Taylor Bryan

SCE4310

October 4th, 2019

Lesson Analysis

Introduction

Throughout their career, teachers will teach thousands of lessons. An important part of

the process for finding the best-fit lesson, teachers must be critical of the activities they bring

into the classroom. This is especially significant when teaching science lessons. As such, I have

found a science lesson that I will analyze in the remainder of this report to determine what to

alter so that it is ready to be taught to students in a way that addresses scientific content,

scientific process, and the nature of science. As emphasized by Molly Weinburgh, these three

“legs” of science lessons should be repetitiously and always used together so that the lessons

might be “much stronger than those with one or two legs missing” (Weinburgh, 2003).

The lesson I have selected was found on Cpalms.com, a website that houses the Florida

State School Standards. Meant to be taught in a second-grade classroom, this lesson focuses

on identifying the various states of matter. The lesson allows is split into two sessions, but for

the purpose of this assignment, I will only be analyzing session one.

Link to Lesson:​ ​https://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceLesson/Preview/46667

Science Content

This lesson is designed to develop students’ understanding of the various states of

matter. In regards to whether or not this content is appropriate for second grade, I decided to

consult the standards. Within the state of Florida, standard SC.2.P.8.2 requires that students

learn to “identify objects and materials as solid, liquid, or gas,” while in the second grade
(“States of Matter”). In a more broad sense, the Next Generation Science Standards include

standard 2-PS1-1 which addresses the fact that students need to be able to “plan and conduct

an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable

properties” (“Structure and Properties of Matter”). In both cases, these standards fall under a

larger category within the second-grade curriculum, termed Properties of Matter (“States of

Matter”). Thus, based on this research I would be confident in saying that this content in

grade-level appropriate.

Taking a deeper look at the content, I would believe it to be partially accurate yet

well-rounded. The states of matter addressed by the lesson are solid, liquid, and gas. I used the

term partially accurate as some types of matter were not mentioned in the lesson such as

plasma and Bose-Einstein condensate, according to an article on livescience.com (Bagley,

2019). Despite this, the second session of the lesson does address, oobleck, which acts as both

a liquid and a solid. The lesson also addressed how particles within the three states appear

which is also validated by livescience.com, specifically the particles that make up gases “have a

great deal of space between them,” the particles that make up liquids “are more loosely packed

than in a solid and are able to flow around each other,” and the particles of a solid “are packed

tightly together” (Bagley, 2019). Overall, the content being taught by the lesson is accurate and

grounded.

To summarize, this lesson provides opportunities for students to understand the concept

that matter can be classified by different states such as a solid, liquid, and gas.

Science Process Skills

Within this lesson, I felt that the main skills required were listening, classifying, and

inferencing. The majority of session one of this lesson was geared towards listening to and
absorbing the information taught by the teacher as well as classifying objectives using

inferences based on the information gathered from the lesson. This is illustrated in the lesson as

the main task was having students sort pictures of various objects into groups based on what

students’ believed their state of matter to be. This did not allow the students to physically

interact with the objects, instead, they were left to classify objects based on their own private

knowledge. That being said, I do not believe that students were “doing science” in this lesson.

Karen Sullenger would most likely agree with me as she believes that science is “going on when

scientists’ work and the ideas, theories, and debates generated by scientists’ activities are the

basis for goals and objectives” and when “learners can tell you why they trust and question the

work of scientists” (Sullenger, 1999). While this lesson is centered around the work scientists

have done to determine the states of matter, it is not providing explorations that would allow for

students to explain or question that work.

I would argue that this lesson is not requiring students to use skills, specifically listening,

classifying, and inferencing, for a scientific purpose. In fact, I believe that more skills such as

experimenting, observing, and data recording could be included in this lesson in a way that

could be made explicitly clear that it is for a scientific purpose. Sullenger suggests that such

skills are simply life skills unless they are being used within the mindset of being a scientist

(Sullenger, 1999). Building off of that, students were not given the opportunity to act as

scientists in the lesson and as such, they could not “decide for themselves if the evidence

provided by the science community is sufficient to accept their ideas and theories” (Sullenger,

1999). I will go on to suggest that in this lesson students should be given the chance to

formulate and execute their own ideas and questions.

