Geneva College

Beaver Falls, PA

Science Lesson Plan

Name: Kelsey McFarland Date: 3/5/21

Subject: Science Grade Level: 1st Grade

I. Topic
Oobleck: creating a substance and predicting if objects will sink or float.

II. PA or Common Core Standards

3.2.1.A1 Observe and describe the properties of liquids and solids. Investigate what happens when solids are
mixed with water and other liquids are mixed with water.
3.1.1.A9 Plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different kinds
of investigations.

III. Learning Objectives: Objectives must be written using observable verbs

TSWBAT make a prediction of whether objects will sink of float in the Oobleck (prediction).
TSWBAT observe and describe the properties of the substance.
TSWBAT observe and describe whether the objects sank or floated on the substance (results).

IV. Materials
 Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss
 prediction worksheet
 water
 corn starch
 food coloring
 small, plastic containers
 small plates
 plastic spoons
 paper towels

V. Lesson Development
A. Introduction
Remind students that this week is Dr. Seuss week. Introduce the story Bartholomew and the Oobleck to
the students. Ask the students if they have ever heard the word “Oobleck” before or what they think it
is. Tell students they will hear about Oobleck in the story. Read the story to students.

B. Lesson development (activities, procedures)

Following reading, tell students they will be creating their own Oobleck. Ask students what they think
the Oobleck will feel like and look like. Ask students if it will be a liquid or a solid. Record these
descriptions on the board.
Set up the rules of the experiment for the students:
 1. Students will remain at a level zero when instructions are being given.
2. Everyone will have their own container of Oobleck.
3. Students are to keep the materials of the experiment on their desk.
4. Students will not touch anything other than the materials they are instructed to.
5. Students will wash their hands following the experiment and wipe their desks.

Give each student a plastic container with 3 tablespoons of water, a spoon, and a paper towel. Each
student will receive 2 tablespoons of corn starch and 2-3 drops of food coloring. Tell students to gently
mix the substances together using the spoon when they have received their 2 tablespoons of corn
starch. Allow students a few minutes to mix their Oobleck and get to know the substance. Ask students
to describe the Oobleck and write these descriptions next to their predictions. Ask whether it is a liquid
or a solid.

Ask students to put their Oobleck container on top of their name tag and place their spoon onto the
paper towel. Pass out the prediction worksheet. Tell students they are going to place common objects
into the Oobleck and see whether they will sink or float. Go down the list of items and ask students to
circle their predictions in the prediction column of whether the object will sink of float in the Oobleck.
Remind students that when predicting something you are taking a guess at what will happen. Tell them
that it is okay if they were wrong because they are just making a guess.
 Pass out a paperclip to each student. Students will take their Oobleck and place it in front of them with
their paper to the side. Have them put the paperclip in the substance and observe what happens.
Students will circle float or sink under the result column after observing. Collect the paper clips. Pass out
a penny to each student. Repeat this process for each of the items on the list.

C. Evidence of differentiated instruction (content, process, product, or learning environment)

Process: Allowing students time to experiment with each item and the substance. The students will have
time to get used to the substance and observe its characteristics.
Product: Students who struggle with writing can circle their prediction and results instead of writing
answers.

D. Closure (summary)
Ask students to wash their hands and close the container with their Oobleck. Have each student wipe
down their desk. Ask students to have their worksheet on the desk. As a class, discuss the student’s
predictions and what they observed during the experiment.

VI. Assessment/evaluation
Observe student’s descriptions of the substance and record these on the board.
Collect student’s worksheets to check if they made a prediction and recorded the results.

VII. Modifications or accommodations

The worksheet does not require students to write any predictions or results of the experiment. The students can
simply circle their answer. The students who struggle with writing will not have to focus on their writing for this
experiment.

VIII. Self-evaluation
This lesson was given while my cooperating teacher was out for COVID. I read the story Bartholomew and the
Oobleck the day before we did the experiment. Students were engaged during the story and I asked for their
predictions of what was going to happen throughout the story After reading, I explained that we were going to
make our own Oobleck the next day by experimenting. I set up the expectations for the experiment for the
students to follow throughout the lesson. I had the plastic containers with the water on their desks before they
returned from gym. Each student had a spoon and paper towel on their desk. I walked around and added 2
tablespoons of corn starch and asked students to begin mixing. I walked around and asked which color they
wanted their Oobleck and added food coloring. I had to add 2 more tablespoons to each student’s containers
because there was not enough corn starch. Then the substance started to get harder to mix. I showed students
how the Oobleck should look by holding up my own mixture. Once students had their substance, I passed out
the worksheet. I explained that they were going to be given different objects and would test whether they
would float or sink in the Oobleck. I told students they were going to predict which objects would sink or float
before using the objects. The students circled their predictions. I passed out each object as they were listed on
the worksheet. Then they circled whether the objects floated on the Oobleck or sank. I then went through the
worksheet and asked students what their predictions were and whether they were correct or not. The students
were excited to make something and experiment with it. They continuously asked me if we could repeat this
experiment. Next time, I would increase the amount of corn starch. I would also emphasize that predictions are
their own thoughts and are not necessarily incorrect.