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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes

Temperatures of water changing state

States of matter

CCSS NGSS.2-PS1-4CCSS NGSS.5-PS1-3England: KS2 Y4 States of matter

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Temperatures of water changing state.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Melting, freezing, evaporating and condensing

Leads to: Melting and boiling points

Materials: Ice, water and a kettle (teacher demo), Particle diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Melting, freezing, evaporating and condensing). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which change of state is this: sweat drying on your skin? (melting / freezing / evaporating / condensing) → evaporatingPrompt: What state does it start in, and what state does it end in?
  2. What is the name for a change from gas to liquid? (melting / condensing / freezing / evaporating (or boiling)) → condensingPrompt: Heating makes solids melt and liquids evaporate.
  3. Changes of state: which statement is true? (Water only evaporates when it boils. / Melting makes a substance lose mass. / The water on the outside of a cold can leaks through the metal. / Heating can make a solid melt.) → Heating can make a solid melt.Prompt: Where does the water on a cold can come from?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show an ice cube melting and a kettle steaming and ask what is the same and what is different.
  • Share the objective: Temperatures of water changing state. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Water in a pan starts at 23 °C. By how many degrees must it warm up to reach its boiling point?
  • Step 1: 100 − 23 = 77
  • Step 2: So the answer is: 77 °C
  • Answer: 77 °C
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Water in a pan starts at 22 °C. By how many degrees must it warm up to reach its boiling point? → 78 °CPrompt: At what temperature does water boil?
  2. While water is boiling, what happens to its temperature? (It keeps rising / It jumps to 200 °C / It stays at 100 °C until all the water has boiled / It falls) → It stays at 100 °C until all the water has boiledPrompt: The energy is being used to change the state.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. While water is boiling, what happens to its temperature? (It keeps rising / It stays at 100 °C until all the water has boiled / It jumps to 200 °C / It falls) → It stays at 100 °C until all the water has boiledPrompt: The energy is being used to change the state.
  2. Water in a pan starts at 21 °C. By how many degrees must it warm up to reach its boiling point? → 79 °CPrompt: At what temperature does water boil?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Melting, freezing, evaporating and condensing.
  • Use concrete materials: ice, water and a kettle (teacher demo).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Melting and boiling points.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-3.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Temperatures of water changing state

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Pure water is at −5 °C (at normal air pressure). Is it a solid, a liquid or a gas?

    −20204060801200 °C100 °C0
    • A. solid
    • B. liquid
    • C. gas

  2. Question 2

    Water in a pan starts at 15 °C. By how many degrees must it warm up to reach its boiling point?

    Answer°C

  3. Question 3

    Why do people put salt on icy roads in winter?

    • A. Salt soaks up the water
    • B. Salt water freezes at a lower temperature than pure water
    • C. Salt makes the road hotter
    • D. Salt is heavier than ice

  4. Question 4

    Pure water is at −18 °C (at normal air pressure). Is it a solid, a liquid or a gas?

    −20204060801200 °C100 °C−20
    • A. solid
    • B. liquid
    • C. gas

  5. Question 5

    Water in a pan starts at 20 °C. By how many degrees must it warm up to reach its boiling point?

    Answer°C

  6. Question 6

    At what temperature does pure ice melt?

    • A. 10 °C
    • B. 100 °C
    • C. 37 °C
    • D. 0 °C

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Answer key: Temperatures of water changing state

  1. 1. A. solid

  2. 2. 85 °C

  3. 3. B. Salt water freezes at a lower temperature than pure water

  4. 4. A. solid

  5. 5. 80 °C

  6. 6. D. 0 °C