Exploring Properties of Objects and Materials

Lesson: Exploring Properties of Objects and Materials (Wood) Grade Level: K Content Area: Physical Science Core Area: Exploring Properties of Obj...
Author: Lucinda Howard
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Lesson: Exploring Properties of Objects and Materials (Wood) Grade Level:

K

Content Area:

Physical Science

Core Area:

Exploring Properties of Objects and Materials

Lesson Overview: Students will learn about wood. They will compare properties of different kinds of wood, investigate wood and water, test floating and sinking, describe different kinds of wood, classify wood by different properties, discuss which kinds of wood are natural or human-made. 2005 Standards Correlation Grade K Exploring Matter Standard K-5: The student will demonstrate the understanding that objects can be described by their observable properties. (Physical Science) Indicators K-5.1 Classify objects by observable properties (including size, color, shape, magnetic attraction, heaviness, texture, and the ability to float in water). K-5.2 Compare the properties of different types of materials (including wood, plastic, metal, cloth, and paper) from which objects are made. 2014 Standards Correlation Grade K Physical Science: Exploring Properties of Objects and Materials K.P.4A. Conceptual Understanding: Objects can be described and classified by their observable properties, by their uses, and by whether they occur naturally or are manufactured (human-made). Different properties of objects are suited for different purposes. Performance indicators: Students who demonstrate this understanding can: Standard K.P.4A.1: Analyze and interpret data to compare the qualitative properties of objects (such as size, shape, color, texture, weight, flexibility, attraction to magnets, or ability to sink or float) and classify objects based on similar properties. Standard K.P.4A.2: Develop and use models to describe and compare the properties of different materials (including wood, plastic, metal, cloth, and paper) and classify materials by their observable properties, by their uses, and by whether they are natural or human-made. Standard K.P.4A.3: Conduct structured investigations to answer questions about which materials have the properties that are best suited to solve a problem or need.

Copyright © 2014 by the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina

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Materials: FOSS Science Kit: Wood & Paper 5 Clear Basins Basswood, Particleboard, Pine, Plywood, and Redwood Samples (one per student) 1 Set of Tree Posters: Redwood, Pine, and Linden Trees 1 Set of Wood-Production Posters: Particleboard and Plywood Copies of the “This is made of wood” label Tape Droppers (one per student) Clear plastic cups (one per pair of students) 5 - ½ liter containers Sponges Water Pitcher or empty 2-Liter soda bottle Newspaper Chart paper Small hammers (optional) Nails (optional) Protective eyewear (optional) Procedures: 1. Introduction – Wood – Show students one of the wood samples. Ask them what they think it is. Ask them where they think wood comes from. 2. Ahead of time, put wood samples in the clear basins for student distribution. Show students the bins and tell them that each bin contains samples of a different kind of wood. Each student will get one piece of wood from each bin to observe. Have students file by the bins and collect their wood samples. Allow them time to explore the wood. It’s ok if they want to build little structures with the samples. While they are exploring, visit small groups of students and help them focus their observations by asking: • • • • • • •

How are these two alike? Different? Is any piece of wood heavier than the others? How does the wood smell? Feel? Is it rough or smooth? What color is it? Are they all the same color? How do you think the plywood or particleboard was made? Do they look like the other samples? What else have you discovered?

After the students have had time to explore, call them all together with their wood samples. Hold up each sample, one at a time. Tell the student the name of each sample and ask them to hold up their sample that is the same. Tell the students that different kinds of wood comes from different kinds of trees. Show them the redwood sample and the poster of the redwood tree. Repeat with the Basswood and Pine samples and posters. Next show students the sample of plywood and ask them to hold theirs up. Explain that there are no plywood trees, but that plywood is made by people. Show them the poster and discuss the process, step-by-step. Do the same for the particleboard. Copyright © 2014 by the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina

