Heat and Water

In this brief lesson students begin to explore the differences between solids, liquids, and gasses as they conduct an experiment to see what happens to ice when it is heated. They will engage in Socratic dialogue and a picture thinking routine to observe water in its various forms. In the experiment, students predict what will happen to a block of ice placed in the sun and what will happen to ice that stays in a colder environment. The goal of this lesson is for students to begin acting like scientists by making predictions and conducting experiments to test their predictions. They will carry this understanding forward as they engage with phenomena hands-on as scientists and engineers in future lessons.

• Whenever students look at the world around them and notice something specific, they are making observations.
• On Earth, water is found as both a solid and a liquid. (It is also found as a gas, which students will explore later on in the Unit.)
• Solid ice will melt when it gets warm enough.

• Where have you seen liquid water? How do you know that the water in these places is liquid?
• How is solid water different from liquid water?
• Where have you seen solid water?
• What do all solids have in common?
• What has to happen to turn liquid water into solid water (ice)?
• Why does snow start to melt in the spring?

Liquid : matter that takes the shape of its container but has no shape of its own

Melt : to turn from a solid to a liquid

Solid : matter that holds its own shape until something changes it by force

This mini-lesson is a hands-on exploration of solid water (ice) and liquid water. Students will first tap into their prior understanding of ice and water in the world as they engage in a discussion to compare and contrast solids and liquids. Students are encouraged to ask curious questions to better understand another student’s connection in a process that helps the student reflect while sparking new ideas and connections for the entire class. Following the discussion, students plan and conduct an experiment using Scientific Process to test their predictions about what will happen to a shape of solid ice when heat is applied.