Date of teaching: November 25th, 2014

Students level (of language proficiency): Intermediate

Grade Level: 3rd
Lesson topic: Properties of Matter
Teachers: Sara Fredrick, Lauren Carlini, Nick Manvel, and Chris Brown
A brief overview of the lesson
In a few sentences describe the lesson by answering the following questions.
In this lesson we will be reviewing properties of matter. Earlier in the week we learned about

solids, liquids, and gases, so today we are going to review each of these and go over the
formation of molecules for each different property.
We will begin by stating our language and content objectives along with an overview of solids,
liquids, and gases. Our next activity will be a partner discussion about each property of matter.
Our final activity will involve breaking the class into 6 different groups and giving students the
opportunity to use fruit loops as molecules to explore differences between solids, liquids and
gases.
The purpose of this lesson is to provide ELLs with the knowledge of solids, liquids and gases and
formation of molecules for each.

Language Learning Objectives

After this lesson,
Students will be able to identify and state

characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases.

Students will be able to justify and explain to peers
the molecular properties of a solid, liquid, and gas.

Content Objectives
Students will be able to identify solids, liquids, and

gasses based on their properties.

Students will be able to distinguish the difference
between solids, liquids, and gases.

Previous Learning
Students will have previously learned properties of

solids, liquids and gases and what a molecule is.

Introduction
Rationales:
The introduction is designed to help students understand that they will be learning a science

lesson reviewing properties of matter and exploring molecule formation for a solid, liquid and
gas.
Language and content objectives will be stated so that students have a visual of what they will be
learning and doing.

Participation structure:
Whole class
Procedures:
Teacher will begin lesson by stating this is a review of solids, liquids and

gases. We have been discussing properties of each state of matter over the
past few days
Teacher will then explain that the lesson today is about molecule formation for
each state of matter.
Using the PowerPoint, the teacher will state what the language and content

Materials / resources
needed
-PowerPoint
-Projector screen
-Projector

objectives of the lesson are.

Finally, teacher will explain that throughout the lesson students will be
partnered off and divided into groups to complete activities.
Time Estimate: 5-7 minutes

How will you evaluate the success of the activity? How will you know if students have achieved the
objectives of this activity?

Activity 1
Rationales:
This activity will be for students to review properties of a solid, liquid and gas with a partner. It

will allow students to think back to what they have already learned about properties of matter
and apply it to the new information they will learn today.
We chose to begin the activity with a partner review, because it gives students the opportunity to
use their language skills while simultaneously talking about content of the science lesson.

Participation structure: Pair Work

Procedure:
Teacher will ask students to recall information about solids, liquids, and gasses

they have learned early this week. Class will record these answers on the
bored in the shape of 3 concept maps titled Solids, Liquids, and Gasses.
Teacher will instruct students to take out a piece of paper and writing utensil
and find a partner
Teacher will then tell students to divide paper into three columns, and label
each column with either solid, liquid or gas
Teacher will explain that students need to come up with properties of each
state of matter and give examples of each
Students will take a few minutes to discuss ideas with partner and write them
down
Teacher will ask for students answers and proceed to write down students
answers on board under each property of matter heading
After discussing students ideas about each property of matter, the teacher
will use PowerPoint slide to go over each individual property of matter and
how molecules form for solids, liquids and gases.
Teacher will have students come up to the classroom to demonstrate tightly
packed, fixed/unfixed, and vibrating, molecules to give students a visual
to vocabulary words they might not understand.

Materials / resources
needed

-Sheet of Paper
-Writing Utensil
-PowerPoint

Time Estimate: 5-7 minutes

(In 3rd Grade classroom, time estimate: 15-20 minutes)

Activity 2
Rationales:
This activity is designed for students to visually construct a model of a solid, liquid or gas and

represent how molecules form for each. The point of this activity is for students to work with a
group and come up with their own interpretation of how molecules move within each state of
matter. This allows students to use their language skills to talk with group members and gives
them the opportunity to learn interactively.

Earlier in the week, students would have learned about properties of matter and molecules. With
this lesson, they can explore what they have already learned and connect it by doing it
themselves.

Participation structure: Group Work

Procedure:
Step 1:
o Teacher will explain that students will be breaking into small
o
o

o
o
o
o

Step 2:

groups.
Teacher will explain that in these small groups students will be
given a bag of Froot-loops and a worksheet. On this worksheet
will be a chart titled solid, liquid, or gas.
Teacher will explain that your Froot-loops represent molecules
and depending on the state of matter your group was assigned
you will arrange the Froot-loops to model the molecules
formation in that particular state.
Here teacher will give examples, for example if you
have solids you will arrange your Froot-loops to reflect
the formation of the molecules in a solid.
Teacher will then explain that once students are done
arranging and gluing the molecules in their correct formation
they will use the lines provided underneath the chart to
describe key characteristics of these formations.
Such as tightly packed, fixed/unfixed, vibrating,
shape, etc.
Teacher will have students number off by 6 and assign each
group a place to sit.
Teacher will hand out on bag of color-coded Froot-loops, glue,
and a worksheet to each group.
Teacher then allows 5-7 minutes for students to complete task.
While students are working teachers will walk around and
question groups to gain an understanding on if or if not they are
grasping the important content.
Teacher will call classs attention and explain that now we are
going to break of into two groups. Each group will consist of
one group of solids, one group of liquids, and one group of
gasses.
Teacher will explain that in these groups you will teach the rest
of your group about your state of matter.
Teacher says, For example, if my group had solids
and it was my turn to teach the group about the
formation of molecules in a solid I would say. This is
the formation of molecules in a solid, as you can see
they are touching so they are tightly packed, they
have a fixed shape because the molecules do not
move, etc
Teacher will say if you have blue, green, and yellow Frootloops you are group one and you will sit here. If you have
purple, orange, and red Froot-loops you will sit here. Teacher
explains you will have about 5 minutes to do this.

Step 3:

Teacher explains that now we are going to review as a whole

class. On the bored will be a blown up version of the students
worksheet along with paper cut outs in three colors that
correspond to a solid group, liquid group, and gas group.
Teacher will say if you are group with red Froot-loops I want
you to come to the front of the room and use these red
molecules to demonstrate and teach the class about the
formation of molecules in a solid. Then if you have yellow

Froot-loops you will teach liquids, and Orange, you will teach
the class about gases.
o Allow 5 minutes for this activity.
Time Estimate: 10 minutes
(In 3rd Grade classroom, time estimate: 20-25 minutes)

How will you evaluate the success of the activity? How will you know if students have achieved the
objectives of this activity?

We will evaluate the success of this activity based on students answers and how well they complete the
task. Students should be able to explain to us (and show us via fruit loops) that in a solid, molecules are
tightly packed, close together and moving slowly; in a liquid, molecules are further apart and moving
more quickly; finally, in a gas, molecules are far apart, not touching and moving very quickly.
Homework & Extensions
Have students find examples of solids, liquids, and gasses outside of the classroom.
Encourage students to write down these examples or take pictures and bring them to class the next
day or share them with their parents.