PPES Second Grade Unit

PIMSER

P-12 Math and Science Outreach

University of Kentucky

February 2013

Matter and Its Interactions

Activity 1 / Big Idea: Matter can be described and classified by its observable properties.
Materials
  • Junk box
  • Tray
  • Cups
  • Placemats for sorting
  • Index cards
  • Glossary page

/ Learning Target / I can determine and use rules for sorting objects by properties.
/ Focus Question / What are some rules for sorting objects?
/ Word Bank / Property(ies)
/ Teacher
Notes / Misconception alert: When telling properties of an object students may give a material instead of a property. They will need help to distinguish between the use of an object, the material it is made of, and properties of that object and how to sort by those things. Property is defined as a quality of an object which can be measured or observed.

/ Activities /
  • Have students work in pairs.
  • Each pair should get a scoop of items from the “junk” box and put on a tray.
  • Ask students to sort the objects on their tray. Move around the room and ask students about how they are sorting, why they are putting particular objects in each group.
  • Take another from the junk box and ask them which of their groups it would belong in and why.
  • Ask students to sort their objects into only two groups. Again, circulate and ask questions about how and why they are grouping as they are and where a new object would fit.
  • Have students write their rule for sorting on an index card.
  • Then, trade cards with another group and resort their objects using the rule.
  • Collect the rules from each group and share with the class. How might they categorize the rules?
  • Model an example – color, things I can see; smooth, things I can touch, etc.
  • Ask, “How might we use these categories to help us write a definition for the word ‘property’?”
  • Have students individually craft a definition for the word “property” on a blank glossary page.
  • Meaning Making-complete What we did/What we learned chart with students. Be sure to keep the chart for review tomorrow and to refer back to later.
  • Note booking-Students shouldlist possible rules for sorting.
  • Assessment-While observing students, determine if individual students can develop rules for sorting and if they can sort new objects using the rule. Also, check their personal definition for “property.”Use checklist to mark whether students were able to develop rules for sorting and use “property” correctly.

/ Literature Connection
/ Meaning Making / Meaning making is a very important part of the lesson as it helps the students to make connections between the activities and their understanding. You should reserve time at the end of the lesson for meaning making. One idea is to set a timer so that you are sure to have ten minutes or so of good non-rushed time at the end of the lesson for this task. Show students a T-chart with “What We Did” on one side and “What We Learned” on the other. They begin by telling the things they did during the lesson as you list them. Then they tell what they learned during the lesson while you list that on the other side. Below is an example, but you will want to write what students say!
Did / Learned
  • Sorted objects into groups
  • Developed rules for sorting
/
  • A property tells about an object
  • Objects have different properties
  • Objects can be sorted based on the properties of the object.

/ Notebook Connection / The notebook is something your students will be building throughout the year. You should save each page in a notebook for each student.
/ Technology Connection
/
  • Rather than making a paper chart, a SmartBoard can be used to make the chart. Then it can be saved and referred back to. Also, words can be moved around on it with ease.
  • The website has several sorting games (Zoe’s Pet Shelter, Oscar’s Trash Collection, Elmo’s Playful Pets, The Laundry Game, and Bert’s Bottle Caps) that students can use on the smart board to sort objects in various ways

/ Assessment / While observing students
  • Determine if individual students can develop rules for sorting and if they can sort new objects using the rule.
  • Check their personal definition for “property.”
  • Use checklist to mark whether students were able to develop rules for sorting and use “property” correctly.

/ / Matter can be described and classified by its observable properties.
Activity 2 / BIG IDEA: The same object can be made of different materials.
Materials
  • Collection of objects made from different materials; 1 set/group (spoons – teacher uses to model, cups, buttons, balls)
  • Junk Box
  • Cups
  • Placemats for sorting
  • Tray

/ Learning Target / I can distinguish an object from the materials that makes it.
/ Focus Question / What is the difference between object and material?
/ Word Bank / Object, Material
/ Teacher
Notes / Remember that a major misconception students have that causes them problems later as they try to better understand the structure of matter is that materials and properties are the same thing. It is important that they have many experiences distinguishing the two.

