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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes

What happens when we heat it?

States of matter

CCSS NGSS.2-PS1-4England: KS1 Y2 Uses of everyday materialsEngland: KS2 Y4 States of matter

Objective and success criteria

Students will: What happens when we heat it?.

  • 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: Heating and cooling: can the change be undone?

Leads to: Ice melting race: compare melting times

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 (Heating and cooling: can the change be undone?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Can this change be undone: an ice lolly (popsicle) melting? (can change back / cannot change back) → can change backPrompt: Could you get the starting material back by warming it or cooling it?
  2. Three of these changes CANNOT be undone. Which one is different? (popping popcorn / burning a log on a fire / toasting bread / an ice lolly (popsicle) melting) → an ice lolly (popsicle) meltingPrompt: Think about melting and freezing versus cooking and burning.
  3. Melted chocolate is poured into a mould and put in the fridge. What happens? (It turns solid again, in the mould's shape. / It turns into water. / It turns into cake. / It stays liquid for ever.) → It turns solid again, in the mould's shape.Prompt: Melting can be reversed by cooling.

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: What happens when we heat it?. 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: What happens when you heat this: butter in a hot pan?
  • Step 1: So the answer is: melts into a liquid
  • Answer: melts into a liquid
  • 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. What happens when you heat this: butter in a hot pan? (burst open and puff up / rises and becomes a spongy solid / melts into a liquid / turns white and firm) → melts into a liquidPrompt: Picture it cooking or warming in the kitchen.
  2. Steam rises from a boiling pot of pasta. What is the steam? (water that has turned into a gas / smoke from burning pasta / melted metal / air that turned white) → water that has turned into a gasPrompt: What liquid is in the pot?

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. What happens when you heat this: popcorn kernels in a pan? (boils and turns to steam / melts into a liquid / turns brown and crunchy / burst open and puff up) → burst open and puff upPrompt: Picture it cooking or warming in the kitchen.
  2. Why do cooks put butter in a warm pan before frying? (Heat melts the solid butter so it can spread over the pan. / Butter turns into a gas straight away. / Heat turns butter into ice. / Butter cools the pan.) → Heat melts the solid butter so it can spread over the pan.Prompt: What does heat do to many solids?

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: Heating and cooling: can the change be undone?.
  • 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: Ice melting race: compare melting times.
  • 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-2.

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

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What happens when we heat it?

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    A clay model is soft. How can you make it hard and strong for good?

    • A. Put it in the fridge.
    • B. Squash it.
    • C. Bake (fire) it in a kiln.
    • D. Leave it in water.

  2. Question 2

    True or false? Toast can be turned back into bread by cooling it.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    What happens when you heat this: butter in a hot pan?

    • A. boils and turns to steam
    • B. rises and becomes a spongy solid
    • C. turns brown and crunchy
    • D. melts into a liquid

  4. Question 4

    What happens when you heat this: water in a kettle?

    • A. boils and turns to steam
    • B. melts into a liquid
    • C. rises and becomes a spongy solid
    • D. turns brown and crunchy

  5. Question 5

    Why should you never leave a chocolate bar on a sunny car seat?

    • A. It will freeze.
    • B. The heat will melt it.
    • C. It will turn into a cake.
    • D. It will disappear.

  6. Question 6

    True or false? Heating can melt some solids.

    • A. True
    • B. False

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Answer key: What happens when we heat it?

  1. 1. C. Bake (fire) it in a kiln.

  2. 2. B. False

  3. 3. D. melts into a liquid

  4. 4. A. boils and turns to steam

  5. 5. B. The heat will melt it.

  6. 6. A. True