Exploring Ice Change

Year Level

Preschool (New Entrants/Year 1-2; Special Education Focus)

Unit Overview

Unit Title: Exploring Changes Together
Lesson Number: 3 of 12
Lesson Title: Exploring Ice: From Solid to Liquid
Duration: 30 minutes
Class Size: 12 students

Curriculum Links

This lesson is aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh — Science strand for early childhood and initial primary levels, focusing on Nature of Science and Physical World strands, specifically understanding how materials change state and the use of the senses to explore the world.

Key Learning Areas & Strands:

Science > Nature of Science > Investigating in science (Exploring & observing changes)
Science > Physical World > Properties and Changes of Materials
Focus on sensory exploration to support students’ engagement and understanding.

Key Competencies Addressed:

Participating and Contributing – engaging cooperatively in shared activities.
Managing Self – developing curiosity and confidence through sensory exploration.
Relating to Others – working alongside others, sharing materials, communicating ideas.

Relevant Achievement Objectives (Ao):

Ao: Explore and describe everyday materials and their changes (e.g., solid ice melting to liquid water).
Ao: Use their senses to explore and describe objects and phenomena in the natural world.

Learning Intentions (WALT)

We are learning to:

Explore and observe how ice changes from a solid to a liquid using sensory experiences.
Use simple words and actions to describe what we see, feel, and hear during the ice-melting process.
Work together to investigate a change that happens over time (melting).

Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

Use their hands to touch the ice and water and describe the difference (cold, hard vs. wet, liquid).
Watch the ice cube change and talk or signal when it melts into water.
Demonstrate curiosity by asking or signalling ‘What’s happening?’ as the ice melts.

Resources

Ice cubes (several per group)
Transparent containers or trays
Paper towels
Pictures showing ice and water (visual aids)
Simple worksheet with images of ice and water (optional sensory symbols for non-speaking students)
Warm cloth or mittens for sensory variation
Timer or clock to observe melting time
Supportive communication tools (e.g., PECS, gestures, photos)

Lesson Sequence

1. Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes)

Greet students warmly, gather in a circle.
Use sensory words: “Today we are going to explore ice! Ice is cold and hard. We will watch it change.”
Show an ice cube and water picture. Encourage students to touch and feel the ice cube.
Explain WALT and success criteria simply, using pictures or signing as needed.

2. Sensory Exploration: Ice Touch & Observe (10 minutes)

Distribute small ice cubes to pairs or individuals, each with a small tray.
Encourage hands-on touching, holding, and feeling the ice. Use words/signs: cold, hard, wet.
Provide options for varied sensory input, such as holding ice with gloves or warm cloths.
Prompt students to watch the ice carefully. Discuss or facilitate communication about what they notice. Guide with sensory-focused questions, e.g., “Is it dry or wet? Is it cold?”
Begin a simple timer to observe melting over the next few minutes.

3. Observation of Melting (10 minutes)

Support students to place ice cubes in the tray and watch as it melts.
Encourage students to describe or signal changes: from hard to soft, from cold solid to water.
Use sensory descriptors: cold, wet, slippery, dripping.
Facilitate group discussion or use visuals to reinforce what is happening.
Use simple demonstration: “Ice melts into water when it gets warmer.”

4. Worksheet and Communication Activity (3 minutes) - Optional based on student ability

Support students to complete a simple worksheet matching pictures of ice and water or sequence cards (ice cube before and after melting).
For non-speaking students, use sensory symbols or communication aids.

5. Reflect and Share (2 minutes)

Gather students back in a circle to share what they learned. Use visual aids and communication supports.
Ask simple reflection prompts, e.g., “What happened to the ice? What did it turn into?”
Praise curiosity and participation.

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Group	Strategy
Non-speaking students	Use PECS, visual symbols, and gestures to communicate concepts.
Sensory learners	Include warm cloths or mittens, let students explore with hands or alternative tools.
Students needing movement breaks	Incorporate movement by allowing ice cube 'delivery' or exploration around the room.
Early literacy learner	Use pictures and simple words on worksheet, read aloud together.
Diverse learners needing extra support	Provide 1:1 adult support to guide sensory exploration and communication.

Extension Activities (For Advanced Learners)

Investigate what happens if you put the ice cube in different places (sunlight, shade, inside or outside).
Record the time it takes for the ice to melt in each condition and discuss why it changes.
Introduce simple vocabulary such as “freeze,” “melt,” “solid,” and “liquid,” using real examples.
Encourage students to draw or paint the melted ice and compare it to the solid ice cube.

Assessment & Observations

Observe students’ engagement with sensory materials (touch, sight).
Check ability to express or signal changes in ice from solid to liquid.
Collect responses during reflection time and on worksheets (if completed).
Note curiosity and willingness to investigate change over time, providing formative feedback.

Notes for Educators

This lesson capitalises on sensory experiences, vital for special education learners who are at early stages of literacy and communication development.
The focus is on experiencing and describing change using multiple senses, rather than formal scientific explanations.
Use lots of positive reinforcement and adapt the pace to each child’s needs.
Ensure safety and comfort when handling ice (provide gloves or mittens for sensitive skin).

This lesson plan embraces the New Zealand Curriculum principles of inclusivity, cultural responsiveness, and stimulating curiosity through real-world sensory exploration of matter change, suitable for preschool and early primary ages with additional learning support needs.

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Teaching Instructions