You will learn
- Compare solids and liquids.
- Use a table to compare.
- Test shape in containers.
- Explain differences.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
Words to know
to find what is alike and different
something that holds a material
to make a liquid flow out
to place on top of each other
1. Discover: Sand and water
Isaac pours water into a bowl and it fills the bowl. He pours sand and it makes a pile. “The water takes the shape of the bowl,” he says. “The sand piles up. Each grain is a tiny solid.”
Think: Is sand a solid or a liquid?
2. Understand: Solids and liquids compared
Idea 1: Alike
Solids and liquids are both matter. Both take up space and have mass. Both can be measured.
Idea 2: Different
A solid keeps its own shape and can be stacked. A liquid has no shape of its own and can be poured to take the shape of its container.
Idea 3: Tricky cases
Sand and salt can be poured but each grain is a tiny solid. A pile of sand keeps a heap shape. Liquids make a flat top surface.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Compare
A brick and water.
- Brick keeps shape.
- Water takes shape.
- Both matter.
Answer: A brick is a solid and water is a liquid.
Example 2 (We do it together): Pour or stack?
Rice and juice.
- Juice pours.
- Rice can pour and pile.
- Rice grains are solids.
Answer: Rice is made of small solids.
Example 3 (You try): Table
Shape and flow.
Show the steps and answer
- Rows: solid, liquid.
- Columns: shape, flow.
- Fill in.
Answer: A table helps compare.
Did you know?
Glass looks solid but is made so slowly that scientists once argued about whether it flows; today we know it is a solid.
Why this matters
Knowing the differences helps us store, carry and use materials safely.
4. Explore: Container test
Pour water and sand into different shaped containers.
- Choose three containers.
- Pour water into each.
- Pour sand into each.
- Draw what happens.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Water always filled the shape; sand piled up.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A solid keeps its own ___.
- A liquid takes the shape of its ___.
- Both take up ___.
- Sand is made of small ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What does a solid keep?
Its shape.
Question 2. What does a liquid take?
The shape of its container.
Question 3. Can liquids be poured?
Yes.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What does a solid keep?
- What does a liquid take?
- Can liquids be poured?
- Do both take up space?
- What is sand made of?
Level 2: Grow
- Why can sand be poured?
- Why is water’s top flat?
- What is alike about solids and liquids?
Level 3: Stretch
- Make a comparison table.
- Explain why sand is a solid.
- Draw water in three containers.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
Which solids and liquids do you use in cooking?
Show a sample answer
Rice and oil.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Sand is made of solids.
Fix: They have mass.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can compare solids and liquids.
- I can use a table to compare.
- I can test shape in containers.
- I can explain differences.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Solids keep their shape; liquids take the shape of a container.
- Liquids can be poured; most solids cannot.
- Both take up space and have mass.
- Some materials seem to be in between.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Changing the shape of materials. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Give one likeness. [1 mark]
- Give two differences. [2 marks]
- Why can sand pour? [2 marks]
- Make a table. [4 marks]
- Draw water in two containers. [2 marks]
Total: 11 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Both are matter [1]
- Shape [1]; pour [1]
- Small grains [1]; solids [1]
- Title [1]; rows [1]; columns [1]; entries [1]
- Containers [1]; fills shape [1]
Score guide: 10 to 11 = secure. 7 to 9 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 7 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What does a solid keep?
- What does a liquid take?
- Can liquids be poured?
- Do both take up space?
- What is sand made of?
- Why can sand be poured?
- Why is water’s top flat?
- What is alike about solids and liquids?
- Make a comparison table.
- Explain why sand is a solid.
Homework
Make a table comparing a solid and a liquid in your kitchen. Draw both.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What does a solid keep? | Its shape. | 1 |
| 2. What does a liquid take? | The shape of its container. | 1 |
| 3. Can liquids be poured? | Yes. | 1 |
| 4. Do both take up space? | Yes. | 1 |
| 5. What is sand made of? | Small solids. | 1 |
| 6. Why can sand be poured? | Small solid grains. | 1 |
| 7. Why is water’s top flat? | It spreads out level. | 1 |
| 8. What is alike about solids and liquids? | Both are matter. | 1 |
| 9. Make a comparison table. | Table. | 1 |
| 10. Explain why sand is a solid. | Each grain keeps its shape. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Its shape.; 2 The shape of its container.; 3 Yes.; 4 Yes.; 5 Small solids.. Level 2: 1 Small solid grains.; 2 It spreads out level.; 3 Both are matter.. Level 3: 1 Table.; 2 Each grain keeps its shape.; 3 Three drawings..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Compare solids and liquids | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Use a table to compare | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Test shape in containers | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain differences | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Sand is a liquid because it pours.” Sand is made of solids.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Compare a solid and a liquid in a table.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child compares solids and liquids. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Pour water into different cups.
- Ask, “What shape?”
- Pour rice and compare.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: compare solids and liquids; use a table to compare; test shape in containers; explain differences.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: everyday materials, describing materials and sorting objects by properties.
Materials. Containers, sand, water, trays and tables. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare trays. Gather containers of different shapes.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Show a brick and water and ask, “How are they different?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach comparison.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners test containers.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners fill tables.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Does it keep its shape? Can it pour?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Sand is a liquid because it pours.” Sand is made of solids.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 11-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Compare a solid and a liquid in a table. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 2 Unit 5, topic 6; Next Generation Science Standards, structure and properties of matter (2-PS1); Cambridge Primary Science Stage 2, materials and their properties; IB Primary Years Programme, how the world works. These sources informed the lesson.