Lesson Plan: Solids, Liquids and Gases

1. Lesson Plan Information

Name: Topic: Solids, Liquids and Gases

Grade: 6 Date started: ended:

Subject: Natural Sciences Time: 1 Hour 45 Min

2. CAPS target
Aim (Directly from The CAPS Curriculum):

• All matter is arranged in particles. Particles can be arranged into solids, liquids and gases.

3. Content
What do I want the learners to know and/or be able to do?

Learners need to know that the arrangement of particles in solids, liquids and gases determine the different
properties of these phases of matter. They need to be able to identify which objects are solids, liquids and
gases.

4. Assessment (collect data) / Evaluation (interpret data)

(Recording Devices (where applicable): anecdotal record, checklist, rating scale, rubric)
Informal assessment, peer marking, verbal feedback.

5. Learning Context
A. The Learners
(i) What prior experiences, knowledge and skills do the learners bring with them to this learning
experience?
Learners must have a basic understanding of the different phases of matter.

(ii) How will I differentiate the instruction (content, process and/or product) to ensure the inclusion of all
learners?
Theoretical knowledge is consolidated with practical examples.

B. Learning Environment
How will you arrange the class for this activity?
Learners are to be seated at desks. These can be arranged as single, double or grouped desks.

C. Resources/Materials
What do you need for this lesson?

• Twinkl Solids, Liquids and Gases Resource Pack

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 Lesson Plan: Solids, Liquids and Gases

6. Teaching/Learning Strategies
Lesson One:
Greet learners and inform them that this term the class will be studying solids, liquids and gases. Explain
that the arrangement of particles in these objects lead to them having different properties.

Draw the particles arrangement on the board – your three drawings should indicate the arrangement of:

• Solids – with particles tightly packed together

• Liquids – with particles further apart

• Gases – with the particles spaced far away from each other.

Instruct learners to try and push their hands through the desk. Explain that this impossible because the
particles of the desk are packed so tightly together that they cannot move. Ask learners to think about
running water over their hands. (This can be demonstrated by pouring water over the hand if the class setup
allows for demonstration.) The water moves around their hands because the particles have space to move
around each other. Lastly, ask them to wave their hand back and forth in front of them and notice how there
is no resistance. This is because the particles have enough space to move freely away from each other.

Have learners complete the first cut-and-paste activity where they match the solids, liquids and gases to
their particle make-up and look at an example of each phase.

Explain that some things can move between these states. When the particles of certain solids are heated,
they move away from each other, and the object goes from a solid to a liquid – this is called melting.

Some liquids become gases when heated as their particles move away from each other – this is called
evaporation.

Particles can move closer together as they cool down. A gas can become a liquid as its particles cool down
– this is called condensation.

A liquid can become a solid if its particles move close enough together – this is called freezing.

Have learners complete the second cut-and-paste activity that uses water as an example of a substance
that can move through these different phases as it warms up and cools down.

Homework activities can be selected from supplementary resources if needed.

Lesson Two:
Have learners complete a revision activity to assess learning. Mark the work as a class and select the
concepts to reteach from the additional activities and resources if learners have not performed as well as
expected.

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 Lesson Plan: Solids, Liquids and Gases

7. My Reflections on the Lesson

What do I need to do to become more effective as a teacher in supporting student learning? What worked
what didn’t work? How can I improve next time I present this lesson?

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