Key: Head Start Early

Learning Framework s
= Domain
=Element

Lesson Plan Template

Name: Lauren Cody
Focus Area: Sensory Development
Title of Lesson: Ice Tunnels

Date: March 23, 2014

Grade Level: Preschool
Total Time: 30 minutes

I. Objectives:
The children will predict what will happen when salt is placed on ice by
participating in the ice tunnel experiment.
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The children will enhance their fine motor skills by mixing the food color and
salt together and pouring the mixture onto the ice.
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Domain: Scientific Knowledge and Skills

Element: Scientific Skills and Methods

The children will communicate and interact with their peers by talking about
what happened to the ice when the salt was placed on top.
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Domain: Physical Development and Health

Element : Fine Motor Skills

The children will observe the process of ice melting by experimenting with ice,
salt, and food coloring.
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Domain: Logic and Reasoning

Element: Reasoning and Problem Solving

Domain: Approaches to Learning

Element : Initiative and Curiosity

The children will develop skills of patience and time management by waiting
turns and sharing thoughts on what is happening while the tunnels form in the
ice.
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Domain: Approaches to Learning

Element : Persistence and Attentiveness

II. Materials:
20 different size plastic container (1 per child)
Sink water
Package of food coloring or water coloring (green, blue, red, and yellow)
20 trays (1per child)
20 plastic spoons (1per child)
20 plastic clear cups (1 per child)
1 container of salt (any kind of salt will work- I used coarse sea salt)
20 art smocks (1per child)
20 plastic fish (1 per child- used to freeze in ice)
1 fishing pole with magnet (motivation)
1circular cut out of blue paper (motivation)
Different size fish made(laminated if possible- motivation)
Winter coat, hat, gloves, winter boots, and scarf (motivation)
1 carton or box to sit on (motivation- I am sitting on a chair for lesson)

Container to put the salt in

Plastic fish with magnets to catch with fishing pole (motivation)

III. Procedure:
A. Motivation
1. I will walk into the class room in my winter coat, winter boots, winter
hat, gloves and scarf and have a fishing pole in my hands.
2. I will sit on the carton (chair) that will be set up along with the blue
paper and fish and stick my fishing pole down onto the blue paper. As I
sit there and wait for a fish to catch on my hook. I will shiver and tell
the class it is such a nice day to be ice fishing. The air is cold and it
is such a peace for day out. Good thing I have on my winter gear and
layer on to keep myself warm.
3. I will start tugging on my fishing pole and say I think I caught a fish! I
will start winding up the string on my fishing pole and pretend to
struggle and say this fish is putting up a fight but I got him. I will pull
up my fishing pole in the air and show the children the fish that I
caught. I will say I caught the fish! I will show the class the fish I
caught and tell the class that they will be catching their own fish by
making ice tunnels. I will say its time to put the fish back in the water
where he belongs and get started on making our own ice tunnels!
B. Steps
1. I will tell the children to swim like a fish to circle time.
2. I will ask the children what kind of weather do you need to ice fish?
Where do people normally ice fish? What kind of supplies do you need
to ice fish?
3. I will show a quick video clip on ice fishing and ask the children where did
the children put there fishing poles in? I will tell the children to ice fish
you need to make tunnels in the ice to be able to catch fish.
4. I will tell the children that we will be breaking up into groups to make our
own ice tunnels.
5. I will tell 4 children to go get their name tags (the name tags are for the
teacher to keep track to make sure that every child has done the activity)
and art smocks on and go sit at the art tables.
6. I will tell the rest of the children swim like a fish to free play while waiting
for your turn to make ice tunnels.
7. I will hand out a tray to each child and then hand each child a container
with ice in it.
8. I will tell the children squeeze each side of the container to loosen the ice
and flip the container so that the ice falls out onto the tray (I will assist if
needed). I will ask the children: How cold is the ice when you touch it?
9. I will tell the children go around in a circle and grab a plastic cup and
spoon from the center of the table.
10. I will tell the children use the spoon and scope 2 full spoonfuls of salt and
pour it into the plastic cup.
11. I will tell the children pick a food color red, yellow, blue or green to mix in
with the salt.
12. I will tell the children one at a time you will put 6 drops of food color into
the plastic cup with the salt (I will assist if needed). I will tell the children
count out loud up to 6 when putting the food coloring drops in the cup.

