You will learn
- Say what melting is.
- Observe ice melting.
- Compare melting speeds in safe conditions.
- Explain that warmth causes melting.
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
- Melting is a solid becoming a liquid.
- Warmth makes ice melt.
- Different materials melt at different temperatures.
- Melting can be reversed by cooling.
Words to know
to change from a solid to a liquid when warmed
a little hot
how hot or cold something is
can change back
1. Discover: The ice cube
On a warm day, Akua puts an ice cube on a saucer. After a while it is a small puddle. “Where did my ice go?” she asks. “It melted into water,” says her teacher. “The warm air made it melt.”
Think: What made the ice melt?
2. Understand: Melting
Idea 1: What is melting?
Melting is when a solid becomes a liquid. Ice melts into water when it is warm. The water is still the same material.
Idea 2: What melts?
Ice, butter, chocolate and candle wax melt when warmed. Rocks and wood do not melt at everyday temperatures. Each material has its own melting temperature.
Idea 3: Reversible
Melting can be reversed. If melted water is made cold enough, it freezes back to ice. This is a physical change: no new material is made.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Melt?
Ice in a warm room.
- Warm air.
- Ice melts.
- Puddle forms.
Answer: Ice melts when warmed.
Example 2 (We do it together): Speed
Ice in sun and shade.
- Sun is warmer.
- Melts faster.
- Compare.
Answer: Ice melts faster where it is warmer.
Example 3 (You try): Reverse
Water in a freezer.
Show the steps and answer
- Cold.
- Freezes.
- Ice again.
Answer: Cooling reverses melting.
Did you know?
Glaciers are huge rivers of ice that melt slowly into rivers and lakes.
Why this matters
Melting helps us cook, mould metals and understand weather and climate.
4. Explore: Ice melt race
Compare ice melting in two safe, warm places.
- Put two ice cubes on saucers.
- One on a table, one in a shaded outdoor spot.
- Watch every 5 minutes.
- Record which melts first.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Warmer places melt ice faster.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Melting is a solid becoming a ___.
- Ice melts when it is ___.
- Melting can be ___.
- Wax melts when ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is melting?
Solid to liquid.
Question 2. What melts ice?
Warmth.
Question 3. Name something that melts.
Butter.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is melting?
- What melts ice?
- Name something that melts.
- What does ice turn into?
- Can melting be reversed?
Level 2: Grow
- Why did the ice cube vanish?
- Why use saucers?
- Which melts faster in the sun?
Level 3: Stretch
- Plan an ice melt race.
- Explain reversible change.
- Record melting times.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
What melts in your hot weather?
Show a sample answer
Ice and butter.
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: It is still water.
Fix: Only some.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what melting is.
- I can observe ice melting.
- I can compare melting speeds in safe conditions.
- I can explain that warmth causes melting.
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
- Melting is a solid becoming a liquid.
- Warmth makes ice melt.
- Different materials melt at different temperatures.
- Melting can be reversed by cooling.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Freezing. 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.
- What is melting? [1 mark]
- What makes ice melt? [1 mark]
- Name two things that melt. [2 marks]
- Plan an ice melt test. [3 marks]
- Safety rule? [1 mark]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Solid to liquid [1]
- Warmth [1]
- Any two [1 each]
- Two cubes [1]; two places [1]; record [1]
- No flames or hot water [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is melting?
- What melts ice?
- Name something that melts.
- What does ice turn into?
- Can melting be reversed?
- Why did the ice cube vanish?
- Why use saucers?
- Which melts faster in the sun?
- Plan an ice melt race.
- Explain reversible change.
Homework
Watch an ice cube melt at home on a plate. Time how long it takes.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is melting? | Solid to liquid. | 1 |
| 2. What melts ice? | Warmth. | 1 |
| 3. Name something that melts. | Butter. | 1 |
| 4. What does ice turn into? | Water. | 1 |
| 5. Can melting be reversed? | Yes, by cooling. | 1 |
| 6. Why did the ice cube vanish? | Melted. | 1 |
| 7. Why use saucers? | To collect water. | 1 |
| 8. Which melts faster in the sun? | Ice. | 1 |
| 9. Plan an ice melt race. | Same cubes, two places. | 1 |
| 10. Explain reversible change. | Back to ice. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Solid to liquid.; 2 Warmth.; 3 Butter.; 4 Water.; 5 Yes, by cooling.. Level 2: 1 Melted.; 2 To collect water.; 3 Ice.. Level 3: 1 Same cubes, two places.; 2 Back to ice.; 3 Table..
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 Say what melting is | 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 Observe ice melting | 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 Compare melting speeds in safe conditions | 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 that warmth causes melting | 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: “Melted ice is a new material.” It is still water.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Explain melting and describe a safe test.
- 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 observes ice melting safely. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Put an ice cube on a plate.
- Ask, “What is happening?”
- Time it together.
- 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: say what melting is; observe ice melting; compare melting speeds in safe conditions; explain that warmth causes melting.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: everyday materials, describing materials and sorting objects by properties.
Materials. Ice cubes, saucers, timers 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 ice cubes. Choose two warm safe places. Prepare tables.
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 an ice cube and ask, “What will happen?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach melting.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners run the race.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners record.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What melted? Why?
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. “Melted ice is a new material.” It is still water.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-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. Explain melting and describe a safe test. 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 8; 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.