Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template

CAEP 2018 K-6 Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards

LESSON RATIONALE
This lesson of working with a non-Newtonian substance and understanding the various elements is
important for students to comprehend as there are a mixture of substances that students come into contact
with on an everyday basis. This will also influence their appreciation of how different things work in
relationship with one another to form a different substance that works in a myriad of ways.
(CAEP K-6 1.a)

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s)—Students will understand how to work with different substances of matter.
B. Objective(s)—
 By completing the investigation, students will create a visual representation of a non-
Newtonian substance.
 After partaking in the experiment, student will be able to discover firsthand the characteristics
of Oobleck.
C. Standard(s): 5.PS.3 Determine if matter has been added or lost by comparing mass when
melting, freezing, or dissolving a sample of a substance. (Law of Conservation of Mass)
(CAEP K-6 3.c)
II. Management Plan-
 Time:
o Ant. Set: 10 min
o Lesson Instruction: 20 min
o Science Experiment: 15-20 min
o Closure: 5 min
 Materials: Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Suess, 5 big bowls, 5 measured water
containers with water, 5 measure corn starch containers with corn starch, food color, table cloths,
wipes, plastic bags, closure worksheets, Mythbusters video
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GWhOLorDtw)
 Space:
o Students in their seats for anticipatory set.
o Students in their seats/standing to see for my lesson presentation and instruction.
o Students split into groups at assigned area for their own experiment.
o Students go back to seats for closure
 Management:
o Dojo points for behavior management.
o Students will be able to take a little bit of their slime for a reward if they follow
instructions and work efficiently.
III. Anticipatory Set
 Who can tell me what Oobleck might be? Call on a student or two. Those are good guesses, and
we are going to be finding out the answer to that question, but first we are going to read part of
the book Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Suess. As I am reading this to you, I want you to
be thinking about what the Oobleck is and if you have ever work with a substance like Oobleck.
 Read parts of Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Suess.

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  Now that we have read, who can tell me what Oobleck is? Call on a student or two. Good, who
has ever worked or played with “Oobleck” or something like it? Awesome. Well, today you may
just get even more experience.

IV. Purpose: Today we are going to be learning about a liquid, that at times, acts like solid in certain
forms. This is important to know as we learn of the different ways matter takes on various
structures

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

V. Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners—
 Struggling students may be given one-on-one time assistance.
 I will give oral and written instruction to every group for added support.
 If students don’t feel comfortable working with the slime, I will give them the option of simply
observing, but still having to partake in the worksheet afterwards.
 I will collaborate with other teachers/peers to make the best of this experiment time and providing
students with extra support when needed.
(CAEP K-6 1.b) We are going to be learning about and working with a liquid, that, at times, acts
like a solid due to stress or pressure placed onto the mixture, which is what we call a non-
Newtonian substance. . non-Newtonian substance is anything that changes its state of matter based
on the amount of stress or pressure that is placed on it, for example, when you hit, shake, or bump
the mixture a certain way, it will react differently.

VI. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)

 We are going to be working with a unique substance today just like Bartholomew’s and your job
is to discover whether it is a liquid or solid, or maybe even both. Before we dive in though, who
can tell me what a liquid is? Call on a student to answer. Yeah, so a liquid is a fluid matter that
has a definite size, but no definite shape, like water. Now who would like to tell me what a solid
is? Call on another student to answer. Yeah, a solid is a concrete state of a matter that has a
definite size AND a definite shape, like cornstarch. Which are both substances that we happen to
be working with today.
 So today you are going to be making a hypothesis, does anyone know what that is? Call on a
student to answer. Yes, a hypothesis is your best, educated guess based on what we know to be
true. And today we are going to be making a non-Newtonian substance by creating our own
Oobleck together, also known as slime, and then we will be seeing how the slime acts depending
on how we play with it, and you must hypothesize whether this non-Newtonian substance is a
solid, liquid, or both.
 We are going to be working in small groups to create our own Ooblek and each group will
receive all the materials they need to make their own slime, and instructions to create it. You will
have time to explore the mixture together, and if you follow all the instructions correctly, work
well with your group, clean up your area afterwards, and listen to me as I come around, then you
all might just receive a little bit of the slime you made today to take home. But first I am going to
show you what I want you to do so there is no confusion, so all pay close attention as I
demonstrate in order to make your own slime. Even if you think you know how, I might be
showing you a different way, so you still need to pay attention. If you cannot see from where you
are sitting, you may come up to see, but make sure not to block anyone that is sitting down.
 So, for this experiment, all of the ingredients you receive will be pre-measured for convenience,
but each group will receive one big bowl, and we have this substance here, otherwise known as
corn starch What is corn starch identified as? A solid or liquid? Allow student response. Good,
and I encourage you to each feel the corn starch by itself to feel the texture and movement of the
solid powder before adding our next element, just keep the corn starch in the bowl. Next, we have

