Communicating matters
View Sequence overviewStudents will:
- demonstrate curiosity and ask questions about substances that are difficult to classify as solid, liquid or gas.
- classify substances as solid, liquid or gas.
Students will represent their understanding as they:
- participate in class discussions about solids, liquids and gases.
- create a diagrammatic and written explanation of what’s ‘inside’ materials/substances.
In the Launch phase, assessment is diagnostic.
Take note of:
- student ideas about solids, liquids and gases. Can they confidently identify substances/objects that belong in one, two or all three categories? Which category do they have difficulty with? Can they identify substances/objects that are tricky to categorise?
- the vocabulary students use to describe solids, liquids and gases.
- students’ understanding of the particle model. Do they include particles in their representations of solids, liquids and gases?
Whole class
Class science journal (digital or hard-copy)
A large clear container or tray containing a mixture of cornflour and water mixed at a ratio of approximately 2:1 (twice as much cornflour to water)
Demonstration copy of Solid, liquid or gas? Resource sheet
A variety of texts, at a suitable level for your students, that explain science concepts in a way they can understand.
The following websites are trusted resources with age-appropriate videos and texts.
- Curious by the Australian Academy of Science
- Behind The News by the ABC
- Science by ABC Education
Each group
40g of corn flour
20mls of water
Small bowl
Spoon for mixing
Eight different samples of various objects/materials/substances in clear plastic containers. Each group needs the same set of samples. Samples might include:
- some that can be easily classified as solid (stones, scissors etc.), liquid (water, oil) and gas (a small container of air).
- some that may be more difficult to classify such as playdough (a soft solid), paper (a flexible solid), elastic bands (a stretchy solid), washing powder (a powdered or pourable solid), honey (a very viscous liquid), or a sponge (a solid interspersed with pockets of gas/air).
Safety note
It is important to make it clear to students that it is not safe to taste any samples as part of their observations, even if they think the sample is a foodstuff. This may need to be reiterated repeatedly throughout the sequence.
Each student
Individual science journal (digital or hard-copy)
Solid, liquid or gas? Resource sheet
Lesson
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
Students arrive in the classroom with a variety of scientific experiences. This routine provides an opportunity to plan for a common shared experience for all students. The Experience may involve games, role-play, local excursions or yarning with people in the local community. This routine can involve a chance to Empathise with the people who experience the problems science seeks to solve.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider what experiences will be relevant to your students. Is there a location for an excursion, or people to talk to as part of an incursion? Are there local people in the community who might be able to talk about what they are doing? How could you set up your classroom to broaden the students’ thinking about the core science ideas? How could you provide a common experience that will provide a talking point throughout the sequence?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkMystery mixture
Optional demonstration: Before the lesson begins, in a large clear tray or bowl, prepare a cornflour and water mixture using approximately twice as much cornflour to water. This mixture is often referred to as ‘oobleck’, but in this lesson you will simply refer to it as a ‘mystery mixture’. Oobleck behaves like a solid when force is applied, so you should be able to punch it, tap it or even walk over it. However, if you rest your fist, the point of your finger, or stand on the mixture, it will behave like a liquid, and your hand/foot will sink into it.
Demonstrate this to students, showing them how the mixture sometimes behaves like a solid, and at other times like a liquid.
In collaborative teams, students will observe and explore the properties of a cornflour and water mixture before it is mixed (when it is still separate ingredients), during (what happens as the ingredients are being mixed), and after the ingredients have been mixed.
Provide teams with the necessary equipment to make their own mystery mixture.
Some questions they might explore are:
- Can it be stirred or poured?
- Can I bounce my eraser off it?
- Can I rest my eraser on top of it?
You might ask students to record their observations in their science journals, video record their exploration and ideas to compare their thoughts at the end of the sequence, or record the class discussion in the class science journal (or any combination of these).
Using oobleck, a non-Newtonian fluid, as starting point for this sequence
Pique students’ interest and curiosity by starting with a mixture that behaves as both a solid and a liquid.
