Objective: Students are to be exposed to the concept of conservation within several different real-life scenarios, developing an understanding that

attributes (mass, capacity, length) are unchanging despite changes in their physical appearance.
AusVELS Level: One Domain Mathematics AusVELS Standards: Content strand Standard Units of Measurement Measure and compare the lengths and capacities of pairs of objects using uniform informal units (ACMMG019) Students interact with peers and develop social relationships (VCAA, 2013) Students share and inquiry into their own developed questions, and explain observations gained (VCAA, 2013) Conservation tools: Funnel 2 Measuring cups Rolling pin One wide glass One thin glass One wide bowl One thin bowl

Interpersonal Development Thinking Processes

Materials: Play-dough: 2 cups flour 2 cups warm water 1 cup salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon cream of tartar Food colouring

Lesson outline: 1. Gather students in kitchen and begin explaining that sometimes the outside appearance of an object can trick us into thinking it is different. Inform students that they will have to keep this in mind when they work in small groups with the ingredients. 2. Using measuring cups get students to measure out two cups of flour for the play-dough. Ask students to place one cup of flour in both the wide bowl and the skinny bowl. Ask them how much flour is in each bowl, and then ask them think, pair, share about which bowl they think might have the most flour in it. Questioning: Which bowl has the most flour in it? Why? 3. Using a funnel, get students to tip the flour from each bowl back into the original measuring cups. Questioning: How much flour was in each bowl? Was it the same? Did the amount change then? What do you think made it confusing for us to tell that both held the same amount? Opportunity for Think, Pair, Share. 4. Conduct the same investigation and questioning when pouring out the two cups of warm water, this time into one wider glass and one skinny glass. 5. Combine all ingredients in the one mixing bowl and ask students to take note of how much mixture there is altogether. Questioning: Do you think this amount will change after the play-dough has been cooked and split up for us all to play with? Opportunity for Think, Pair, Share. 6. Heat up all ingredients together in saucepan and stir until dough pulls away from the sides of the pan. Take it out and let it cool, whilst asking students to choose a colour. 7. Once cool and coloured, partition up the dough for students and ask them to reflect on the amount of mixture in the bowl. Questioning: Is there more, less or the same amount of dough now that it has been cooked and split up? What do you think?

8. Get students to roll out their play-dough into a skinny sausage/round ball/flat pancake/ and ask students whether or not the amount of play-dough stays the same or changes with its appearance Conclusion: Conduct circle time and ask students to share what they learned from the lesson. Ask students about what happened to the amount of play-dough even when it looked very different to its beginning state. Assessment: Informal observations of students grasp of conservation- their contributions to think, pair, share and end discussion.

Play-dough recipe
(retrieved from http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/article/how-to-make-play-dough-a541.html)

Ingredients

2 cups flour 2 cups warm water 1 cup salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon cream of tartar Food colouring

Making the dough

Combine all ingredients (except food colouring) in a saucepan and stir over low heat. Dough is ready to be removed when it pulls away from the pan and begins to form a ball. Remove and allow tocool. Once it is cool, knead the dough to make it extra smooth. Add food dye to in small indentation and knead throughout dough. Store play-dough in an airtight containers or snap-and-lock bag to prevent it from drying out.