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Pennsbury School District, Edgewood Elementary
School "What makes a solid a solid? Or a liquid a liquid?" These are the sorts of questions that Lynn Holmes and her first grade students have been exploring at Edgewood Elementary School in the Pennsbury School District, with help from the FOSS Solids and Liquids module. The kit Teacher's Guide advises that young children work with materials most effectively as individuals; and Lynn organizes her classroom to support this learning style by including work in small groups and at learning centers as well as whole class activities.
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Having investigated a variety of solid materials, the
class is beginning to explore liquids. Their
experience has generated new learning as well as
plenty of questions.
"Engage your brain," Lynn suggests, "Stop your
motor." After a short break spent having a snack,
playing games, or working on the computer, students
are students are ready to concentrate on their
exploration of liquids. They remember that, compared
with solids, a liquid is "impossible to hold,"
"drippy," and takes the shape of its
container. |
To develop their concept of liquid further, students
will be working in pairs or threes to examine seven
different liquids in plastic bottles. Providing
supplies for five centers reduces the cost and volume
of equipment involved in the kit; but also means that
not all students can participate at the same time.
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Lynn explains that while half the class works at the
centers, the other teams will work on a collage of
liquids, searching magazines for pictures of liquids,
cutting them out and pasting them onto containers
that once held liquids. |
Sand in bottom of the containers keeps them from
falling over as artists go to work. Many questions
are raised as children discuss appropriate pictures:
Is fire a liquid? Jello, ice, crayons? Explaining
their reasoning helps focus attention on what makes a
liquid a liquid. If the reasons make sense—for
example, ice used to be a liquid—the picture
gets added to the collage and may well generate
further conversations.
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With two activities in progress, it's important that
children be able to work independently. Fortunately,
the collage activity requires minimum supervision and
no specialized equipment. Both activities are
engaging, and everything goes smoothly.
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