Oobleck, made using approximately twice as much cornflour as water, is an example of a non-Newtonian fluid. By examining oobleck as a starting point for this teaching sequence, students’ curiosity is piqued as they are introduced to a situation where typically accepted explanations do not apply. This will generate interest, as students attempt to understand and explain what a solid and a liquid are, and why a substance might behave as both.
Read the Particles and particle theory professional learning embedded in the What are particles? step of this lesson for more information on non-Newtonian fluids.
Oobleck, made using approximately twice as much cornflour as water, is an example of a non-Newtonian fluid. By examining oobleck as a starting point for this teaching sequence, students’ curiosity is piqued as they are introduced to a situation where typically accepted explanations do not apply. This will generate interest, as students attempt to understand and explain what a solid and a liquid are, and why a substance might behave as both.
Read the Particles and particle theory professional learning embedded in the What are particles? step of this lesson for more information on non-Newtonian fluids.
Core concepts and key ideas
When planning for teaching in your classroom, it can be useful to see where a sequence fits into the larger picture of science.
When planning for teaching in your classroom, it can be useful to see where a sequence fits into the larger picture of science. This unit is anchored to the Science understanding core concepts for Chemical sciences.
- The chemical and physical properties of substances are determined by their structure at a range of scales.
In Year 5, students have already examined the properties of natural and made materials including fibres, metals, glass and plastics and consider how these properties influence their use (Year 4). In this teaching sequence, students explain the observable properties of solids, liquids and gases by modelling the motion and arrangement of particles.
This core concept is linked to the key science ideas:
- Energy moves through and can cause observable changes to systems (Energy and Matter).
- Stability might be disturbed either by sudden changes or gradual changes over time (Stability and change).
When your students next progress through this core concept, they will use particle theory to describe the arrangement of particles in a substance, including the motion of and attraction between particles, and relate this to the properties of the substance (Year 7).
When planning for teaching in your classroom, it can be useful to see where a sequence fits into the larger picture of science. This unit is anchored to the Science understanding core concepts for Chemical sciences.
- The chemical and physical properties of substances are determined by their structure at a range of scales.
In Year 5, students have already examined the properties of natural and made materials including fibres, metals, glass and plastics and consider how these properties influence their use (Year 4). In this teaching sequence, students explain the observable properties of solids, liquids and gases by modelling the motion and arrangement of particles.
This core concept is linked to the key science ideas:
- Energy moves through and can cause observable changes to systems (Energy and Matter).
- Stability might be disturbed either by sudden changes or gradual changes over time (Stability and change).
When your students next progress through this core concept, they will use particle theory to describe the arrangement of particles in a substance, including the motion of and attraction between particles, and relate this to the properties of the substance (Year 7).
Alternative conceptions
What alternative conceptions might students hold about solids, liquids and gases?
Students are strongly influenced by everyday language, and can use the term ‘solid’ to denote something as hard or large. They tend to use it as an adjective rather than to describe a set of substances. They might have difficulty understanding that a rubber ball or a thin plastic sheet is solid in terms of how scientists use this word. ‘Solid’ is also recognised as an adjective denoting something ‘good’ or ‘great’ in some Australian English dialects.
Students might have difficulty recognising crushed or powdered solids as being solids, particularly since they might identify liquids through their ability to pour. Pouring is a consequence of flowing, which is the property of a fluid, but it is also possible to ‘pour’ small solids (beans) or powders. The difference is that when powders are poured they land in a heap and need to be shaken to settle, whereas liquids flow under the effect of gravity to take on the shape of the container.
Some students identify all liquids with water, and the most common liquids identified by students are water-based, such as dishwashing liquid, milk, seawater, cordial and lemonade. Viscous liquids such as oil, paraffin and honey, are less commonly identified as liquid. Students might also assume that all liquids contain water and that melting involves a substance turning to water.
Students might not have many conceptions about gas. When asked about gases they might provide examples of uses of gas, for example, ‘gas flame’, rather than examples of gases, for example, methane. Some students identify gas as dangerous or flammable and do not recognise that air is a gas.
