Students recently combined their knowledge of Properties of Matter, a Science Lab and Writing all into one. During our weekly Science Lab, each student was given one ice cube in a small bowl and told to conduct four action verbs to it. Students were predicting which actions caused the ice cubes to melt faster. I.E. Swirling it, breathe on it, lick it, etc. We reviewed the vocabulary words: Melting, Freezing, Solid, Liquid and States of Matter. We discussed how in order to change a Liquid to a Solid heat had to be removed and freezing had to occur. Then we chatted about how the actions could be reversed- going from a Solid to a Liquid. Students concluded that heat would then have to be added and that melting would occur. Once the lab was complete we composed our experience into writing. Below is the Ice Cube Adventure I created and modeled for the students. Students were required in their writing to use the five discussed vocabulary words along with add in the four action verbs they completed in the lab. Students were to underline the above information in their papers.
Ice Cube Adventure
Swimming through the lake one
day, Sam and Fred decided to go on the outskirts of the lake. They were
very tiny water molecules and their parents had warned them to always
stay close by. Without minding their parent’s
caution, they swam out anyway. Sam saw a silver ring at the bottom of
the lake and motioned to Fred to come with him. Fred said, “I don’t know
Sam, it looks kind of dangerous.” Sam went on instead and swam closer and
closer to the ring. All of a sudden, Sam realized
that he was being pulled closer and closer to the ring and he was
unable to stop. Sam cried out for help but then suddenly got sucked into
the silver cylinder. He swirled and swirled through a long grey pipe, went through
several tubes and filters and then saw a light
ahead of him. Sam realized what was about to happen, he was about to go
through a water faucet. He fell out of the faucet and into a small blue
square container. He was concerned about his liquid state when suddenly
it got very dark and extremely cold. He
knew that water changed to a
solid called ice when heat was removed. Changing a liquid to a solid is called
freezing
and he definitely was! He was turning into an ICE CUBE!!! Sam tried to
fight it but grew very tired and then just gave up and went to sleep. He woke up to a sudden
light and instant change
in temperature. He began to feel shaking and then fell into a bowl with
other helpless ice cubes. He felt some fingers pick him up and place
him into a small bowl. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a friendly face. It was Mrs. Welch! He had
seen her several times at the lake conducting
various science experiments and he knew if he told her his story that
she would help him out. Sam began to beg Mrs. Welch, “Please, please
help get back to a liquid water molecule, please! I miss my family and
friend Fred.” Mrs. Welch knew that Sam was quickly
already on his way to changing his
state of matter back to a liquid because he was in a warmer
environment and no longer the freezer. Sam however was freaking out so
Mrs. Welch decided to help him change quicker. She first
swirled him around in the bowl. Next, she began to
bounce
him up and down inside the bowl. Sam quickly asked her to stop because
he was getting a major headache. Mrs. Welch apologized and picked Sam up
and began to
pet him. She could tell he was still very cold so she started to
blow her breath on him to heat him up. Before much more time, Sam finally was melting back to his
liquid
state! He couldn’t believe it! It felt good to be back to the way
things used to be and he made one final request to Mrs. Welch. “Can you
please return me to the lake?”
Mrs. Welch was already headed there that afternoon and decided to drop
him off. That night Sam warned everyone of the shiny lake ring and
reminded them of the importance of following the rules and listening to
their parents.
The students did fantastic on this! See some student samples below!!!
The students did fantastic on this! See some student samples below!!!
