# Lesson Plan: Basic Physical Properties of Materials
## Grade: 1st
### Subject: Science
### Duration: 45 minutes
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### Objectives:
- Students will understand that materials have various physical properties.
- Students will learn to identify and describe simple physical properties such as color, texture, hardness, and flexibility.
- Students will be able to sort materials based on their physical properties.
### Materials Needed:
- A variety of objects made of different materials (e.g., rubber ball, metal spoon, wooden block, cotton ball, plastic toy, glass jar)
- Magnifying glasses
- Worksheets with sorting categories (color, texture, hardness, flexibility)
- Chart paper and markers
- Picture cards representing different materials
- "Mystery Bag" with assorted objects
### Standards:
- NGSS 1-PS4-1: Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and can make materials vibrate.
### Vocabulary:
- Properties
- Texture
- Hardness
- Flexibility
- Material
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### Introduction (10 minutes):
1. **Greet the class** and briefly introduce the topic: "Today, we're going to learn about the basic physical properties of materials. Do you know what properties are?" (Allow for student responses).
2. **Explain** that properties are the characteristics that help us describe and identify different objects.
3. **Show a few objects** (e.g., a rubber ball, a wooden block) and ask students to describe what they see. Prompt students with questions like:
- What color is it?
- How does it feel (texture)?
- Is it hard or soft?
- Can you bend it?
4. **Introduce vocabulary words** and explain their meanings using simple terms and examples.
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### Direct Instruction (10 minutes):
1. **Display a chart** with columns labeled Color, Texture, Hardness, and Flexibility.
2. **Demonstrate** with an object (e.g., rubber ball) and describe its properties:
- Color: Red
- Texture: Smooth
- Hardness: Soft (can be squished a little)
- Flexibility: Flexible (can be squeezed and will change shape slightly)
3. **Repeat with a few more objects** (e.g., wooden block, metal spoon) and fill in the chart as a class.
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### Guided Practice (15 minutes):
1. **Distribute objects** to pairs or small groups of students along with magnifying glasses.
2. **Provide worksheets** for students to record the properties of each object they examine.
3. **Instruct students** to use the magnifying glasses to look closely at their objects and fill in the worksheet based on their observations.
4. **Walk around** the room to assist and engage with students as they work.
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### Independent Practice (5 minutes):
1. **Present the "Mystery Bag"** containing assorted objects.
2. **Invite a few students** to come up, pick an object from the bag without looking, and describe its properties to the class.
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### Closing (5 minutes):
1. **Gather students** and review the properties discussed.
2. **Encourage students** to share anything new they learned or found interesting about the materials.
3. **Summarize the lesson**: “Today, we learned that materials have different properties like color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. These properties help us understand and describe the world around us.”
4. **Assign a simple homework** task: Students find one object at home, describe its properties, and bring the description to the next class.
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### Assessment:
- **Observation** during guided practice.
- **Completion and accuracy** of worksheets.
- **Participation** in class discussions and the "Mystery Bag" activity.
### Differentiation:
- **For students with special needs**: Provide additional support with 1:1 assistance.
- **For advanced students**: Encourage them to think of more complex properties and compare objects in more detail.
### Extensions:
- **Art and Science Project**: Create a collage with different materials showing various properties.
- **Field Trip**: Visit a playground or park and investigate the materials and their properties (sand, metal swings, rubber mats, etc.).
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### Reflection:
- **After the lesson, ask**:
- Did students understand the concept of physical properties?
- Were the activities engaging and appropriate for their age level?
- What could be improved for the next lesson?
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By focusing on fun, hands-on activities, this lesson aims to spark curiosity and help first graders grasp essential scientific concepts about the physical properties of materials.