Solids & Liquids
Investigation 2
Part 1
Liquids in Bottles
Students investigate different liquids to develop their concept of a liquid. They work at a center to tip, swirl, shake, roll, and otherwise investigate seven liquids in small, clear plastic bottles: plain water, corn syrup, liquid detergent, liquid hand soap, oil, fabric softener, and colored water. (from the FOSS teacher guide, 2002 edition)
Students will discover properties of liquids through guided questioning during investigation of seven liquids.
3. Lesson set up and Management
- PC01 1.1.1 Use properties to sort natural and manufactured materials and objects, for example, size, weight, shape, color, texture, and hardness.
- PC02 1.1.4 Observe and examine physical properties of earth materials such as rocks and soil, water (as liquid, solid, and vapor) and the gases of the atmosphere.
- IP01 2.1.1 Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events in the environment.
- IP02 2.1.2 Plan and conduct simple investigations using appropriate tools, measures, and safety rules.
- IP03 2.1.3 Use data to construct reasonable explanation.
- IP05 2.1.5 Record and report observations, explanations, and conclusions using oral and written expression.
- Liquids are one state of matter.
- Different liquids have many different properties.
- Liquids pour and flow.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
- Have the Anecdotal Notes assessment page for this investigation ready.
- A good idea is to copy the Center Instruction Sheet and laminate it. This way you can keep it to use for next year and you can hand the clear directions to a parent or assistant to follow.
- The bottles come in baggies, ready to use.
- Since this investigation is done with groups of 10 students at a time, you need to decide what the other part of your class will be doing. Some suggestions are: (1) making liquid collages using magazine pictures, (2) conducting float or sink activities (see handout #20, Floating and Sinking), (3) working on an "I SPY SOLIDS & LIQUIDS" MUSEUM (I do this as a culminating project for the kit; see the final "Addendum to the Written Curriculum" in this toolkit), or (4) completing the Matter Hunt! on page 3 in the Science Stories section of the teacher's guide. You can also show a video listed under the Resources Section. What ever you choose, have materials ready to go.
- Choose a spot in your classroom conducive to this investigation. Some floor space should be available. Have a board to use as a ramp for rolling the bottles.
Student Management:
Pair students thoughtfully J and explain the "No Bottles Opened" rule.
To start this activity, gather students on the rug with you. Have a set of bottles to show the class. Introduce the inquiry they will be involved with to discover all they can about the properties of liquids. Emphasize this is not an investigation to find out what liquids are in the bottles. Use guided questioning to lead the group in the observations. See page 13 in Investigation 2.
HELPFUL TIPS: Have the alternate activity hands-on and engaging or you will have off-task kids waiting to go to the bottle station. Have a group clean-up. Check before you switch groups to teach proper handling of the science materials.
WRAP-UP/CLOSING
- Gather the class back to the rug for a group discussion about their discoveries.
- Start a Word Bank for Investigation 2.
- Fill in the "What We Learned" Chart for this investigation; update the "Questions I Have" Chart.
ASSESSMENT: Anecdotal Notes as something comes up.
Writing Support:
In student journals, I will have the kids write a few sentences about what they discovered about the liquids. Hopefully, they will write something about some liquids moving fast and others moving slowly. It is another way to develop a familiarity with the inquiry process and recording it.
Sometimes before they go to the bottles station, I have the kids write a question they have and want to investigate. For example: "If a liquid is colored, will it move faster than a non-colored liquid?" After they have been to the bottle station, I have them answer their question. This usually takes teacher prompting to get a question but it adds to giving the students a clear purpose for investigating.
Reading Support:
- The Wise Woman And Her Secret By Eve Merriam