Students are strongly influenced by everyday language, and can use the term ‘solid’ to denote something as hard or large. They tend to use it as an adjective rather than to describe a set of substances. They might have difficulty understanding that a rubber ball or a thin plastic sheet is solid in terms of how scientists use this word. ‘Solid’ is also recognised as an adjective denoting something ‘good’ or ‘great’ in some Australian English dialects.
Students might have difficulty recognising crushed or powdered solids as being solids, particularly since they might identify liquids through their ability to pour. Pouring is a consequence of flowing, which is the property of a fluid, but it is also possible to ‘pour’ small solids (beans) or powders. The difference is that when powders are poured they land in a heap and need to be shaken to settle, whereas liquids flow under the effect of gravity to take on the shape of the container.
Some students identify all liquids with water, and the most common liquids identified by students are water-based, such as dishwashing liquid, milk, seawater, cordial and lemonade. Viscous liquids such as oil, paraffin and honey, are less commonly identified as liquid. Students might also assume that all liquids contain water and that melting involves a substance turning to water.
Students might not have many conceptions about gas. When asked about gases they might provide examples of uses of gas, for example, ‘gas flame’, rather than examples of gases, for example, methane. Some students identify gas as dangerous or flammable and do not recognise that air is a gas.
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
The Elicit routine provides opportunities to identify students’ prior experiences, existing science capital and potential alternative conceptions related to the Core concepts. The diagnostic assessment allows teachers to support their students to build connections between what they already know and the teaching and learning that occurs during the Inquire cycle.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider when and where students may have been exposed to the core concepts and key ideas in the past. Imagine how a situation would have looked without any prior knowledge. What ideas and thoughts might students have used to explain the situation or phenomenon? What alternative conceptions might your students hold? How will you identify these?
The Deep connected learning in the ‘Pedagogical Toolbox: Deep connected learning’ provides a set of tools to identify common alternative conceptions to aid teachers during this routine.
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWhat do students think they know?
Display the terms ‘solid’, ‘liquid’, and ‘gas’.
Students brainstorm what they know about each. Record using a Y-chart or table in the class science journal.
Provide collaborative teams with a variety of samples in clear plastic containers that are solid, liquid, and gas. In their teams, students examine the contents of each container, as well as re-examining the cornflour and water mixture. Using the Solid, liquid, or gas? Resource sheet (or they might create their own), students make a claim as to whether each sample is a solid, liquid, or gas. Students working in the same team may have different ideas, so at this stage, they should record their thinking individually. Encourage students to provide reasons for their claims.
Cumulatively record claims about the nature of each sample by tallying student votes. Record the cumulative tally on a demonstration copy of the Solid, liquid, or gas? Resource sheet (or create your own) in the class science journal.
Discuss students’ reasoning for categorising something as a solid, liquid, or gas, and any samples they found difficult to categorise, like the oobleck. If needed, also discuss the terms ‘substance’ and ‘object’. Encourage students to refer to the ‘substance’ that the sample is made of if possible, for example, metal as opposed to scissors, or paper as opposed to a page. Note that there may be instances where students don't know the name of the material/s that make up a sample being examined, and in those instances, they can describe it as best they can.
Record any new words/phrases students use to describe solids, liquids, and gases in the Y chart in the class science journal. For example, students might describe solids as strong, firm/hard, or holdable, liquids as flowing or pourable, and gases as airy.
Using the bottom of the Solid, liquid, or gas? Resource sheet (or in their science journal), challenge students to represent, through drawing and description, what they think makes something solid, liquid, or gas. At this stage it is acceptable that students create a wide variety of different representations, including different representations for varying 'solids'.
- What do you think makes up the substances you looked at?
- What do you think is ‘inside’ the substance?
- What might you ‘see’ if you were shrunk down to a small enough size to fit in a grain of sand, or a drop of water. What about the samples we have examined today?
Language usage: material v. substance
These terms have specific meanings, and it’s important to be aware of their usage.