In short, this lesson contains life skills that are not being used for a scientific purpose

and as such, in this lesson, students are not “doing” science.

The Nature of Science

I would move to say that the lesson as it stands currently does not address hardly any of

the various natures of science. For example, the sorting activity in this lesson appears to be

done at an individual level when it could easily be a group assignment which would, in turn,

encourage discussion and address the nature of science in that is would be a complex social

activity. Also, the sorting activity is very superficial in that students are sorting various objects

into the categories of solid, liquid, and gas according to inferences made by information

provided to them by a powerpoint. This ignores the fact that science demands evidence. The

students would be unable to provide evidence that shows the reasoning behind why they have

been classified in a certain manner. In addition to science demands evidence and is social, this

lesson could also lend itself to being a blend of logic and imagination. As it is currently, the

lesson does not allow for any creativity as students are asked to answer questions, not pose

them. The only nature of science that could be mentioned already in the lesson is that the world

is understandable. This is because by allowing students to classify and sort objects into the

different states of matter, they are, in a way, making sense of their world. Despite this, that is not

enough to be sufficient in teaching the nature of science. There are methods that the nature of

science could be explicitly taught in this lesson.

Randy Bell suggests that in order to teach the nature of science, teachers must be

“explicit” in letting students know what aspects of the nature of science are being used in a

lesson (Bell, 2014). For example, the demand for evidence could be explicitly taught by asking

students something along the lines of “‘How do you know that? Give me some evidence’”

(Weinburgh, 2003). With this in mind, I will aim to create modifications that will address the lack

of explicit instruction of the nature of science.

Recommended Modifications

I will include my modifications within the lesson plan itself in the pages below. The

modifications will be written in ​blue​.

- States of Matter -

Learning Objectives:

1. The students will be able to investigate the properties of matter and their changes.

2. The students will be able to identify the three common states of matter and pose

questions about what causes changes in these states.

3. The students will be able to recall information and content presented and apply it in

writing in a Science Notebook.

4. Students will be able to recognize that science is social, imaginative, and demands

evidence.

Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?

1. The students must have prior knowledge that all living things are made of matter and

that they can be classified by their physical properties. With guidance, the students must

be able to focus on a topic and strengthen it with details as needed.

Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?

1. What causes matter to change in our physical world?​*

2. How does matter change its shape?​*

3. How does matter retain its shape?​*

 4. What are the properties of the different types of matter?​*

*These questions will be posed to the class at the beginning of the lesson. Rather than being

asked to the whole group, give students four post-it notes each and write each of the four

questions on separate pieces of poster paper around the room. Allow students about 5 minutes

to use the sticky notes to add their thoughts to each question before taking about 8-10 minutes

to discuss their answers. This would be a great opportunity to explicitly point out that they are

using social interactions in the form of a discussion to better understand scientific ideas. (​This

would serve the purpose of incorporating and purposefully pointing out the nature of science,

specifically that of science is social. Also, it would serve as a sort of formative assessment for

the teacher to gauge student understanding and misconceptions.)

Sample answers may be:

1. Temperature: freezing, heating.

2. By the container it is placed in (liquid), breaking or tearing (solid).

3. By keeping it in a container of the same shape and size, not breaking or tearing

it.

4. Space between molecules, hard, soft, bendable, color, sink or float....

Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?

Session 1

1. The teacher will review that there are tiny particles that make up all states

of matter. The following power point can be used as a review: ​Sorting

Matter​. ​Rather than using this powerpoint to show the particles in the

various states of matter, I would suggest going to the following interactive

website:​http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/states-of-matter/latest/states-of

-matter_en.html​ . During this time, encourage student to ask “What if…?”

 questions in regards to the effect temperature has on the states of matter.

Allow them to manipulate the website and discuss the results. (​I would

make this instructional choice as it is hard for students to understand such

a concept without being able to visualize it. Thus, this website not only

shows the arrangement of particles in the various states of matter, but

also allows students to manipulative the temperature to see if the state

changes.)

2. Read ​Solids​ (States of Matter) by Jim Mezzannotte.

Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher

guidance?

