Density Lesson Plan

Grade Level Grade 4 Subject (s) Science Date to be Taught 4/5/13 SECTION ONE: Identifying all objectives 1. WHAT STUDENTS WILL KNOW Students will know what density is and how it affects how liquids can layer based on differences in density. Students will also know that objects sink or float depending on their density and the density of the liquid they are placed in. 2. PERFORMANCE TASK Students will be experimenting with the densities of different liquids Objectives and objects. They will be pouring corn syrup, dishwashing liquid, water, and oil into the same cup to see how the liquids form layers. Then they will add a paper clip, Styrofoam, and a rubber band into the liquids and watching until each one stops sinking. 3. BIG IDEA Students will experiment with and demonstrate an understanding of the different densities of matter and how it determines whether an object sinks or floats. SECTION TWO: Identifying method(s) of assessment and point of use throughout lesson I will ask the students what they think has more mass, a piece of wood Pre-Assessment or a piece of steel. What about a folder and a book? What about honey or water? I will circulate around the room as the groups are pouring their liquids into the clear cup. Formative Assessment I will be listening to their reactions and conversations with their group mates. Summative Students will list the objects in the cup from the most dense to the least Assessment dense. SECTION THREE: Identifying the learning activities/instructional strategies and details as to how the lesson will be carried out I will tell the class that we will be doing another science experiment with the properties of matter today. Today's experiment has to do with Introduction how much mass an object has. I will ask them what they think has more (Hook) mass, a piece of wood or piece of steel, a folder or a book, and honey or water. 1. We will read the few pages in the book about density. 2. I will then say that we are going to test this idea about density. I will call up one group at a time to come carry all their supplies to their Sequence of tables. Instruction (Step 3. I will give each student in each group a number one through four. We 1, Step 2) will start with the ones pouring the corn syrup in the empty cup. Twos will pour the dishwashing liquid, threes will pour the water, and fours will pour the oil.

4. We will stop and observe that the liquids have formed layers because of their differences in density. We will discuss if the liquids that are able to float have more or less density than the liquids beneath them. 5. I will then tell the ones to carefully try to mix the liquids by swirling them around or swaying the cup. They will set the cup down so all group members can see the liquids settle back into their previously formed layers. 6. Twos will then add the paper clip. Threes will add the Styrofoam and fours will add the rubber band. The group will again observe what the objects are doing and see where the objects stop sinking. We will come back together as a class and write down a list of the objects in order from most dense to least dense. I will explain that even though we only experimented with solids and liquids today, gases Closure/Wrap Up follow the same principles of density. I will tell them to think of a hot air balloon and explain that they work because hot air is less dense than cold air and just like our less dense liquids rising to the top of the cup, hot air rises to the top of the balloon making it fly. Paper Pencil Clear cup (x5) Cup of water (x5) Cup of corn syrup (x5) Materials Cup of dishwashing liquid (x5) Cup of oil (x5) Paper clip (x5) Piece of Styrofoam (x5) Piece of rubber band (x5) One student is a capable student but is very unmotivated in school material. However, she is interested in helping the teacher. She is constantly asking my mentor teacher and myself if we need her to do Differentiated something for us. We normally have to tell her she can help as soon as instruction she is done with her work. So, to get her motivated before the experiment even begins, I will let her help me pour the liquids into the cups before science class starts.