Melanie Bean

Lesson Plan Innovation Project

15 October 2015

Existing Lesson Plan:

Grade: First Grade
Subject Area: Science
School: Oakbrook Elementary
Physical Setting: First Grade Classroom
District: Utica Public Schools
Lesson Plan Title: Oobleck Science Experiment
Rational: Students will be practicing listening skills, writing skills, making connections from a
book to real life, making predictions, using senses to describe the oobleck and states of mater
Curriculum Standards:
Literacy RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text
S.IA.01.12 Share ideas about science through purposeful conversation.
S.IA.01.13 Communicate and present findings of observations.
S.RS.01.11 Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances, models,
exhibits, and activities
Literacy L 1.6 Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to,
and responding to texts including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple
relationships.
Why I am teaching the lesson: To help students make connections between books and real life.
This will also improve their listening and direction skill. The students will be able to explore
when two states of mater are combined and can be considered both a solid and a liquid. They will
be using prediction skills and using their senses to describe the oobleck.
How is the lesson relevant to the students: We have been talking about states of mater and Dr.
Seuss for March is reading month.
Objectives:
SWBAT retell important details about oobleck from the Dr. Seuss book Bartholomew and the
Oobleck with 90% accuracy
SWBAT follow directions and listen to instructions with 95% accuracy
SWBAT make a prediction in two sentences using their previous knowledge about oobleck of
what will happen when we mix our ingredients together with 100% accuracy
SWBAT describe what they see, hear, feel and smell from the oobleck experiment with 100%
accuracy.
SWBAT draw what they saw in the experiment when the oobleck was a solid and a liquid at 90%
accuracy.
Materials Needed:
1. Plastic cups
2. Plastic spoons

3. Corn starch
4. Measuring cups
5. Paper to cover the table
6. Zipper bags
7. Food coloring (optional)
8. Experiment worksheet
9. Plates
10. Pencil
11. Crayons
12. ELMO for displaying experiment worksheet
Teacher Procedure/ Lesson Development:
Introduction: Good morning first graders today we are going to make our very own oobleck!
This science experiment is going to be a little bit messy. It is okay if you get the oobleck on your
clothes dont worry it will come out in the wash. We are going to be good scientists and create
our very own oobleck like we saw in the book Bartholomew and the oobleck yesterday by Dr.
Seuss. For us to make the oobleck and have a good time we need to all be listening and following
directions, so this experiment can work and be fun. If you are having a hard time following
directions and listening you will only be given one warring, so lets be on our best behavior and
get ready to explore. I have laid some paper on your table to keep the mess on the table. I also
have the ingredients for you and a partner at your table to use. You and your partner will be
making the oobleck together. I will first demonstrate how to do it and we will go through step by
step together.
Methods and Procedures:
1. Meet at the carpet and have discussion of what we will be doing for our science experiment
2. Ask the students what the oobleck was described like inside our book we read yesterday
3. Have the students go back to their seats and wait patiently for the next instruction without
touching the materials at the table. One of the partners will meet the teacher at the back of the
room to get their colored water.
4. Show the students what materials we will be using during this experiment.
5. The students will answer part on of the experiment sheet in one to two sentences (Prediction
section)
6. The teacher will demonstrate how to pour the water into the corn starch by using the spoon
while explaining to the students to use a small amount at a time until they get the right
consistency.
7. The teacher will mix her corn starch and water mixture with the spoon and explain to the
students that it might be a little hard to stir because we are stirring a form of mater that is a
solid and a liquid.
8. Show the students what the end results would look like by walking around to each table
9. Students will begin to add their water and food coloring by taking turns with their partner to
add to the corn starch
10. Students will stir the mixture taking turns with their partner