In Year 4, students would have examined the properties of natural and man-made materials and how this influences their use. The Australian Curriculum: Science defines ‘material’ as a ‘substance with particular qualities or that is used for specific purposes’. In Year 5, students observe and classify substances as solids, liquids, and gases and use the particle model to explain their properties. As such, the term ‘substance’ will be used in this unit to define what objects are made of. For example, a window (object) is made from glass (substance) and a soft drink bottle (object) is made from plastic (substance).
Students however might use the name of the object (window, soft-drink bottle) and the substance it is made of interchangeably, or the name of the object exclusively if they don't know the substance an object is made of, for example, a wall.
Substances are what make materials. They may be pure, for example, oxygen, or a mixture, for example air, which is made up of a number of different substances, and may include oxygen, nitrogen, argon, water vapour, pollen and dust.
In Year 4, students would have examined the properties of natural and man-made materials and how this influences their use. The Australian Curriculum: Science defines ‘material’ as a ‘substance with particular qualities or that is used for specific purposes’. In Year 5, students observe and classify substances as solids, liquids, and gases and use the particle model to explain their properties. As such, the term ‘substance’ will be used in this unit to define what objects are made of. For example, a window (object) is made from glass (substance) and a soft drink bottle (object) is made from plastic (substance).
Students however might use the name of the object (window, soft-drink bottle) and the substance it is made of interchangeably, or the name of the object exclusively if they don't know the substance an object is made of, for example, a wall.
Substances are what make materials. They may be pure, for example, oxygen, or a mixture, for example air, which is made up of a number of different substances, and may include oxygen, nitrogen, argon, water vapour, pollen and dust.
Representational challenge
By asking students to write about and draw what they think 'makes up' a solid, liquid or gas, you present them with a representational challenge.
By asking students to write about and draw what they think 'makes up' a solid, liquid or gas, you present them with a representational challenge. This challenge will provide you with insight into what, if anything, students already know about the particle model of matter. Students who draw particles can be questioned further as to why they drew them, and what they think might be between each particle.
Students will refer back to these initial representations throughout the sequence, determining if they still think they are valid, or if they would like to make additions and changes to them. Tracking these additions and changes supports students and teachers to see the development of their understanding.
By asking students to write about and draw what they think 'makes up' a solid, liquid or gas, you present them with a representational challenge. This challenge will provide you with insight into what, if anything, students already know about the particle model of matter. Students who draw particles can be questioned further as to why they drew them, and what they think might be between each particle.
Students will refer back to these initial representations throughout the sequence, determining if they still think they are valid, or if they would like to make additions and changes to them. Tracking these additions and changes supports students and teachers to see the development of their understanding.
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
Science education consists of a series of key ideas and core concepts that can explain objects, events and phenomena, and link them to the experiences encountered by students in their lives. The purpose of the Anchor routine is to identify the key ideas and concepts in a way that builds and deepens students’ understanding. During the Launch phase, the Anchor routine provides a lens through which to view the classroom context, and a way to frame the key knowledge and skills students will be learning.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider the core concepts and key ideas that are relevant. Break these into small bite-sized pieces that are relevant to the age and stage of your students. Consider possible alternative concepts that students might hold. How could you provide activities or ask questions that will allow students to consider what they know?
What are particles?
Introduce the term ‘particles’ to the students: very small pieces, or atoms, that make up all substances.
Explain that, based on evidence collected over hundreds of years of investigations, scientists think that every substance is made up of particles, and it’s what these particles are doing—or how they are behaving—that determines if something is solid, liquid or gas.
Explain that in this sequence students will:
- explore solids, liquids and gases.
- explore how scientists explain the behaviour of particles, to see if they agree.
- determine if these explanations are enough to categorise every substance.
- determine if sometimes there are substances that might behave like, for example, a solid and a liquid, as in the case of the oobleck/mystery mixture (and other samples where students might not have agreed upon its state).
They will then communicate their ideas/understanding about these scientific explanations to others.
Particles and particle theory
All matter is made up of very small particles called atoms.
All matter is made up of very small particles called atoms. These atoms are made up of sub-atomic particles called protons, neutrons and electrons. Atoms can join together to form molecules.
