
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a
text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.K.2 With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a
text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.K.3 With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals,
events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or
through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if
something is not understood.
Objective:

The student will investigate the following science activities: Insta-snow, energy sticks, liquid
nitrogen, and the Diet Coke/Mentos geyser.
Set:

The student will be read a short Christmas story. The story is about one of Santa’s elves that get
left behind and a train conductor that helps him get back to Santa. This story was written to
include the four activities that the student will be completing.
T2O:

The Christmas story will be read to the student. At the conclusion of the story, the student will
be asked to tell what was in the four bags that the elves pulled out of Santa’s sleigh. This will be
done one at a time (i.e. “What did the elves get out of the first bag?”) and the activity related to
that bag will be performed by the student. Each of the four activities will be in a Christmas bag
or stocking (these will be out in front of the student to help generate interest). The student will
complete the Insta-Snow activity. This is a super-absorbent polymer. It starts as small, hard
grains. Once it absorbs water, it becomes light and fluffy like snow (also feels slightly cooler to
the touch). The second activity will be energy sticks. The student will be able to cause the lights
and buzzers to go off in the stick when he completes the circuit (this will be done by holding
hands with other students). The third activity will be a demonstration because it involves liquid
nitrogen. The students will observe how liquid nitrogen can cause balloons (red and green, of
course) to become smaller, and once back out of the liquid nitrogen they expand back to their
original size. The final activity will also be a demonstration. The students will observe a
modified version of the Diet Coke/Mentos geyser. The Diet Coke will be placed on a platform
with wheels, so that it becomes a “rocket car”. The rocket car will have a picture of Santa and
his sleigh.
CLOSURE:

The teacher will review the four different activities completed by the student and answer any
questions the student has.