The Engineering Place (K-20 Outreach)

Silly Stuff (K-2nd)

Lesson plan developed by Sarah Tudor

Overview:
This activity is to make silly putty.

This takes about 10 minutes to set up and 20 minutes to create.

1st grade, Number of students: 25

The students watched 2 materials change into something else.

Subject Covered: Chemistry

Purpose (Objective):
The students will be able to see changes in materials. They also can discuss what makes something a solid or a liquid. This was their unit on silly stuff.

Materials:
2 tubs of glue ½ cup for each (I did about ¼)

Liquid starch ½ cup for each (I did about ¼)

Lots of Ziploc bags

Getting Ready (Background Information):
The night before I poured the glue in all of the bags. This was to save time in the classroom.

Motivate! (Engage):
I asked them what is a solid or a liquid. They gave me examples. Then I told them that they are going to make something that might be in between.

Activity (Explore):

The students started off on the carpet. I explained the activity. I told them they needed to work hard so that the putty would be done. In class, I poured the liquid starch in the bags. The students began to kneed the glue and starch. When they were done, the students had a chance to play with the putty. We did have a few minutes to discuss what they think it is. We were rushed for time.

Safety Tips:
They had to know they could not eat this or let their little siblings eat this either. They also knew to put it in the trash can after they are done with it (NOT DOWN THE SINK).

Closure:
There was not really enough time to bring it to an end. They had to wash hands, clean up and go to the next class. While they were working they had a chance to talk about what happened inside the bag.

Assessment (Evaluation):

This was one of their units. They loved getting messy and dirty. I think they understood the concepts behind solids and liquids because the teachers had done this already. Some students had a hard time with controlling themselves. They were too excited, and they made many holes in their bags.

Connections (Integration with Other Content Areas):

This activity could be integrated with math — measurements and proportions. The students could write a story about the silly putty. In upper grades they could vary the items in the bags to see what happens. This could be an activity in the 5-step scientific process.

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