Lesson 4: Mixing and Separating Solids

2nd Grade Matter Unit Blueprint—Lesson 4: Mixing and Separating Solids

Pacing Suggestions:

Complete Procedures Steps 1-9 on pages 58-60 in one day. Walk students step-by-step through experiment.

Teacher Resources:

Tips

Essential & Unit Questions ¹

Benchmarks ²

Formative and Summative Assessments ³

Using Assessments to Monitor Student Learning

How can solids and liquids change?

Lesson 4 serves as precursor to Lesson 5 and 11C (K-2) #1: Things change in some ways and stay the same in some ways.

Pre and post-lab discussion What We Know about Mixing class chart (See Procedure Step 1 on page 58 in Teacher’s Guide and Final Activities Steps 2-4 on page 61 in Teacher’s Guide.)

Criteria to consider during class discussion:

Do students articulate some understanding of how things can change when mixed? (ex: texture, consistency)
Do studetns know that some things don’t change when mixed?

What are some ways to describe objects?

4D(K-2)#1: Objects can be described in terms of the materials they are made of (clay, cloth, paper, etc.) and their physical properties (color, size, shape, weight, texture, flexibility, etc.).

Students’ observations (recorded on My Observation Sheet) and class discussion of activity

(See Procedure Steps 2-9 on pages 58-60 and Final Activities Steps 1-4 on page 61 in Teacher’s Guide.)

Click to view a sample. (Acrobat PDF)

Criteria to consider when reviewing student work and during class discussion of lab:

Are students able to accurately describe the salt and gravel using their senses (sight, touch, and smell)?
Do students understand that the gravel and salt did not change when mixed?
Do students understand that the gravel and salt did not change when separated?

Why is it important to keep accurate records or notes about things that are observed?

1B(K-2)#3: Describing things as accurately as possible is important in science because it enables people to compare their observations with those of others.

12D(K-2)#2: Draw pictures that correctly portray at least some features of the thing being described.

For conceptual benchmarks.
Bolded Sections indicate portion of benchmark addressed.
Unless noted as a Summative Assessment, the assessments are formative and should be used to guide teaching and learning.