11. Once the oobleck is the right mixture the students will pour the oobleck in their hand over
their plate. Both partners will feel the oobleck and explore their ooblecks. They will use their
senses to describe the oobleck.
12. Students will finish the experiment worksheet.
13. The teacher will review what describing words are
14. The teacher will talk about what the students saw when they explored their oobleck (calling
on few students)
15. The teacher will talk about what the students heard when they explored their oobleck
(calling on few students)
16. The teacher will talk about what the students felt when they explored their oobleck (calling
on few students)
17. The teacher will talk about what the students smelled when they explored their oobleck
(calling on few students)
18. The students will then be asked to draw a picture of what their oobleck looked like when it
was a solid and a liquid. The students will be asked to use as much detail as possible in their
drawing.
19. As the students are drawing the teacher will go around and help students dispose of the
oobleck
20. Once students finish their drawing they will place their experiment worksheet into the wire
turn in basket, help clean up the table mess and wash their hands.
21. Class will have a discussion of how their oobleck and the books oobleck were similar and
different.
Closure: Have a wrap up conversation about what oobleck is. Have the students talk about how
their oobleck and the books oobleck were similar and different. Ask the students if they could
have the sky rain oobleck like the king did would they enjoy it?
Technology Use: The class projector the ELMO for displaying experiment worksheet
Accommodations/ Adaptations:
1. Stand by struggling students to allow them to hear directions and follow along easily
2. Place experiment worksheet on the projector ( ELMO) for all students to see examples to
reference too.
3. Partner work/ table work for assistance with missed directions
4. Gifted students can be given an additional respond to answer on the back of the sheet if they
finish before other students
Assessments and evaluations:
The teacher will observe and make sure that all students are following directions and listening to
the steps of the experiment.
Students will participate in group conversations making connections to the Dr. Seuss book
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Students will compete the experiment worksheet using one to two sentences to make a
predictions, using their senses to describe the oobleck and draw a picture of the oobleck when it
was solid and liquid.

Analysis of lesson and rational for changes:

I choose to use this lesson plan and innovate it for my students because I feel that they
would benefit from this experiment in a small group setting. The students are learning about
different forms of matter and a hand on experience is always more memorable and fun for all
students. This lesson is a really fun lesson for all ages. The lesson starts off with one of Dr.
Seusss most famous books. This book is super silly and will really grab the attention of the
students. The students will be able to make real life connections to the story of a time when they
made a poor decision and they saw the consequences that came along with it. The teacher will
also be able to ask the students questions about key details in the book. The students also will get
to see the unique state of matter oobleck in a smaller setting.
The students would not be able to perform the entire experiment with a partner, so that is
why the resource room with simple step directions would better suit the students. The students
will be given a sentence frame to make predictions based on what they think will happen when
the ingredients of the oobleck are mixed together. The students will be given several simple step
instructions and prompting throughout the entire experiment allowing them to be successful.
The students will be able to reference the outcome of the experiment by observing the
oobleck being made first in front of them. The students will be prompted during the small group
activity during the making the oobleck in simple steps while taking turns with classmates. This
also helps with their communication and socialization skills. This will also allow the teacher to
ask the students questions on what they are observing and what they think is happening during
each step of the experiment.
The students would not be able to perform this experiment by their self or with a partner
and be successful. The original lesson would over stimulate them and they would not be able to
follow the directions other than in simple step form with teacher prompting. When the teacher is
prompting the students we can at least know that the students are being exposed to the
information in a smaller setting. The students will be able to verbalize what they are seeing
during the experiment and not have to express it in writing. This will show the teacher that the
students are still understanding the material being presented. The students will then be asked to
complete a drawing of the two states of mater the oobleck was and this will reinforce the
different states of mater.
With these modifications to this lesson the students will still be exposed and will be
getting the information required. The students are also given the opportunity to participate in fun
science experiment and meet state standards.

Lesson Plan Innovation

Melanie Bean
School in which the lesson is being taught: Higgins Elementary
Grade: Resource Room Kindergarten-Third Grade
Subject: Science
Title of the lesson: Making Oobleck
Time needed for lesson: Lesson will take place over two days. First day 30 Minutes
Second day 1 hour
1

LEARNERS & LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Engaging and Supporting Diverse Learners:

Demographics
11 students
5-11 years old
8 Caucasian, 2 African American and 1 Hispanic
9

boys and 2 girls

All of the children have at least one or more impairments. The students
range from CI, ASD and LD
Strengths
Connecting real life situations to topic discussed
Using their imagination during read a louds
Following simple steps
Needs
Following directions
Explanation of difficult words
Understanding more complex science experiments

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

The classroom is set up to accommodate all students. This particular lesson will
take place as a group on the carpet and then move to the kidney shaped table for
the second day of the lesson.
The classroom has several different areas within the classroom for students to take
a break if they become over stimulated.
The classroom provides bumpy seats for children that need them during carpet
discussions
The classroom has a ELMO to project simple steps on the smart board for
reminders
Materials & Digital Tools Needed

All Materials will be located in a file box on the counter behind the kidney shaped table and on
the counter
1. Plastic cups
2. Plastic spoons
3. Corn starch
4. Measuring cups
5. Paper to cover the table
6. Zipper bags
7. Food coloring (optional)
8. Experiment worksheet to draw observation
9. Plates
10. Pencil
11. Crayons
12. ELMO for displaying simple steps
13. Bartholomew and the Oobleck.
2