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Have students return their wood samples to the appropriate bins. Write down observations that children make about wood on a chart. Save it for later. 3. Wood Hunt Prepare: Get a wood sample for each student and place them somewhere in room where students can easily find them. Have a matching sample of each piece in a bin to distribute to the children. Be sure that you have the same number and kind of samples in this group as you hid around the room. Students will hunt for matching pieces. Make copies of the “This is made of wood” label, cut them apart, and prepare pieces of tape for distribution. Review the different kinds of wood with children. Tell students they will be going on a wood hunt. Explain that there are wood samples around the room. Each student will be given one wood sample, and they are to find one that matches and bring both samples back to the group. When all students have returned, hold up a sample of each kind of wood, name it, and have students who found the same kind hold theirs up. Ask them which kinds of wood come directly from trees and which ones have to be processed by people. Next, tell students they are to look around the room for things that are made of wood. They will be labeling objects around the room by following this procedure: 1. Pick up a “This is made of wood” label and a piece of tape. 2. Label something in the room made of wood. 3. Return to the rug. After students return to the rug, have them notice all the things they found that are made of wood. Ask them why they think wood is a good material for making the things they found (it’s sturdy, strong, flat, can be cut, can be painted, etc.). Add to the chart if necessary. 4.

Wood & Water

This activity works best with small groups of 6-10 students. Fill a cup about 1/3 full of water and a basin about ½ full of water for each pair of students. Be prepared to demonstrate how to use droppers if students have not used them before (a turkey baster works well for the demonstration). Put pieces of wood in each of the 5 ½ liter containers (one for each student). Review the 5 types of wood with the students. Tell them that today they are going to work in small groups to investigate what happens when they drop water onto wood. Ask them what they think will happen. Demonstrate the dropper if students haven’t used them before. Send 6-10 students to the center. Pass the containers of redwood and particleboard around the group, asking students to take one of each. Have students put ONE drop of water on the surface of each of the two samples and observe what happens. Then, ask them to put a drop on the end of each sample and observe what happens. Guide students by asking: • Does water sit on the wood or soak in? • How does it soak in? Right away? Slowly? • Does the color of the wood change? Allow time for exploration. Let students repeat the activity with the other wood samples when they are ready.

Copyright © 2014 by the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina

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Ask: “What do you think will happen if we put the wood samples in a tub of water?” Allow for discussion. Let pairs of students share a basin and drop wood samples, one at a time, into the basin. (All the samples should float.) Let children describe what happened. Clean up: Spread the samples on newspaper to dry. Use dry samples for each group of students. After all groups have completed the activity, ask the question, “What happens when wood gets wet.” Write down children’s observations. 5.

Sink the Pine and Plywood

This activity works best with small groups of 6-10 students. It works really well outdoors if you have a place to work. Each student will need a pine sample and a plywood sample. Each pair of students will need a basin ½ filled with water, a plastic cup with about 40 jumbo paper clips, and several rubber bands. Bring the students together and ask them to discuss the last activity. What happened when we dropped wood samples into a basin of water? (They all floated.) Tell students that today you want them to think of a way we can make the wood samples sink. Let them share ideas and entertain any that are feasible. (Students might come up with a good idea that will work in your classroom. If so, you should feel free to use it.) After discussion, show students the two wood samples, paper clips, rubber bands, and basins. Ask them how they could use these materials to sink the wood samples. Send 6-10 students to the center and have them work with the materials to see if they can sink the wood. Most of the time, students will figure out how to secure the rubber band around the wood and add paper clips until the wood sinks. If not, show them how to do it. Ask the following questions: • Were you able to sink the wood by attaching paper clips? • How many paper clips did you use? (The students might not know, and that’s ok.) • Did you use the same number of paper clips for both samples? (Again, they might not know.) • Does it make a difference where you put the paper clips? (All on one side, evenly distributed around the wood, etc.) 6.