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 another substance, also known as water, water is identified as what? Allow student response.
Right, a liquid. So, what do you think would happen if we mixed these two matters together?
Allow student response. All good hypotheses, and you will have the opportunity to explore these
elements mixed, but as you mix the 1 cup of corn starch in the bowl with the 1 cup of water, just
as I did here, I want you to observe how the elements interact with one another and what
substance it develops into. (I will be demonstrating each step for the students to view as I am
explaining each of these instructions to the class). I also have food color that you may add to
make your slime a cool color, so you would want to add the color to the water and then stir in the
water slowly with the spoon given to you until the mixture becomes a little too difficult to stir any
longer. And that is your slime.
 As you make your own slime and explore the different ways it can react to your touch, talk to your
group on whether this substance acts like a solid or liquid, or when it acts like both, and write
down any observations you have. I want each person in each group to have a turn playing with
the slime, but you will only have 15-20 minutes altogether so make sure you are taking turns and
working together
 Then I will split the class into their groups and provide each group with pre-measure ingredients
and instructions. Now is the time to make your own Oobleck! You will be working with your
reading center groups, so the first group will come up to the front kidney table, the second group
can go to the back kidney table, the third group can go to the desks over on the right, and the
fourth group can go the desks on the left.
 Allow students may go to groups, make their slime and explore the substance. I will be walking
around the room, making sure each group is on task and working together, as well as asking
inquiry questions to make sure they are still learning. What happens if you hit the slime quickly?
And what happens when you let it sit in your hand for a few seconds? How about if you let it sit
on the table for a few seconds and then try to pick it up? How does it feel? How does it move? Try
stirring the slime quickly then try slowly and take note of the difference. Continue exploring
different ways the slime moves and takes on different states of matter.
 After 15 minutes I will focus their attention back on me with a song. I want you guys to gather
your materials and each clean up your area and bring everything up to the front kidney table.
Then you can wash your hands and use a wet rag to wipe off your table, then go back to your
seats.
 So, has anyone noticed the reason of why we refer to our slime as a non-Newtonian substance?
Can anyone tell me? Call on a student if there is a hand raised. Yeah, so as a refresher a non-
Newtonian substance means the substance changes its state of matter based on the pressure
placed on it, because as you squeezed the slime in your hand, it probably formed a solid ball in
your palm, but if you let the slime lay flat in your hand, releasing the pressure it ran through your
fingers like a liquid.

VII. Check for understanding.

 I will hand out a sheet for the students to fill out explaining the processes and outcome of the
experiment which will show me how well they participated in the experiment and how they
can explain the different elements of the experiment.
 I will be continually checking for the students’ understanding by asking questions, observing
their engagement and interaction with the experiment. I will also be walking around to initiate
more understanding and questioning, as well as to gain more comprehension of the subject. I
will also be checking for how well they collaborate and work with the Oobleck. If at any
point any student does not understand elements of the lesson, then I will stop and explain it
again, trying to figure what they are confusing and answering any questions they may have.

VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure

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  I will show a Mythbusters video about walking on a pool of Oobleck so students can
see more about how the substance forms and reacts to pressure.
o Natural discussion about the video.
 What was your favorite part about our science lesson today?
 How would you help Bartholomew from our book with his Oobleck situation?
 How did we make the Oobleck today? Call on one student for each step.
 What are some other ways we might make slime?
 So, was the Oobleck a solid, liquid, or both?
 Can anyone think of any other examples that are non-Newtonian substances?
(ketchup, blood, jelly, silly putty, quicksand)
 Raise your hand if you thought your slime might turn out differently? Why?

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

 The inquiry questions will tell me how well they understand liquids, solids, and non-Newtonian
substances?
 The worksheet at the end will tell me how much they understood the experiment and how well
they performed.
(CAEP K-6 3.a)

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS

(CAEP K-6 3.b)
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
7. Were the instructions for the experiment clear enough for students to perform on their own?
8. Was there enough support?
9. How were the students actively engaged throughout the lesson?
10. Were students able to create the slime and identify why it was a non-Newtonian substance?
11. How well did the students collaborate?
12. Was the grouping acceptable?