Science Lesson Kit · Teacher Resource
Physical & Chemical Changes — 5E Lesson Plan
Physical Science · 55 minutes
Grade 5
5E lesson flow
01
Engage
6 min
Teacher Does
Show ice melting and a gas-producing mixture side by side.
Students Do
List observations without labeling the change yet.
Ask
- What evidence is different?
Look For
Observation before interpretation.
02
Explore
16 min
Teacher Does
Guide a safe mixing investigation and a physical-change comparison.
Students Do
Record starting materials, temperature if used, visible changes, and final observations.
Ask
- What changed that was not present before?
Look For
Specific evidence.
03
Explain
10 min
Teacher Does
Introduce physical/chemical change, reactant, product, and evidence.
Students Do
Classify examples using evidence.
Ask
- Does your evidence require a new-substance explanation?
Look For
Careful reasoning rather than rule memorization.
04
Elaborate
15 min
Teacher Does
Present ambiguous cases and ask what additional evidence would help.
Students Do
Evaluate claims and propose observations or controls.
Ask
- What else would you measure or observe?
Look For
Evidence quality and controls.
05
Evaluate
8 min
Teacher Does
Provide a new change scenario with several observations.
Students Do
Write claim-evidence-reasoning response.
Ask
- How strong is the evidence?
Look For
Calibrated claim.
Student goal
I can use observations from a safe investigation to decide whether evidence supports formation of new substances.
Learning objectives
- Compare observable properties before and after mixing to identify evidence that a new substance may have formed.
- Plan a fair mixing investigation by changing the intended condition while keeping important variables the same and recording before-and-after observations.
- Use evidence to support a careful claim about whether a new substance formed, and explain why one observation such as bubbles alone is not enough evidence.
Materials
- Teacher-approved baking soda and vinegar setup or equivalent safe classroom reaction
- Cups or zip bags as directed
- Thermometers if used
- Salt and water comparison
- Observation sheet
- Safety goggles
Before class
- Use only teacher-approved classroom-safe substances and quantities.
- Review SDS/school procedures as required.
- Prepare a physical-change comparison such as dissolving salt or melting ice.
- Do not seal gas-producing reactions in rigid containers.
Prior knowledge
- Matter has observable properties.
- Physical changes can alter state or form.
- Students can measure temperature and record qualitative observations.
Vocabulary
- physical change
- A change in form, size, or state that does not create a new substance.
- chemical change
- A change in which one or more new substances form.
- substance
- A kind of matter with characteristic properties.
- reactant
- A starting substance in a chemical change.
- product
- A new substance formed in a chemical change.
- evidence
- Observations or measurements used to support a claim.
- gas
- A state of matter that spreads to fill available space.
- property
- A characteristic of matter that can be observed or measured.
Differentiation
- Provide a two-column physical/chemical evidence organizer.
- Use sentence frames for claim and evidence.
- Allow annotated diagrams before written explanations.
- For extension, ask students to distinguish evidence of energy transfer from direct evidence of new substances.
Assessment
- Review observation tables.
- Check classification reasoning.
- Score final CER for accurate, cautious evidence use.
Exit ticket
Choose one observation and explain how strongly it supports a physical- or chemical-change claim.
Extension
Design an evidence checklist for evaluating an unfamiliar material change.