Abstract:

These lessons are designed to help young learners (age 4-7) understand core concepts in physical and life science. They will do hands on activities to promote discovery, problem solving, and a love for science. First a teacher with professional scientific background will introduce the concept of matter. Students will learn the major states of matter and discover how matter is transformed from one state to anther. Subsequent lessons will be focused on each of the three major states (gas, liquid, solid). Students will learn the properties of air, about water surface tension, and play with water in its solid state of ice.  There will be demos carried out by the instructor, individual activities, and group activities that foster teamwork and collaboration. 

Standards Achieved:

According to NGSS "In the earlier grades, students begin by recognizing patters and formulating answers to questions about the world around them." - DCI Arrangements of the Next Generation Science Standards

The following lessons seek to facilitate young minds in observing the world around them to generate questions about why certain patterns are observed. Students also perform examinations to reveal/deduce the answers. In these lessons, they will learn about "Matter and its interactions", "Properties of Air", "Properties of Water", and "Forces: Magnetism". Standards of students carrying out observation, inquiry, problem solving, collaboration, data collection, data interpretation, and communicating information are all achieved.

Lesson One: Introduction to States of Matter

Duration: 1 hour

Overview: Students will learn the three major states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and be able to identify which group various items belong to. Students will complete a hands on molecule craft and create a "plastic" star to take home.
Vocabulary: Matter, solid, liquid, gas, transform
Objectives: Students understand that matter can transform from one state to another and be able and say the three major states of matter
Materials: States of matter worksheet, breakfast cereal, glue, milk, vinegar, paper towels, strainer, large poster paper, tape, pictures of everyday items
Resources: Song " Matter Chatter", Video excerpt from "Magic School Bus, Wet All Over" 
The Lesson: 
  1. Open the lesson by playing the song "Matter Chatter"
  2. Point out various objects and ask students if they are solid, liquid, or gas
  3. Talk about molecules briefly and explain that they have different spacing depending on the state of matter
  4. Ask the students to stand up and act like molecules. Shout out "gas" and the students spread out and move around quickly. Shout out "solid" and students huddle together and are still. 
  5. Give them the states of matter worksheet and have them glue the cereal "molecules" on each state with proper spacing. 
  6. Have small groups sort pictures of everyday things into the proper states of matter columns. Let each group show their poster to the class and explain some of the objects in each category.
  7. Show the "Magic School Bus" video that illustrates water changing its state of matter.
  8. Talk about how matter can be transformed from one state to another. Ask students to give examples of times the see matter change (most likely they will give temperature controlled transformations). Explain how matter can also change forms due to chemical reactions.
  9. Perform the milk and vinegar into plastic transformation. Allow students to try on their own and make a plastic star to take home.
Homework: Write down five examples of each state of matter that can be found in your home.
Citations: 
Harry Kindergarten Music, Matter Chatter (song for kids about solids, liquids, and gases), Published on Jun 12, 2014   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33WdI64FiY
TangstarScience "The Magic School Bus-Clouds and Drizzle". Published on Feb 28, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt6XczAsZvM
ORIGINALLY FROM: The Magic School Bus (TV Series), Season 2, Episode 6, "Wet All Over". Written by: Jocelyn Stevenson, George Arthur Bloom & Kristin Laskas Martin. Directed by: Charles E. Bastien. Released: October 14, 1995.