PROJECT - Matter

INTRODUCTION

This activity is addressed to children aged between 10 and 12 (CS de Primària) and for those schools that teach science in English. Matter will be embraced through the four main skills: Reading, writing, listening and speaking.


COMPETENCES

• Competence in linguistic and audiovisual communication
• Competence in using ICT
• Learning to learn
• Autonomy and personal initiative

AIMS

• To learn the different states of matter: solid, liquid and gas
• To recognize the most important changes of state: melting, solidification, boiling, evaporation, condensation and sublimation
• To be able to recognize and use the new vocabulary
• To create a glogster about the topic

CONTENTS

• Competence in linguistic and audiovisual communication
• Competence in using ICT
• Learning to learn
• Autonomy and personal initiative

METHODOLOGY

The idea is to teach a difficult and complicated topic in an easy and more lively way. The pupils will either work individually (in class) or in pairs depending on the task (in the computer room) while elaborating their final presentation: a glogster. In the second session the children will orally present the glogster to the rest of the class.



ACTIVITIES

Listening and Reading:

First, we start introducing the new vocabulary and explaining that everything in the universe is made of matter. E.g.: the sun, rocks, plants,...this is why they have shape, weight, colour and specific temperature.
After that the teacher will use the projector and play them a song about the states of matter.

Link:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V9WYweBA6vA?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>

The pupils will have to listen carefully, recognise and answer some questions about the video. It is also possible to ask them to invent similar lyrics of the song and prepare a basic coreography.


Writing:

In the following session children will go to the computer room and create a glogster about what they know of the topic. They are asked to add pictures and videos.

Speaking:

In the third session they will orally explain the contents of the glogster to their classmates.



TIMING

Three sessions

• Present simple
• Present continuous
• Imperative forms

The States of Matter Song

Our Solar System - Size Of Planets and Stars to Scale

English webs to improve children's skills

http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/ An excellent way to improve English through stories, games, songs and arts and crafts.
First I would present the web to the children and explain them how to use it by showing them some examples. Some of the activities could be used as reinforcement activities or simply as having fun by playing the games and listening to the stories.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml
A very useful web for those schools that teach science in a foreign language (English in this case). It is separated into different blocs and divided into different ages. Children learn about animals, plants and other topics by playing and answering quizzes.
I would use it in class using the projector and playing the games with some volunteers (warm-up activity). After that I would challenge the children to elaborate a project about a specific topic and use this web to get the needed information.