OUTCOMES & ASSESSMENT

a

State Standards and Student Outcomes Related to the Content of the

Lesson

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.10
Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.
S.IA.01.12
Share ideas about science through purposeful conversation.
S.IA.01.13
Communicate and present findings of observations.
S.RS.01.11
Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances, models,
exhibits, and activities
Students will be able to retell important details about oobleck from the Dr. Seuss book
Bartholomew and the Oobleck with 80% accuracy with prompting

Students will be able to follow directions and listen to simple step instructions with 80%
accuracy
Students will be able to make a prediction in one sentences using their previous knowledge about
oobleck of what will happen when we mix our ingredients together with 70% accuracy
Students will be able to describe what they see, hear, feel and smell from the oobleck experiment
with 80% accuracy and prompting.
Students will be able to draw what they saw in the experiment when the oobleck was a solid and
a liquid at 80% accuracy.
b

Assessment and EvaluationEvidence of Student Learning

Assessment and Evaluation method will be based on the students participation

and completion of independent work
Students will be required to answer questions asked by the teacher during the
reading
Students will be asked to make a prediction of what will happen when
ingredients are mixed
Students will be asked to follow simple step directions during the making of the
oobleck
Student will be evaluated on if they completed a drawing of the oobleck in solid
and liquid form
Oobleck Experiment

Student
completed

Student did
not complete

Student participated
during the read a loud
Made prediction of what
will happen
Followed simple step
directions
Student drew a picture
of both states of matter
c

INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE
a

IntroductionEngaging Students, Activating Prior Knowledge,

and Setting Lesson Goals

Good morning boys and girls today we are going to make our very own oobleck! This
science experiment is going to be a little bit messy. It is okay if you get the oobleck
on your clothes dont worry it will come out in the wash. We are going to be good
scientists and create our very own oobleck like we saw in the book Bartholomew and
the oobleck yesterday by Dr. Seuss. For us to make the oobleck and have a good time
we need to all be listening and following directions, so this experiment can work and
be fun. If you are having a hard time following directions and listening you will only
be given two warring, so lets be on our best behavior and get ready to explore. I
know this is going to be super exciting, but we have to remember to still be following
our classroom rules. I have laid some paper on out kidney shaped table to keep the
mess on the table. I also have the ingredients for us at the table to use. We are going
to be making the oobleck together. We will first make our predictions and then I will

demonstrate how make the oobleck. Then we will take turns and go through step by
step together.
b Instructional Procedure: Engaging Students in Actively
Constructing Deep Understanding

1. Meet at the carpet and have discussion of what we will be doing for our science
experiment
2. Ask the students what the oobleck was described like inside our book we read
yesterday with prompting
3. Have the students meet at the kidney shaped table
4. Show the students what materials we will be using during this experiment.
5. The students will answer in one sentence using the sentence frame provided
Prediction: I think.
. will happen when we mix the ingredients
together. Teacher will model prediction
6. The teacher will demonstrate how to pour the water into the corn starch by using the
spoon while explaining to the students that we will use a small amount at a time until
they get the right consistency.
7. The teacher will mix her corn starch and water mixture with the spoon and explain to
the students that it might be a little hard to stir because we are stirring a form of mater
that is a solid and a liquid.
8. Show the students what the end results would look like by passing the cup around the
kidney shaped table for all students to see
9. Students will begin to take turns adding the premixed colored water and add to the
premeasured corn starch
10. Students will stir the mixture taking turns with the group
11. Once the oobleck is the right mixture the teacher will split the oobleck evenly
among the students and pour it into their hand over the plates. All students will feel the
oobleck and explore the ooblecks. They will use their senses to describe the oobleck.
12. Students will then draw a picture of the oobleck when it was solid and liquid.
13. As the students are drawing the teacher will clean up and dispose of the oobleck
14. Once students finish their drawing they wash their hands and go sit on the carpet.
15. Class will have a discussion of how their oobleck and the books oobleck different or
the same
c

Technology UseTechnology as a Tool for Effective Teaching

& Learning
The ELMO and Smart board was used to display simple step
directions and to show teacher examples

ClosureStudents Summarize and Synthesize Their Learning

Have a wrap up conversation about what oobleck is. Have the students talk about how
their oobleck and the books oobleck were the same or different. Ask the students if they
could have the sky rain oobleck like the king did would they enjoy it? What would
happen if it did rain oobleck? The students will have an extension project to draw a silly
picture where oobleck rained from the sky and write a describing sentence about their
illustration.

d REFERENCES & RESOURCES

Dr. Seuss. (1949). Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Random House
New York.
e PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Teacher Reflection