Icy Discovery: Exploring Ice and Water

Materials Needed

• Several ice cubes
• Two small bowls
• Warm water and cool water
• A towel or tray
• A clear cup
• A spoon
• Optional: food coloring, salt, and a freezer
• Paper and crayons

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:

• Say that ice is frozen water.
• Describe ice as cold, hard, and slippery.
• Notice and describe how ice changes when it gets warm.
• Sort or compare objects by temperature, texture, or size.
• Share one observation using words, drawings, or gestures.

Success Criteria

I can:

• Tell what ice is made of.
• Use words such as cold, hard, wet, and melt.
• Show or tell what happens to ice in a warm place.
• Make a picture or explain one thing I noticed.

Introduction: Hook and Objectives

Ask: “What do you think is hiding in this bowl? It feels very cold!”

Let the child touch an ice cube briefly or observe it with a magnifying glass if available.

Say: “Today we will be ice scientists. We will look, touch, listen, and find out what happens when ice gets warm.”

Quick Think-and-Talk

Invite the child to answer with words, gestures, or drawings:

• “Have you ever seen ice?”
• “Where might we find ice?”
• “What does ice feel like?”

Body

I Do: Teacher or Adult Demonstration

Hold up an ice cube and model careful observation.

Say:

• “This ice cube is cold.”
• “It is hard right now.”
• “Ice is water that has become frozen.”
• “When ice gets warm, it melts and becomes water again.”

Place one ice cube in your hand or on a tray. Watch it for a moment.

Ask: “What do you see? Is the ice staying the same, or is something changing?”

Formative Check

Show the ice and a cup of water. Ask:

• “Which one is hard?”
• “Which one can we pour?”
• “Are they both made of water?”

We Do: Ice Investigation

Work together to test what happens to ice in different places.

1. Put one ice cube in a bowl in a warm spot.
2. Put another ice cube in a bowl in a cooler spot.
3. Check both ice cubes every few minutes.
4. Use simple words to describe what you notice.

Use a chart with words or pictures:

Talk Like a Scientist

Encourage the child to complete these sentences:

• “The ice feels _____.”
• “I see _____.”
• “The ice is getting _____.”
• “I think the ice will _____.”

You Do: Choose an Ice Challenge

Let the child choose one or more activities.

Choice A: Melt Race

1. Place an ice cube on a plate.
2. Try warming it with hands, placing it near a sunny window, or leaving it on the table.
3. Watch what happens.
4. Tell or draw which ice cube melted first.

Choice B: Ice Rescue

1. Freeze a small safe toy inside an ice cube or a container of ice ahead of time.
2. Give the child a spoon and warm water.
3. Ask: “How can we help the toy get out?”
4. Try tapping, pouring warm water, or waiting.

Remind the child not to put small toys or ice in their mouth.

Choice C: Ice Artist

1. Add a drop of food coloring to water and freeze it.
2. Use the colored ice to make marks on thick paper.
3. Watch the colors change as the ice melts.
4. Name the colors and describe the wet marks.

Choice D: Make Ice

1. Pour water into an ice tray with adult help.
2. Ask the child to predict what will happen in the freezer.
3. Freeze the water.
4. Check it later and compare the water with the ice.

Formative Assessment: Show Me

Ask the child to show or tell:

• Which item is ice?
• What happens when ice gets warm?
• What does ice become when it melts?
• Which ice cube melted faster? How do you know?

Real-World Connection

Talk about where people use ice:

• Keeping drinks cold
• Cooling food in a cooler
• Making frozen treats
• Seeing ice outside on a cold day

Ask: “When might you want something to stay cold?”

Adaptations and Differentiation

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use picture cards for cold, hard, wet, and melt.
• Offer sentence starters such as “Ice is _____.”
• Let the child point, act, or draw instead of answering with words.
• Use only one ice cube and one water cup for a simple comparison.

For a Child Ready for More

• Test ice in sunlight, shade, warm water, and cool water.
• Predict which ice cube will melt first and explain why.
• Measure melting with a simple timer.
• Ask: “Can we turn melted water back into ice?”

Flexible Learning Options

• Hands-on: Touch, observe, and test ice.
• Digital: Take before-and-after photographs or record a short explanation.
• Verbal: Tell a story about a melting ice cube.
• Written or artistic: Draw the ice before and after melting.

Summative Assessment: Ice Scientist Demonstration

Invite the child to complete this short demonstration:

1. Point to the ice and say or show that it is frozen water.
2. Describe the ice using at least two words.
3. Place the ice in a warm location.
4. Explain or demonstrate what will happen next.
5. Draw or tell one thing learned during the investigation.

Simple Assessment Guide

• Beginning: Explores ice with adult support.
• Developing: Uses one observation word and notices melting.
• Meeting the Goal: Explains that ice is frozen water and describes melting.
• Extending: Makes a prediction and gives a reason for it.

Conclusion: Recap and Reflection

Say: “Today we learned that ice is frozen water. Ice is cold and hard. When ice gets warm, it melts and becomes water.”

Child Recap

Invite the child to finish these sentences:

• “Ice is _____.”
• “When ice gets warm, it _____.”
• “My favorite ice activity was _____.”

Exit Activity

The child draws two pictures:

1. An ice cube before it melts
2. A puddle of water after it melts

Celebrate the child by saying: “You used your eyes, hands, and thinking skills like a real ice scientist!”