Evaluate – Have students answer a question each day in their science journals. Use these answers to determine students’ understand of concepts taught. Sample questions: Where does most wood come from? Can you think of something at home that is made of wood? How is plywood different from pine? Does wood sink or float?

Copyright © 2014 by the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina

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7E Procedures for Weather Lesson: 7E Engage Elicit

Explore

Explain

Elaborate Evaluate

Extend

Procedures Introduce wood samples. Ask students where they think wood comes from. Explore wood samples. Allow children to explore and look for similarities in the 5 different types of wood samples you provide. Allow for discussion and write down students’ observations. 1. Wood Hunt – Part One – Students will search for samples of wood to match those that they have. 2. Wood Hunt – Part Two – Students will search for and label things around the room that are made of wood. 3. Wood & Water – Part One – Students will work in small groups to discover what happens when drops of water are placed on wood samples. 4. Wood & Water – Part Two – Students will work in small groups to discover what happens when wood samples are placed in basins of water. Teachers will share three tree posters and the particleboard and plywood posters. Children will see that some wood comes directly from nature and some is manufactured by people. Sink the Pine and Plywood – Students will investigate a way to make a wood sample sink. Have students answer a question each day about wood in their science journals. Use their answers to evaluate how well they understand the concepts that have been presented. 1. Sinking Investigation – Repeat the sinking investigation, this time carefully adding one paper clip at a time and dropping it in the water until it sinks. Count the clips and make a “graph” to show how many it took to sink each sample. 2. Constructions – Have children investigate sticking two pieces of wood together to create something. 3. Take a field trip to a construction site or lumberyard.

SEPs

Copyright © 2014 by the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina

CCCs

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Post Activities and Interdisciplinary Connection Science 1. Have students repeat the sinking investigation, this time carefully adding one paper clip at a time and dropping it in the water until it sinks (sinks means it sits flat on the bottom). Count the paper clips and make a “graph” using the paper clips and wood samples. Compare how many it took to sink each type of wood. 2. You can extend the sinking investigation further by asking the children if it makes a difference where the clips are placed on the wood. (Examples, evenly spaced all around, all on one side, half on one side and half on the other, etc.) 3. Constructions – Have children investigate sticking two pieces of wood together. Teach them how to use a hammer and nails. Allow children to try any method they think would work. If the children are very interested and excited about this activity, invite them to try to build something that they could use. Have them first brainstorm things they could make out of wood, then sketch one of their ideas, then gather materials and build it! 4. Take students on a field trip to either a construction site or a lumberyard. If any of the students’ parents are in the process of building a home, you could visit their home site. The children will get so excited when they see particleboard and plywood on the job site! At a lumberyard, the people who work there can explain the different ways they process wood and show them the piles of sawdust and wood shavings that they accumulate. Mathematics 1. Graph different kinds of wood found in the classroom. This could be as simple as looking for three kinds: natural wood, plywood, and particleboard. 2. During the sinking investigation, reinforce the idea that children are adding weight to the wood to make it sink. Use a balance to show that a piece of wood without paper clips is lighter than a piece of wood with paper clips. You could even use a digital scale to find the exact weight of the paper clips that were used to sink the different kinds of wood. 3. Have students make a list of wooden items they find in their home. Use a chart to collect the information, possibly grouped by types (furniture, toys, tools, other). Have students count the number of items they found. Language Arts 1. Have students communicate their thoughts about wood in science journals. They can write stories, poems, or songs about wood. Start a wood word bank to help students. 2. Read books about wood to children: How a House is Built by Gail Gibbons A Year at a Construction Site by Nicholas Harris Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty A Day in the Life of a Builder by Linda Hayward Art 1. Use graph paper to draw a “blue print” to build a playhouse. 2. Make pictures with sawdust, wood shavings, and/or twigs. Students can add texture to their drawings by spreading a thin layer of glue and adding sawdust or shavings. 3. Allow students to draw with charcoal, a wood that has been changed by burning it.

Copyright © 2014 by the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina

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