The way atoms and molecules are arranged in a material will affect its state—that is whether it is a solid, liquid or gas.
Particles in a solid are held closely together with strong, rigid bonds. They vibrate in place, but do not change position significantly. For this reason, solids maintain a constant volume and shape, do not flow, and cannot be significantly compressed.
Particles in a liquid are held together with weaker bonds that allow the particles to slide past each other. They still hold closely together, so maintain a constant volume, but the force of gravity means the particles will flow over one another when poured, and take the shape of the container they’re poured in to. They have a flat, featureless surface when still.
The bonds between the particles in a gas are very weak and therefore will spread out to fill the available space or container. Because there is ‘space’ between the particles, a gas can be compressed.
Non-Newtonian fluids, such as oobleck, are difficult to classify. This is because non-Newtonian fluids change their viscosity (or flow behaviour) under stress. In some cases, such as with the cornflour and water mixture, the particles lock together under stress and behave like a solid. In other cases, such as when you’re shaking the last of the tomato sauce out of a bottle, the particles loosen under stress and behave more like a liquid.
It's important to note it is not necessary at this stage to introduce this terminology to students.
All matter is made up of very small particles called atoms. These atoms are made up of sub-atomic particles called protons, neutrons and electrons. Atoms can join together to form molecules.
The way atoms and molecules are arranged in a material will affect its state—that is whether it is a solid, liquid or gas.
Particles in a solid are held closely together with strong, rigid bonds. They vibrate in place, but do not change position significantly. For this reason, solids maintain a constant volume and shape, do not flow, and cannot be significantly compressed.
Particles in a liquid are held together with weaker bonds that allow the particles to slide past each other. They still hold closely together, so maintain a constant volume, but the force of gravity means the particles will flow over one another when poured, and take the shape of the container they’re poured in to. They have a flat, featureless surface when still.
The bonds between the particles in a gas are very weak and therefore will spread out to fill the available space or container. Because there is ‘space’ between the particles, a gas can be compressed.
Non-Newtonian fluids, such as oobleck, are difficult to classify. This is because non-Newtonian fluids change their viscosity (or flow behaviour) under stress. In some cases, such as with the cornflour and water mixture, the particles lock together under stress and behave like a solid. In other cases, such as when you’re shaking the last of the tomato sauce out of a bottle, the particles loosen under stress and behave more like a liquid.
It's important to note it is not necessary at this stage to introduce this terminology to students.
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
Each student comes to the classroom with experiences made up from science-related knowledge, attitudes, experiences and resources in their life. The Connect routine is designed to tap into these experiences and that of their wider community. It is also an opportunity to yarn with community leaders (where appropriate) to gain an understanding of the student’s lives, languages and interests. In the Launch phase, this routine identifies and uses the science capital of students as the foundation of the teaching sequence so students can appreciate the relevance of their learning and its potential impact on future decisions. In short, this routine moves beyond scientific literacy and increases the science capital in the classroom and science identity of the students.
When planning a teaching sequence, take an interest in the lives of your students. What are their hobbies, how do they travel to and from school? What might have happened in the lives of your students (i.e. blackouts) that might be relevant to your next teaching sequence? What context might be of interest to your students?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWhat science communicators do
Discuss the purpose of science communication, and what a science communicator does:
- A common goal of science communication is to explain tricky ideas and concepts in a way that non-experts can understand.
- A science communicator is someone who designs texts: written, visual, multi-media.
Read/examine a variety of texts, at a suitable level for your students, that explain science concepts in a way they can understand. You might complete an example as a whole class, and/or utilise reading groups as an opportunity to reinforce these ideas.
Identify the features that science communicators have used in these texts, such as:
- factual information and vocabulary
- visual representations such as diagram, models and video
- storytelling
- emotive and persuasive language
- metaphors to make connections
Discuss how students might apply the techniques employed by science communicators to convey their learning about solids, liquids and gases, to the audience they will present to in the Act phase (see Preparing for this sequence for advice about selecting this audience). Record their ideas in the class science journal.