/ Activity /
  • Provide each group of 4 students with a set of objects made from different materials.
  • Ask students to describe the objects and their function(s).
  • Next, ask students to list the materials each object is made of, the properties of the materials, and explain why each material is a good choice for the object.
  • Discuss when the properties of one material would be an advantage compared to the properties of another material.
  • Have students get a scoop of items from the “junk” box and put on a tray.
  • Ask each group to sort the objects from the junk box by the materials that compose them.
  • Discuss how the properties of the material affect its use for the object. Would the use of the object be different if it were made of a different material? Have students explore this question by examining different object from their junk box pile.
  • Have students make a claim about objects and the materials that compose them and support their claim with evidence from the observation of their object we well as observations from other groups.
  • Have students compare object and material using the following frame:
  • Object and material are similar because they both _____. In addition, they _____.
  • They are different because the ______, but the ______. Also, the ______, whereas ______.
  • Have each student complete a personal glossary page for object and for material
  • Meaning Making- complete What we did/What we learned chart with students. Be sure to keep the chart for review tomorrow and to refer back to later.
  • Note Booking- Have each student write their comparison paragraph in their notebook.
  • Assessment- Exit Slip
  • Agree/Disagree: An object can be made of different materials and be used for the same purpose. The properties of the material determine its use.
  • Explain your choice
  • Start your lesson the next day by having students review their comparison paragraph as well as sharing excerpts from the Exit Slips.

/ Literature Connection
/ Technology Connection
What is it made of? Game-Students place objects into groups based on materials.

Assessment /
  • Assessment- Exit Slip
  • Agree/Disagree: An object can be made of different materials and be used for the same purpose. The properties of the material determine its use.
  • Explain your choice

/ / The same object can be made of different materials.
Activity 3 / BIG IDEA: Materials can be natural or manufactured.
Materials
  • Internet connection
  • Pencils - unsharpened
  • Index card with N on one side and M on the other
  • Assorted materials that are natural or manufactured but not found in junk box (apple, salt crystals, sand, water, toy car, crayon, candle, cotton cloth, plastic toy)
  • Transformed: How Everyday Things Are Made
  • How is a Pencil Made?

/ Learning Target / I can tell the difference between natural and manufactured materials.
/ Focus Question / What is the difference between a natural and a manufactured material?
/ Word Bank / Natural, Manufactured
/ Teacher
Notes
/ Activity /
  • Show students a log and a pencil. Ask them what the objects have in common. Tell then that making pencils begins with a piece of wood.
  • Ask, “How do you think a piece of wood becomes a pencil?” Have them turn and talk with a partner.
  • Provide pairs of students with an unsharpened pencil and ask, “What other things are parts of a pencil besides wood?” (metal, rubber eraser, paint, ‘lead’).
  • Tell the students that there are two types of objects or materials, those that are natural (like the log) and those that are manufactured (like the pencil). Explain that natural refers to not only living things like trees and animals, but also materials found in the Earth, such as rocks, metals, and chemicals. Manufactured refers to things that have been made by people to solve a problem or make life better.
  • Watch the video about how pencils are made. Have students identify the natural materials used to make a pencil (as best they can; don’t get too picky with this).
  • Chart the natural materials and determine how they decided it was natural.
  • Have students look around the room and name things that people manufactured (designed). (They will realize that this includes almost everything in the room.)
  • Challenge them to find something in the room that was not designed or manufactured, such as a classroom pet, plant, apple, or rock.
  • Have students sort objects from the “junk” box into natural or manufactured and provide a rile for their sort.
  • Next, show objects and materials in randomorder and ask students to hold up the N side of their index card if the object or material is natural and the M side if it is manufactured. (apple, salt crystals, sand, water, toy car, crayon, candle, cotton cloth, plastic toy)
  • Finally, have students select a manufactured object and research the raw materials from which it’s made.
  • Use the book, Transformed: How Everyday Things Are Made or the web resource:
  • Have students form a claim about manufactured objects or materials and support their claim with evidence from their observations and their research. (e.g., Claim: All manufactured objects are made from natural materials. Evidence: from their observations, classmate’s observations, and print and web research.)
  • Wrap-up by having students complete a personal glossary page for natural and manufactured.
  • Meaning Making- complete What we did/What we learned chart with students. Be sure to keep the chart for review tomorrow and to refer back to later.
  • Note Booking-
Assessment-
/ Literature Connection
How is a Pencil Made?
Transformed: How Everyday Things Are Made?
Natural and Human-made
/ Technology Connection

/ Assessment /
  • Claim about manufactured objects or materials and support with evidence from their observations and their research. (e.g., Claim: All manufactured objects are made from natural materials. Evidence: from their observations, classmate’s observations, and print and web research.)

