Year 4 · Autumn 1.2 · Step 6

Earth & Space

Investigate: the melting experiment

Carrying out the fair test, taking careful readings, and forming a conclusion.

Arrival Starter I do We do Independent Exit ticket
🌱 Seedling · Working towards 🌿 Sapling · Expected 🌳 Oak · Greater depth

⏱ Whole lesson ≈ 44 min · pick a tier in the bar, or leave on "All"

Arrival 4 min

Recap of last lesson: our melting plan.

Recap: the plan

🌱 Seedling
Working towards

We change the water's ____.

🌿 Sapling
Expected
  1. What do we measure?
  2. Name one thing we keep the same.
🌳 Oak
Greater depth

What did you predict would happen, and why?

Bridge into todayTime to investigate! We carry out our fair test, take careful readings, and see what really happens to the ice.
Starter 5 min

Set up safely: water no hotter than 50°C. Recording tip: units in the header.

Carry out the test

Measure the starting temperature of each water with a thermometer, drop in identical ice cubes, and time how long each takes to melt. Put °C in your table heading, not next to every number.

🌱 Seedling
Working towards

Which water do you think melts the ice first?

🌿 Sapling
Expected

What is the starting temperature of each container?

🌳 Oak
Greater depth

Why do we take more than one reading?

I do · 1 6 min

Teacher models careful observation. Watch to recall melting.

Watch and record

▶ Can't see it? Watch "Melting — observing a solid change to a liquid" on YouTube

Swap the clip: change the ID after /embed/ (now LTfHaWFhBBw).

Say thisWatch both cubes carefully. Record the time when each has fully melted. Keep the water safe — no hotter than 50°C. Notice how the warm-water cube shrinks faster than the cold-water one.
🌡️
Start tempread both
👀
Observewatch it shrink
📝
Record°C in the header
We do · 1 6 min

Compare the two containers and start a conclusion.

What do we notice?

Container A (warm): melted in ____  |  Container B (cold): melted in ____

Draw it together
The ice in the warmer water melted faster. So temperature affects how fast ice melts.
I do · 2 4 min

Play the animation. Bust: temperature makes no difference.

Warm melts faster

warm → melts fast cold → melts slow warmer water melts the ice faster

The ice in warm water is nearly gone while the cold-water cube has barely changed.

Model the ideaThe warmer the water, the faster the ice melts, because heat moves into the ice more quickly. Cold water still melts it — just slowly.

Watch for: "the water temperature makes no difference" and thinking cold water melts ice faster.

We do · 2 5 min

Faster or slower? Sort statements together.

Faster or slower?

Decide together
"Warm tap water."   "Iced water."   "Water from the fridge."
In which does the ice melt faster, and in which slower?
Independent 10 min

On your own. Sort each one, then write at your tier.

Melting results sorter

🔥 Ice melts faster

❄️ Ice melts slower

🚫 Myth to bust

Tap a card to sort it…

🌱 Seedling
Working towards

Sort the cards. Then finish: Ice melts faster in ____ water.

🌿 Sapling
Expected

Sort them, then write a conclusion about temperature and melting.

🌳 Oak
Greater depth

Sort them, then explain why warmer water melts ice faster.

Exit ticket 4 min

Answer at your tier, then hand it in.

Show what you know

🌱 Seedling
Working towards
  • Which water melts ice faster?
  • Was your prediction right?
🌿 Sapling
Expected
  • Write a conclusion for the test.
  • Where should °C go in a table?
🌳 Oak
Greater depth

Explain why warmer water melts the ice faster.

TA Focus · Careful readings
Safety first: water no hotter than 50°C. Read the thermometer at eye level; put °C in the table header, not on every number; take repeat readings. Steer the conclusion: warmer water → faster melting. Bust 'temperature makes no difference'.
Cold Call · Question bank
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