Young Scholars Instructional Plans
“What’s the Matter?”
Fourth Grade
Unit 1A Properties
Revised Session Five
Math and Science
Mastery Objective
Materials
Activator
8:45 am – 9:15 am
(30 minutes)
Students will be able to:
 Apply the Wheel of Scientific Investigation and Reasoning to
investigate to begin to investigate if the properties of a solid or liquid
remain the same after a size change.
 4.OA.5 Generate a number of shape pattern that follows a given rule.
Identify apparent features of the pattern that were not explicit I the
rule itself.
 Class set of Math Forum problem Trapezoid Teatime
 Trapezoid Teatime Math Fundamentals Problem Packet for Teachers
 How Many Are Too Many? Lesson from Navigating Through Problem
Solving and Reasoning in Grade 3, pp. 26-30
 Charts of the Wheel of Scientific Investigation and Reasoning and
Physical Properties of Solids and Liquids handouts (pp. 53-55)
 Ice cubes in a plastic bag
 Student handouts of charts of pages 53-55
 Array of solids and liquids for each small group including foil, plastic
pieces, old overhead transparencies, tongue depressors, thin wire,
paper, cardboard, balloons, syrup, water, Kool-Aid, soda, shaving cream,
ice cubes in a plastic bag, etc.
 Calculator (optional)
 Foam packaging “peanuts”
 Class set of How Many Are Too Many? Recording Sheet (Session 4)
 Pennies, large paper clips, rainbow cubes
 Centimeter ruler or tape measure
Note: Be sure to have the pre-labeled masking tapes for each group with
½ centimeter marks, beginning with ‘0.0 cm’ (in permanent marker)
Question of the Day? (Math Forum Activity)
Trapezoid Teatime [Problem # 3967]
In Trapezoid Teatime solvers explore a "growing" pattern that results from
connecting trapezoids end to end
1. Distribute the Math Forum problem and tell students that they have to use
the information provided to figure out the pattern in the problem. Place
buckets of pattern blocks at each table and tell students that they may use
manipulatives (trapezoid pattern blocks) to assist in exploring and solving
the problem.
2. Float between tables to ask questions as prompts to help students identify
growing patterns and improve their solutions. After the given amount of
time, use the link to virtual pattern blocks and ask students to to explain
how to solve the problem. Allow students to go back to their sheet and
modify their solutions and explanation.
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_170_g_2_t_2.html
Young Scholars Instructional Plans
“What’s the Matter?”
Continue Session Four
Math and Science
Integrated Focus Lesson
9:15 am – 9:45 am
(30 minutes)
Sensory Break
9:45 am- 10:00 am
(15 minutes)
Science Lesson
10:00 am – 10:45 am
(45 minutes)
Closure
10:45 am-11:00 am
(15 minutes)
Fourth Grade
Unit 1A Properties
Lesson: How Many Are Too Many? (Part 2)
Navigating Through Problem Solving and Reasoning in Grade 3: pp. 28-30
1. Divide the students into small groups, of four then distribute student
recording sheets from the previous session. Provide a recap to Part 1 by
having students discuss their findings from using marbles to measure
weight.
2. Let the groups choose two additional units to test (pennies, paper clips,
rainbow cubes) and then have them make their predictions of how many of
the units will sink the boat. Groups should be subdivided into pairs so that
each pair will test one of the two different units that the group selected.
3. Allow pairs to repeat the steps to the investigation with the other unit. The
groups should then share and record each pair’s experimental data in the
charts on their individual sheets. Group members should collaborate to
discuss Questions 4-8 and then report their findings in Question 10.
4. In debriefing the results of their investigation, the students should come to
recognize that the heavier the unit, the fewer of the units they need to sink
a boat. If you provided foam packaging material, they would see that the
substance is too light to cause the boat to sink at all, and the data collection
results of their experiments should have supported or not supported their
hypothesis.
Note: Students will not complete the “extensions.”
Brain Pop: States of Matter
1. Ask students to recall the states of matter (Matter can be solid, liquid, gas,
or plasma). Tell them that they will watch a video and play an interactive
quiz to see how much they know about each state of matter in this
animated BrainPoP movie.
2. Go to the Glencoe Physical Science site below and click on the “States of
Matter Link”. View the video, and then students should Think-Pair-Share to
discuss answers questions provided in the online quiz. Use this information
to clarify misunderstandings related to states of matter
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078617650/student_view0/brainpop_movies.html#
Lesson 4: What Scientists Do?: Observe, Question, Learn More
1. Communicate expectations for collaborative group work and science safety
before beginning the lesson.
2. Project the Wheel of Scientific Investigation and Reasoning that is provided
on the YSP MCPS Wiki space as the components are explained during the
lesson.
Have each student complete the exit ticket “What did I learn today?” Once
students complete their exit ticket, collect them, and prepare for dismissal.
Young Scholars Instructional Plans
“What’s the Matter?”
Fourth Grade
Unit 1A Properties
Name ____________________________________
Date ___________________
Trapezoid Teatime [Problem #3967]
Lipton Elementary School holds an annual tea to honor the parent
volunteers who work in the school. The trapezoid tables they use can seat
one person on each of the three short sides and two people on the long
side. In other words, one table standing alone seats five people.
The tables are arranged in one long row in the cafeteria. When they
connect two tables together, here's how the seating looks:
Questions:
1. How many guests can sit at 5 tables connected in a row? _______________
2. How many guests can sit at 20 tables connected in a row? ________________
Explain how you found your answers. Describe any observations or patterns that helped you.
Extra 1: Use words or numbers and symbols to write a rule for calculating the number of
volunteers that can sit at any given number of tables.
____________________________________
Extra 2: How many tables would it take, arranged in a straight line, to seat 85 volunteers?____