Communicating science ideas
The goal of science communication is to explain tricky ideas and concepts in a way that non-experts can understand.
The goal of science communication is to explain tricky ideas and concepts in a way that non-experts can understand.
Science communicators work hard to effectively communicate science ideas to all, raise public awareness of and interest in science, and to engage diverse communities with science. They use a variety of literary techniques, including persuasion, storytelling, humour and metaphors to connect with an audience’s interests and values.
By thinking about how they might communicate science ideas effectively, and engage potentially disinterested people in science, students are not only building their own science capital, but potentially the science capital of those around them.
The goal of science communication is to explain tricky ideas and concepts in a way that non-experts can understand.
Science communicators work hard to effectively communicate science ideas to all, raise public awareness of and interest in science, and to engage diverse communities with science. They use a variety of literary techniques, including persuasion, storytelling, humour and metaphors to connect with an audience’s interests and values.
By thinking about how they might communicate science ideas effectively, and engage potentially disinterested people in science, students are not only building their own science capital, but potentially the science capital of those around them.
The Launch phase is designed to increase the science capital in a classroom by asking questions that elicit and explore students’ experiences. It uses local and global contexts and real-world phenomena that inspire students to recognise and explore the science behind objects, events and phenomena that occur in the material world. It encourages students to ask questions, investigate concepts, and engage with the Core Concepts that anchor each unit.
The Launch phase is divided into four routines that:
- ensure students experience the science for themselves and empathise with people who experience the problems science seeks to solve (Experience and empathise)
- anchor the teaching sequence with the key ideas and core science concepts (Anchor)
- elicit students’ prior understanding (Elicit)
- and connect with the students’ lives, languages and interests (Connect).
Identifying and constructing questions is the creative driver of the inquiry process. It allows students to explore what they know and how they know it. During the Inquire phase of the LIA Framework, the Question routine allows for past activities to be reviewed and to set the scene for the investigation that students will undertake. The use of effective questioning techniques can influence students’ view and interpretation of upcoming content, open them to exploration and link to their current interests and science capital.
When designing a teaching sequence, it is important to spend some time considering the mindset of students at the start of each Inquire phase. What do you want students to be thinking about, what do they already know and what is the best way for them to approach the task? What might tap into their curiosity?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWhat do we want to know?
Referring to the Y-chart or table brainstorm created earlier in the lesson, ask students to name the substances they would confidently identify as solids, liquids and gases, and some that they think people might consider trickier to categorise. Record the students’ claims on the Y-chart or a table in the class science journal.
You might provide students with sticky notes and ask them to contribute at least one idea to each category, writing their name on the back of the sticky note so they can compare their thoughts at the end of the teaching sequence.
Alternatively, you might share ideas in a class discussion, and record students’ names next to each idea as it is offered.
Ask students to ponder the following question before the next science lesson—thinking about it every time they brush their teeth: Is toothpaste a solid or a liquid?
Reflect on the lesson
You might:
- begin a class word wall related to substances and classifying them as solid, liquid or gas.
- begin a class TWLH chart about solids, liquids and gases.
TWLH charts
One of the key aspects of a TWLH chart is its ability to guide a student in metacognitive processes.
One of the key aspects of a TWLH chart is its ability to guide a student in metacognitive (the ability to think about your thinking) processes. By focus on what we think we know, students are encouraged to see learning as journey, where new scientific evidence and experiences might change your thinking. This is a very important aspect of thinking scientifically
In this instance, students are considering their initial knowledge of solids, liquids and gases. In this phase of learning, students should be encouraged to populate the T and W sections of the chart.
One of the key aspects of a TWLH chart is its ability to guide a student in metacognitive (the ability to think about your thinking) processes. By focus on what we think we know, students are encouraged to see learning as journey, where new scientific evidence and experiences might change your thinking. This is a very important aspect of thinking scientifically
In this instance, students are considering their initial knowledge of solids, liquids and gases. In this phase of learning, students should be encouraged to populate the T and W sections of the chart.