Soaking It Up: Exploring Absorption with Sesame Street

Science Grades 2nd Grade 5:29 Video
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Lesson Description

This lesson uses a Sesame Street video to introduce 2nd-grade students to the concept of absorption, exploring what materials absorb water and why this is important for plants and everyday life.

Video Resource

Sesame Street: Absorb (Word on the Street Podcast)

Sesame Street

Duration: 5:29
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Absorption: the process of a substance taking in another substance.
  • Absorbent Materials: materials that can soak up liquids.
  • Importance of Absorption: How absorption helps plants grow and helps us clean up spills.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to define 'absorb' and give examples of absorbent materials.
  • Students will be able to explain how plants use absorption to grow.
  • Students will be able to conduct a simple experiment to test the absorbency of different materials.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students if they have ever spilled something and how they cleaned it up. Introduce the word 'absorb' and explain that it means to soak up a liquid.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Watch the Sesame Street video "Sesame Street: Absorb (Word on the Street Podcast)". After watching, ask students what they learned about absorption from the video.
  • Discussion (10 mins)
    Facilitate a class discussion about different materials that can absorb water. Ask students to brainstorm examples and explain how they know these materials are absorbent. Discuss the example in the video of plants absorbing water to grow.
  • Absorption Experiment (20 mins)
    Divide students into small groups. Provide each group with a variety of materials (e.g., paper towel, sponge, cotton ball, plastic wrap, cloth). Have each group test which materials absorb water best by dipping each material into a small amount of water and observing how much water is absorbed. Students should record their observations.
  • Wrap-up (5 mins)
    Discuss the results of the experiment as a class. Ask students to draw conclusions about which materials are the most absorbent and why. Review the definition of 'absorb' and its importance in everyday life and for plant growth.

Interactive Exercises

  • Absorbency Test
    Students test different materials to see which absorbs the most water. They record their findings and discuss why some materials are more absorbent than others.
  • Plant Growth Chart
    Students can start a small plant and chart its growth, noting how frequently they water it and how the plant 'absorbs' the water to grow.

Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean for something to 'absorb'?
  • What are some materials that you think can absorb water?
  • How does absorption help plants grow?
  • Why is it important for some materials to be absorbent?

Skills Developed

  • Observation
  • Critical Thinking
  • Scientific Inquiry
  • Data Collection

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What does it mean to 'absorb' something?

Correct Answer: To soak it up

Question 2:

Which of these can absorb water?

Correct Answer: A sponge

Question 3:

What does a plant absorb from the soil?

Correct Answer: Water

Question 4:

Which is the best to clean up a spill?

Correct Answer: Paper Towel

Question 5:

Which part of the tree absorbs water?

Correct Answer: The roots

Question 6:

According to the video, what did Ernie give the plant?

Correct Answer: Water

Question 7:

What happened to Murray when Anna poured water on him?

Correct Answer: He absorbed the water

Question 8:

What happened to the seed in the video?

Correct Answer: It absorbed water and grew

Question 9:

What did Elmo use to absorb water?

Correct Answer: A sponge

Question 10:

According to the video, what is something that absorbs the water when it rains?

Correct Answer: The ground

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

To absorb means to __________ up a liquid.

Correct Answer: soak

Question 2:

A ___________ is good for cleaning up spills because it can absorb water.

Correct Answer: sponge

Question 3:

Plants need __________ to grow and they absorb it through their roots.

Correct Answer: water

Question 4:

Paper ___________ can absorb water.

Correct Answer: towels

Question 5:

The ground __________ the rain water.

Correct Answer: absorbs

Question 6:

A __________ is something that you can use to dry yourself off.

Correct Answer: towel

Question 7:

According to the video, a tree uses its __________ to absorb water.

Correct Answer: roots

Question 8:

Ernie had a __________ in the video.

Correct Answer: plant

Question 9:

In the video, __________ poured water on Murray.

Correct Answer: Anna

Question 10:

If you spill milk, you can use a ___________ to wipe it up.

Correct Answer: napkin

Educational Standards

2.PS1.1:[Standard] Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties. 2.LS2.1:[Standard] Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow. 2.ESS2.3:[Standard] Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.

Teaching Materials

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