State the Objective

Tell the children that they will use salt to make ice melt while they read and write words with the /lt/ and /ld/ blends, such as salt, melt, tilt, built, hold, and cold.

Literacy Activities

Watch salt make ice melt

• Read the Salt Can Melt Ice target text (see below) with the children.
• Explain to the children that pouring salt on ice makes the ice melt because it lowers the freezing point of water.
• Have the children stack ice into a tower.
• Let the children pour salt on the ice and watch it melt.
• Have the children write about what will happen when salt is put on ice (e.g., I can build an ice stack. Salt will make ice melt! The ice will tilt as it melts.) 

See how salt makes an egg float

• See this video for a demonstration of the experiment.
• Show the children a cup with water and a cup with salt water (use lots of salt); drop an egg in each cup.
• Explain that salt helps the water hold up the ice.
• Have the children mix salt into a water cup and label it Salt.
• Let the children put an egg into the salt water to see it float.
• Have the children write a sentence about what they saw.

Use a mold to make ice (optional)

• Explain that when water freezes it turns into ice and that a mold is a container that creates a shape.
• Ask the children what would happen if they hold an ice cube.
• Let the children pour water into an ice mold (ice tray) to make ice.
• Explain that the water will take a few hours to freeze.
• Have the children write a sentence describing ice (e.g., Ice is very cold. We can use a mold to make ice.)
• Several hours later, or the next day, unmold the ice and let the children briefly hold an ice cube.

Write target words and see salt make spots

• Have the children write words from the activity with the /lt/ and /ld/ blends with a permanent marker.
• Let the children paint around the words using watercolors then sprinkle salt on the paper.
• Comment how the salt leaves white spots on the paper because it soaks up the water and paint.