Session 1

1. Students will each be given the ​Matter Sort​ handout. ​Tell students that

they have been tasked with classifying objects based on their state of

matter in order to write a textbook page about the characteristics of solids,

liquids, and gases. Acting as scientists, they must provide evidence for

their reasonings. Provide students with multiple objects and methods

through which they may test and record their own data. (​This instructional

decision was made for a variety of reasons. One, it connects to

Sullenger’s statements about conducting lesson while allowing students

to have the mindset of a scientist. Next, it connects to the nature of

science principle that dictates that science demands evidence. Lastly, it

allows for imagination in that students may test the objects to determine

their state using whatever method they believe would be accurate and

feasible.
2. Students will need to ​cut out each of the 3 states as well as the objects.

Students will no longer be sorting pictures on paper. The teacher will

provide actual objects that students can manipulate and observe.

​ ach group of about 3-4 students ​a piece of large

3. Give​ each studen​t e

construction paper. ​(G

​ roups instead of individuals in order to promote the

nature of science ideal of science is social.)

4. At the top, they will write the title ​States of Matter and underline it​.

5. Under the title, the students will lay outthe 3 types of Matter in 3 columns:

Solid (suitcase) first, next to it Liquid (fish bowl) and then Gas (hot air

balloon). ​The students may also choose to show their classifying of the

objects in a different way. (​This allows for imagination)

6. Students will now be asked to ​take​ ​draw ​the objects they ​cut out​ ​ have

observed ​and begin sorting them under the 3 states.

7. Students would also need to record the various attributes they believe to

be true about the different states of matter.

8. The teacher should circulate and ask these sample questions:

- How do you know the object is a solid, liquid or gas?

- What properties does this object have?

- Is this capable of being all 3 states?

- This is the teacher’s way of formatively assessing throughout the

lesson. One could keep a clipboard to record student data as well.

9. Have students take a gallery walk to see the different observations,

classifications, and statements made by their classmates. Afterwards,

 facilitate a short discussion as to what students agreed or disagreed with

or what they would like to ask a question about.

Activity #2 -

1. Students will be given the opportunity to develop a research question

based on the previous discussion. If students’ questions remain

unanswered, inform them that they will be able to find out for sure through

design and implementation of their own research questions. (​This again

always for imaginative thinking as well as empowering students to ask

questions in a comfortable space.)

1. This research may be carried out the next day,

resulting in students creating a short presentation

documenting their findings.

Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the

lesson?

Session 1

1. Once students have completed their ​Matter Sorting​, have them share with the

class and articulate why they placed their objects where they did.

2. Rubric​ for journal.​ ​Both of these seem to be quite superficial; instead, simply post

students’ work around the room after the Gallery Walk. Also have them write their

“textbook page” in their science journal. (​By writing a “textbook page” students

are making a connection to real-life as well as facilitating a cross-curricular

connection!)
Summative Assessment

● The teacher will use a rubric (attached) to assess students' knowledge in the Matter Sort

Tree Map and Science Journal.​ ​I do not believe a summative assessment is yet

necessary, students can be summatively assessed after completing activity #2 and the

second session of this lesson.

Formative Assessment

● The teacher will use a matter sorting hands-on activity. Students will record data in their

Science Notebook after performing a solid, liquid and gas investigation. ​Also, the post-it

note discussion in the beginning and the Gallery walk towards the end can serve as

formative assessments.

Feedback to Students

● As students are completing their​ Matter Sort​, the teacher will circulate and ask:

○ Does this object bend easily?

○ Does the object hold its shape?

○ Can you easily see the object?

○ What other questions do you have?

○ What else would you like to find out?

○ What would happen if you _____?

 References

Bell, R. L. (2014). Teaching the Nature of Science Three Critical Questions. ​Best Practices in

ooooo​Science Education.​

Bagley, M. (2019, August 21). Matter: Definition & the Five States of Matter. Retrieved from

ooooo​https://www.livescience.com/46506-states-of-matter.html.

States of Matter. (n.d.). Retrieved from

ooooo​https://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceLesson/Preview/46667.

Structure and Properties of Matter. (n.d.). Retrieved from

ooooo​https://www.nextgenscience.org/topic-arrangement/2structure-and-properties-matter​.

​ 2–26​.
Sullenger, K. (1999). How do you know science is going on. ​Science and Children, 2

Weinburgh, M. (2003). A Leg (or Three) to Stand On. ​Science and Children​, 28–30.