on pronunciation or grammatical
errors.

Reading: Increase student’s comprehension of text with visuals, peer support, pre-taught topic-
related vocabulary and predictable stories.

Writing: Create an interactive word wall that students can use during independent or cooperative
writing tasks.

Vocabulary: Definition: Cognate (T or F):

Matter Matter is anything that has mass and takes up La Materia: La materia es
Solid space. todo lo que tiene masa y
Liquid ocupa espacio.
Gas
A solid has a size and shape. It is a sample of Solido: Un sólido tiene
matter that has a fixed volume. un tamaño y forma. Es
una muestra de materia
que tiene un volumen
fijo.

El Liquido: Un líquido es
A liquid is a substance that flows freely but is of una sustancia que fluye

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constant volume. libremente pero es de

volumen constante.

El gas: Un gas es una

sA gas is a substance of matter in a state where it sustancia de la materia en
will expand freely to fill the whole of a un estado donde se
container, having no fixed shape. ampliará libremente para
llenar el conjunto de un
envase, no teniendo
ninguna forma fija.

Misconceptions:
Ooblek is a liquid and a solid. It is called a non-Newtonian fluid. It is like quicksand and is a
pressure-dependent substance. It can behave like a solid or liquid depending on how much pressure
is applied. Students might think it is a solid or a liquid.

Materials/Resources/Technology Needs:
Materials:
Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss, activity cards and recording sheet
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/States-of-Matter-269837 , corn starch, water, pie tins to put
Oobleck in, plastic animals, computer/ Permethrin board to watch Ellen video on

Book:
Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss
What is the World Made of? By Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Technology:
Video of Elen Degenerous showing Ooblek on her show. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=RUMX_b_m3Js

Safety:
Students should be mindful of their space between others while acting out solid, liquid, and gas.
Backpacks and other materials should be placed under their desks. Students should not be eating
Ooblek and should follow lab rules/ expectations.

5E Instructional Procedures
What Teacher Does What Student Does:

Engage I am going to have the students act out
a solid, liquid, and gas with their
bodies. Do not tell students “we are
acting out solid, liquid, gas.” I will
have everyone get up in a circle around
the room. They will start by all holding
Students should be listening to the teacher
and moving their bodies as we act out a
solid, liquid, and gas. Students will watch a
video.

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hands (solid). I will say, “pretend you

are an ice cube and you stuck together
really tight with all your ice cube
friends. Then the sun comes out and
your start to get warmer. Show me
what you will start to do. Now, you are
starting to move into the air, up, up, up
you go.” (They should be moving their
hands all around). Show students the
video of Ellen Degenerous having
Oobleck on her show. Relate this back
to what you just talked about with them
of what a solid, liquid, and gas are.

Explore Before passing out Oobleck, go over Students should be exploring and playing
safety. I am going to pass out trays of with the Oobleck. They should be thinking
Oobleck to students. Each table should about what it is and why. Students should be
get their own. Have the students giving ideas about what they think it is or
explore with the Oobleck by putting what’s wrong with it.
their hands in it and playing with it.
Ask students, “what’s wrong with
this?” Let students answer. Write some
of their answers on the board.
Explain We are going to talk about some of the Students should be classifying items from
items on the states of matter worksheet. the worksheet with the teacher. They should
The teacher should pass out cheerios to be placing cheerios under the correct state of
the students. Explain to students that mater on their worksheet.
the cheerios represent our molecules in
the states of matter. Explain that they
will represent the states of matter with
their cheerios under the correct state on
their worksheet.
http://guesthollow.com/store/shop/solid
-liquid-gas-printable-activity/

Elaborate Go back to the Oobleck and have Students should be thinking and giving ideas
students think about this and see if they about classifying the Oobleck compared to
can classify what it is. Read aloud what they just did with their worksheets.
some of the answers they gave from the
board. Have a discussion with them
about their explanations. Use student’s
explanations to describe what a solid,
liquid, and gas are. You should be
talking about how molecules are
different in each stage of matter.
Explain to students that Oobleck is

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Samantha Evans

non-Newtonian fluid. It is like

quicksand and is a pressure-dependent
substance. It can behave like a solid or
liquid depending on how much
pressure is applied.
Evaluate I will hand out activity cards and a Students are working as a table group to do
recording sheet to students. I will their activity cards and fill out their
explain directions. I will give them five recording sheet.
minutes to do as many as they can and
record their answers. I will take up
their recording sheets and use this as an
informal assessment to see if students
understand the states of matter.

Domjan & Wong (2016)