/ / There is a difference between objects, materials, and properties.

Engineering is Elementary

A Sticky Situation: Designing Walls

This is where you should include the engineering component.

Activity 4 / BIG IDEA: Length is a property that can be measured and compared.
Materials
  • How Tall, How Short, How Faraway
  • How Do You Measure Length and Distance?
  • Set of objects (5-10) between 1 and 100 cm long
  • Linking cubes

/ Learning Target / I can measure the length of objects.
I can compare objects by length.
/ Focus Question / How is the length of an object measured and compared?
/ Word Bank / length, measure
/ Teacher
Notes / At this point, length is how long something is, not a particular direction on the box. Width and height are too much for students to understand. Rather than use these terms, talk about which part of the box to measure in terms of from “here to here” or “top to bottom” or “side to side.”
Key points about measuring:
  • Use units of measure appropriate to the thing being measured.
  • Units measured with should be identical.
  • Units of measurement like inches and centimeters come about as a result of discussions and agreements among people about measurement problems. Students need to participate in discussions and agreements about measurement to understand how these conventions are established.
  • Measurement means repeated applications of identical units.
(Reference: Ready, Set, Science! P. 12)
While it may be tempting to directly teach students step by step how to measure, the idea is to let them discover the measurement techniques that work through trial and discussion. They also will learn this way that measurements are collaborated ideas rather than absolutes.
  • You may want to pre-measure the items before giving to students—all things in their bags will be the same except for the string. This will allow you to guide the conversation towards the question of how do we communicate our results if they are not the exact same.

/ Activity /
  • Introduce the book How Tall, How Short, How Faraway, and then read through page 7 about how the hands, fingers, and arms were used as measuring tools in ancient Egypt. Have students try measuring their height using ancient Egyptian nonstandard units (cubits, spans, palms, and digits) as explained on pages 6–8. Next, tell students to have their height measured by a partner using cubits, spans, palms, and digits and compare those measurements to their own. Ask, “Is this an accurate way to measure? Why or why not?”
  • Show students the set of objects. Have them order them by length. Ask students to think about how they would tell someone how long a given object was. Have them share their thinking with a partner, then call on several students to share their thinking.
  • Discuss how difficult it is to describe the length of the object and talk about how it would be even harder if you didn’t have anything to compare the object to. Ask students if they can think of an easier way to tell how long something is. If they don’t suggest it, introduce the term measure. Tell them that measuring will let them tell how long something is using a number and a unit.
  • Provide each group with linking cubes and one of the objects from the set. Have them use the blocks to measure all objects and write the number of blocks used on a post-it note along with the unit they used (linking cubes). Attach post-it note to each object and line them up again according to the numbers. If there is some disagreement, measure the objects and talk about why the numbers may not be right. Emphasize how the blocks have to begin at the beginning of the object and stop at the end. Talk about what students did when they only needed part of a block.
  • Students should record this data in their notebooks.
  • Have students describe the length of different items using numbers and units. Discuss why this is easier and helps other people to understand their measurements better. Describe the length of another hidden object in numbers (This object is 5 blocks long.) Have students draw a line on their paper that estimates the length of the object. Bring out the object and have students check their estimates. Talk about why they were able to get close estimates.
  • Read How Do You Measure Length and Distance?
  • Develop a list of rules for measuring length. Students should work with a partner and the share their rules with the whole class to begin to develop “Class Rules for Measuring Length”.
  • Meaning Making- complete What we did/What we learned chart with students. Be sure to keep the chart for review tomorrow and to refer back to later.
  • Note Booking- In their science notebooks, have each student describe and illustrate how to measure something using linking cubes.
  • Assessment
  • Show 3 random objects to students and ask them to predict as a whole class the number of cubes long they are. Ask for predictions and select students to come up and check the class predictions.
  • Have each student select 3 random objects from the room. They should predict how long each is, then check. For management issues, have them choose 2 items that are at their seat and 1 item that is somewhere in the room.
  • They students should record all data in their notebook.