Science and biology: The properties of water

This ESL lesson plan is designed to engage intermediate to advanced English language learners in exploring the fascinating scientific properties of water while developing their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

By focusing on water—a universal and relatable topic—students will connect scientific concepts to everyday life, making learning both meaningful and engaging. The lesson introduces key vocabulary related to water’s unique properties, such as polarity, hydrogen bonds, adhesion, and cohesion, through interactive activities like discussions, listening exercises, and group tasks.

Using a transcript from the YouTube video “Properties of Water,” students will build their comprehension and communication skills while discovering why water is essential for life. This lesson fosters language development and scientific curiosity, encouraging students to use new vocabulary in real-world contexts through collaborative and creative activities.

Lesson Outline

Warm-up (10 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and introduce the topic of water.
Activity:

• Discussion: Ask students, “Why is water important in our lives?” Write their ideas on the board (e.g., drinking, cooking, cleaning, etc.).
• Quick game: Play a short word association game. Say “water” and have students call out related words (e.g., ocean, rain, ice).
• Introduction: Explain that today’s lesson will focus on why water is special in science, based on a transcript about its properties.

Vocabulary introduction (10 minutes)

Objective: Teach key vocabulary from the transcript to prepare students for listening and reading.
Key Vocabulary from Transcript:

• Polar – Having positive and negative charges due to uneven electron distribution.
• Molecule – A group of atoms bonded together.
• Hydrogen bond – A weak bond between a hydrogen atom of one molecule and an electronegative atom of another.
• Adhesion – The ability of water to stick to other surfaces.
• Cohesion – The ability of water molecules to stick to each other.
• Surface tension – The property that makes the surface of water act like a stretched elastic layer.
• Solvent – A substance (like water) that can dissolve other substances.
• Specific heat – The amount of heat needed to change the temperature of a substance.
• Evaporative Cooling – Cooling that occurs when water evaporates, taking heat away.
• Insulating layer – A layer (like ice) that protects organisms by maintaining stable conditions.

Vocabulary for extension

For advanced students or follow-up lessons, introduce these words to deepen understanding of water-related science.

• Electronegative – An atom’s ability to attract electrons (e.g., oxygen in water).
• Capillary action – The movement of water through narrow spaces due to adhesion and cohesion.
• Density – The mass of a substance per unit volume (e.g., ice is less dense than liquid water).
• Lattice – A structured arrangement of molecules, like in ice.
• Evaporation – The process of water turning into gas.
• Ionic compound – A compound made of positive and negative ions that water can dissolve.
• Xylem – The tissue in plants that transports water.
• Enzyme – A protein that speeds up chemical reactions, often sensitive to temperature.
• Phase change – The transition of a substance from one state (e.g., liquid to gas) to another.

Activity

• Provide a handout with the vocabulary words, definitions, and example sentences.
• Read each word aloud, have students repeat, and ask them to match the word to its definition in pairs.
• Example: “Water’s cohesion helps it stick together, like beads on a string.”

Listening and comprehension (15 minutes)

Objective: Develop listening skills and comprehension of scientific content.

Activity

• Play the transcript audio (or read it aloud if audio is unavailable). You can get the transcript from the YouTube video, “Properties of Water“. Click more under the video description, and scroll down. Then, click transcript.
• Provide students with a simplified version of the transcript with blanks for key vocabulary words.
• Task: As they listen, students fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary words (e.g., “Water is _____ (polar) because it has positive and negative charges”).
• After listening, discuss the answers as a class and clarify any difficult concepts (e.g., hydrogen bonds or surface tension).

Comprehension questions

1. Why is water considered a polar molecule?
2. How do hydrogen bonds help water molecules stick together?
3. What is the difference between adhesion and cohesion?
4. How does water’s high specific heat help aquatic life?
5. Why does ice float on water, and how does this help fish in cold climates?

Speaking activity (15 minutes)

Objective: Practice using new vocabulary in a communicative context.

Activity: Group discussion – Water in everyday life

• Divide students into small groups. Assign each group one property of water (e.g., surface tension, evaporative cooling, solvent).
• Task: Discuss how this property is useful in nature or daily life. For example:
  • Surface tension: “Insects like water striders can walk on water because of surface tension.”
  • Evaporative cooling: “When we sweat, water evaporates and cools our bodies.”
• Each group presents their ideas to the class, using at least two vocabulary words.

Writing activity (10 minutes)

Objective: Reinforce vocabulary and comprehension through writing.

Activity

• Task: Write a short paragraph (5–7 sentences) explaining why water is important for life, using at least three vocabulary words from the lesson.
• Example prompt: “Explain how water’s properties help plants, animals, or humans survive.”
• Collect and provide feedback on vocabulary use and grammar.

Wrap-up and review (5 minutes)

Objective: Review key concepts and vocabulary.

Activity

• Play a quick quiz game (e.g., Kahoot or a whiteboard quiz) with questions like:
  • “What property allows water to stick to the walls of a plant’s xylem?” (Adhesion)
  • “Why does ice float on water?” (It is less dense due to hydrogen bonds)
• Ask students to share one new thing they learned about water today.