Water's Superpower

tinsleyb

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Water's Superpower Plan

Students will observe how water dissolves sugar and salt but not sand, recording their findings to understand why water is called the universal solvent.

This lesson engages Pre-K learners in sensory-rich, hands-on experiments that build early scientific observation skills, foster curiosity about natural phenomena, and introduce basic concepts of solutions in an age-appropriate way.

Audience

Pre-K

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Hands-on sensory experiments with guided observations.

Materials

Clear Plastic Cups (3 per group), - Water (for experiments), - Granulated Sugar, - Table Salt, - Play Sand, - Spoons or Stirring Sticks, - Small Trays for Each Group, - Water Observation Chart, and - Crayons or Markers

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Fill each clear cup with water.
Divide sugar, salt, and sand into small bowls for easy access.
Place one tray per group with three cups, a spoon, and the substance bowls.
Print and cut out copies of Water Observation Chart for each child.
Gather crayons or markers.

Step 1

Connect and Predict

5 minutes

Gather children in a circle or at the table.
Show a cup of water and ask: “What do you think will happen if we stir sugar into water?”
Demonstrate adding a spoonful of sugar to water; stir and watch it ‘disappear.’
Repeat demonstration with sand; ask why it didn’t disappear.
Explain that water has a superpower to dissolve some things.

Step 2

Explore Experiments

15 minutes

Divide children into small groups at their trays.
Give each child a Water Observation Chart and crayons.
Instruct them to add a spoonful of sugar to the first cup, stir, and draw or mark what they see.
Repeat with salt in the second cup and sand in the third.
Encourage children to discuss which substances disappeared and which stayed.
Teacher circulates, asking questions like “What do you notice?” and “Why do you think that happened?”.

Step 3

Reflect and Share

10 minutes

Bring the class back together.
Invite volunteers to share their observations for sugar, salt, and sand.
Review marks on the Water Observation Chart.
Emphasize that water dissolved sugar and salt but not sand.
Conclude by explaining that because water can dissolve many substances, it’s called the universal solvent.

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Slide Deck

Water’s Superpower

Explore how water dissolves some things and not others!

Welcome everyone! Today we are going to learn about water’s superpower. Ask children to settle down and get ready for a fun experiment.

Today’s Superpower

Water can dissolve sugar and salt, but not sand!

Explain that water can do something special. Read the slide aloud and point to the words.

What Does ‘Dissolve’ Mean?

When something seems to disappear into water.

Ask: “What do you think dissolve means?” Then explain: when something seems to disappear into water.

Connect & Predict

• Sugar + Water? 🤔
• Sand + Water? 🤔

Show a picture or pretend cup of water. Ask children to predict what will happen with sugar and sand.

Experiment Step 1

Add sugar to water, stir, watch!

Demonstrate: Add a spoonful of sugar to water, stir slowly, and watch it ‘disappear.’ Invite children to describe what they see.

Experiment Step 2

Add salt to water, stir, watch!

Next, show how salt behaves the same way. Emphasize that salt also dissolves.

Experiment Step 3

Add sand to water, stir, watch!

Finally, add sand to water. Ask: “Did the sand disappear?” Point out that sand stays at the bottom.

Record Your Observations

Draw or mark what you see on your chart.

Hand out the Water Observation Chart and crayons. Show children how to draw or mark what they saw in each cup.

Reflect & Share

What disappeared? What stayed?
Why is water special?

Invite a few volunteers to share their drawings. Ask guiding questions: “What disappeared? What stayed? Why?”

Super Solvent

Water is the universal solvent!
It dissolves many things!

Review that water dissolves many things but not everything. Celebrate that water is called the universal solvent!

Worksheet

Water Observation Chart

Name: _____________________ Date: _____________________

Cup 1: Sugar
Draw what you see when sugar is in water:

Cup 2: Salt
Draw what you see when salt is in water:

Cup 3: Sand
Draw what you see when sand is in water:

Cool Down

Water Wrap-Up

Name: _____________________ Date: _____________________

Draw or write one thing water dissolves:
Draw or write one thing water doesn’t dissolve: