When it comes to Homeschooling it is necessary to admit your strengths and weaknesses. I am not strong in math, and while science is interesting, I am not that great when it comes to that either. However, I am creative and I love to learn- two traits that helps significantly when it comes to creating lessons and activities to do with my daughter. It also helps to have resources like Sid the Science Kid, a PBS show focusing on science exploration and research. The lesson/activity that follows was inspired by the Frozen Fruit investigation episode. This is a four day exploratory activity.
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What We will Learn: What are the reversible changes of melting and freezing? How do different liquids change when they are frozen and melted?
Materials Needed Day 1:
- 1 ice cube tray
- pitcher or cups of water
- Exploration Notebook (we use a wire bound cork sketch book)
- vocabulary sheet
- crayons and pencils
Materials Day 2:
- Everything from above
- a bowl
- 4-6 different liquids (we used milk, juice, olive oil, olive oil and water, bubbles)
- Hot water
Day One
- Explore the concept of “LIQUID” and examine the water in the containers or cups.
- “ “When something is in liquid form, it takes on the shape of its container. Water is a liquid.”
- Allow child to draw ice trays, water in container, etc. in Exploration notebook.
- Help child pour water into the ice tray. You do not have to fill them. If you want, add fruit to each as done by Sid’s teacher.
- Allow child to draw what he/she observes.
- Put ice tray in the freezer and ask child what he/she predicts will happen.
Day Two
- Pull the ice tray out of the freezer and allow child to touch it being sure to ask what he/she observes.
- Ask child to compare what you have now to what you had yesterday..
- Allow him/her to draw observations in Notebook.
- Pop ice out of tray and place in bowl. Ask child what he/she sees and have him her record observation.
- Ask child to help you define frozen.
- congealed by cold; turned into ice
- Ask child what he/she predicts will happen if we pour hot water on ice cubes?
- After he/she answers help pour the hot water. Encourage child to state observations and to draw them in notebook.
- Let child touch (be sure it is cool) in the different stages. Ask child to compare what you started with today to what you have now.
- Ask child to help you define melting:
- to change from a solid to a liquid state, generally by heat
For Day Three and Four: repeat day one and two using the other liquids. Compare and Contrast the results and be sure to record in Notebook.