13. I will tell the children mix the salt and food coloring together with the
plastic spoon. Do the best job you can to get all the salt in color (I will
assist if needed).
14. I will ask the children what do you think will happen when you pour your
color salt onto the ice?
15. I will tell the children time to pour the salt all over the ice! Use the spoon
to help you pour the salt if it is stuck to the bottom of the cup. (I will assist
in getting all the salt out of the cup if needed).
16. I will tell the children watch what happens to the ice. Do you see tunnels
starting to form in the ice? What do you think would happen if we put the
ice by the window facing the sun?
17. I will tell the children to feel the ice with their fingers and ask what do you
feel? Does the way the ice feels remind you of something you have felt
before?
18. I will let the children watch the ice and play with it as the tunnels form for
5 minutes before switching to a different group.
19. I will tell the children throw away the plastic spoons and cups and put
your art smocks away.
20. I will tell each child to go find their friend (the name I have given to them)
so that they can make their tunnels. I will put each childs ice on a
separate table so that we can look at tunnels again after every child has
done the activity.
21. I will repeat steps 5 to 20 until every child has completed the activity.
IV. Conclusion:
I will tell the children to swim like fish to circle time. I will carry each tray with the
ice on it to the circle time and place it in front of all the children on the floor. I will
ask the children what is happening to the ice? Does anyone see the difference
from the first group ice to the last groups? Is their more tunnels in the first
groups? Why do you think there is more tunnels? I will tell the children to each
come up one at a time and feel all the pieces of ice (I will pick the order). I will
ask the children what does the ice feel like? I will tell each child to grab a piece
of ice and hold it up to the window and let the sun shine it. I will ask the children
what do you see when you hold it up to the sun? (If it is possible to go outside I
will take the children outside with the ice so they can hold it up to the sun and
see the tunnels look all crystallized in the sun).
V. Transition:
I will tell the children one at a time to put the ice back on the trays and swim like
fishes to their next center or play area.
VI. Follow-Up Activities/Learning Centers:
1. Have books all around the classroom about ice fishing.
2. I will put the ice in the water play area so that the children can play and feel
the ice. I will also put plastic fish out and poles out in the water center so that the
children can catch fish (I will put ice cubes in the water so they would be ice
fishing).
3. I will have art materials out so the children can create their own fish or ice
fishing drawing.

VII. Evaluation/Assessment:
A.
1. Did the children make prediction to what was going to happen to the
ice when salt was placed on top?
2. Did the children develop fine motor skills by scoping up salt and
pouring the colored salt on to the ice?
3. Did the children experiment with the ice, food coloring, and salt and
realize the reactions to ice and salt?
4. Did the children communicate with their peers about what they are
seeing as the salt breaks down the ice to make tunnels?
5. Did the children learn patience skills and time management when
watching the ice and realizing that it takes time for the salt to break
down the ice?
B. Self-Reflection Assessment:
What did the children most enjoy?
What did the children least enjoy?
If I implemented this lesson again, what would I do differently?
VIII. Early Learning Standards Met:
Logic and Reasoning: Reasoning and Problem Solving
Physical Development and Health: Fine Motor Skills
Science Knowledge and Skills: Scientific Skills and Method
Approaches to Learning: Initiative and Curiosity
Approaches to Learning: Persistence and Attentiveness
Supplemental Materials:
Video clip of ice fishing prior to lesson
Blue paper cut out prior to lesson
Fishes made (laminated if possible) prior to lesson
Ice frozen with plastic fish prior to lesson
Ice tunnels directions-for parents
Plastic fish magnets and pole set up prior to lesson