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 the ice-change visual and the mixing-investigation visual. Ask students to list observations without naming either change yet.
Students Do
Describe what they can directly observe and separate observations from conclusions.
Ask
- What can you observe directly?
- Which statements are measurements, and which are interpretations?
- What evidence would you want before naming the change?
Look For
Students describe state, bubbles, temperature, color, or other properties before using the labels physical or chemical.
02
Explore
17 min
Teacher Does
Guide groups through the safe open-cup baking-soda-and-vinegar investigation. Keep quantities and setup consistent across groups.
Students Do
Record starting properties and temperature, mix the substances, record observations during the change, then record final properties and temperature.
Ask
- What was present before mixing?
- What appeared only after mixing?
- Which evidence can you measure rather than only describe?
Look For
Complete before/during/after records, safe procedure, and relevant observations.
03
Explain
10 min
Teacher Does
Introduce physical change, chemical change, reactant, product, property, and evidence. Compare the physical-change case with the mixing evidence.
Students Do
Sort observations into physical-change evidence, chemical-change evidence, and observations that are ambiguous without context.
Ask
- What does the ice case require us to explain?
- Which mixing observations are strongest together?
- Why is one dramatic clue not automatically proof?
Look For
Students connect a chemical-change claim to multiple observations rather than a memorized single-clue rule.
04
Elaborate
14 min
Teacher Does
Present boiling water and sparkling-water bubbles as ambiguous examples. Ask students to compare context and propose stronger evidence.
Students Do
Explain why bubbles alone are not enough and identify additional observations or measurements that would strengthen a claim.
Ask
- Can gas bubbles appear during a physical change?
- What additional evidence would help?
- Does reversibility define a physical change?
Look For
Students reject the idea that bubbles or reversibility alone determine the type of change.
05
Evaluate
8 min
Teacher Does
Give students the worksheet claim prompt and require at least two observations.
Students Do
Write a claim-evidence explanation calibrated to the evidence.
Ask
- Which two observations are your strongest evidence?
- Does your claim say more than your data can support?
Look For
A careful claim that evidence is consistent with new substances forming, supported by relevant observations.
Student goal
I can use before-and-after observations and measurements to decide whether evidence supports formation of new substances.
Learning objectives
- I can compare properties before and after a change and separate observations from conclusions.
- I can carry out a fair mixing investigation by keeping important conditions consistent and recording evidence.
- I can use multiple observations to support a careful claim about whether new substances formed.
Materials
- Safety goggles
- Clear open plastic cups
- Small measured portions of baking soda
- Small measured portions of household vinegar
- Classroom thermometers if available
- Measuring spoon or small cup
- Tray or shallow bin
- Paper towels
- Observation sheet or science notebook
- Ice and a clear cup for the physical-change comparison
Before class
- Use school-approved household vinegar and baking soda quantities and follow local classroom safety procedures.
- Set the reaction cups on trays and keep the gas-producing mixture open to the air; never seal it in a rigid container.
- Prepare equal starting portions for groups so results can be compared.
- If thermometers are used, check them before class and have students record actual values rather than expecting a specific temperature drop.
- Prepare an ice-melting comparison and the boiling-water image as evidence cases; students do not need to handle a hot plate.
Prior knowledge
- Matter has observable and measurable properties.
- State changes can occur without creating a new substance.
- Students can read a classroom thermometer and record observations.
Vocabulary
- physical change
- A change in form, size, or state that does not produce 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 substance formed during a chemical change.
- evidence
- Observations or measurements used to support a scientific 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 three-column organizer: BEFORE / DURING / AFTER.
- Use the sentence frame: “The evidence supports ___ because we observed ___ and measured ___.”
- Allow students to annotate the reaction-before and reaction-after visuals before writing.
- For students who need quantitative support, provide a thermometer number line and model how to state a temperature difference.
- For extension, ask students to compare bubbling in the reaction, boiling water, and sparkling water and explain why context matters.
Assessment
- Check before/during/after records for relevant properties and measurements.
- Listen for students separating observation from interpretation.
- Check that bubbles are not treated as automatic proof in every situation.
- Score the final claim for at least two relevant pieces of evidence and appropriate claim strength.
Exit ticket
A change produces bubbles and a 4 °C temperature change. What additional information would you want before making a chemical-change claim, and why?
Extension
Design a comparison that would make the mixing investigation stronger without changing many conditions at once.