Lesson 38 covers:

• Elementary Level: Introduction to Matter
• Mid Level: States of Matter
• High Level: Properties of Matter

Elementary Level (Kinder to Grade 2)

Subject: Introduction to Matter

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • 2-PS1-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Connections:
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.4: Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Define matter as anything that takes up space.
2. Identify and categorize everyday materials as solids, liquids, or gases.
3. Describe observable properties of each state of matter (e.g., shape, volume).

Materials Needed

• Real-world examples:
  • Solids: Book, toy, ice cube, rock
  • Liquids: Water, juice, milk (in clear cups)
  • Gases: Balloon (filled with air), bubbles, steam (from warm water)
• Visual aids:
  • Chart paper & markers
  • Printed images of solids, liquids, and gases
• Interactive tools:
  • Sorting trays or bins labeled “Solid,” “Liquid,” “Gas”
  • Worksheet for drawing/writing examples

Lesson Activities

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Engage: Show a glass of water, a rock, and a balloon. Ask:
  • “What do these things have in common?”
  • Explain that all these are matter—they take up space.
• Define: Use simple language:
  • Solid: Keeps its shape (e.g., toy).
  • Liquid: Takes the shape of its container (e.g., water).
  • Gas: Fills space (e.g., air in a balloon).

2. Hands-On Exploration (15 minutes)

• Sorting Activity:
  • Place assorted objects (e.g., pencil, water bottle, balloon) on a table.
  • Have the child sort them into bins labeled “Solid,” “Liquid,” or “Gas.”
  • Discuss: “Why did you put the ice cube in ‘solid’? What happens if it melts?”

3. Interactive Discussion (10 minutes)

• Classify Together:
  • Show a picture of a cloud (gas), orange juice (liquid), and a shoe (solid).
  • Ask: “Which one can you pour? Which one can you hold?”
• Anchor Chart:
  • Create a chart with columns for each state and add student-discovered examples.

4. Creative Application (10 minutes)

• Worksheet Activity:
  • Draw or paste pictures of solids, liquids, and gases.
  • Extension: Have the child find examples at home (e.g., soap = liquid, pillow = solid).

5. Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

• Exit Question: “Is a tree a solid, liquid, or gas? What about the wind?”
• Review: Sing a short chant:

“Solids keep their shape so neat,
Liquids move and fill their seat,
Gases float and fill the air—
Matter’s everywhere!”

Assessment

• Informal: Observe sorting accuracy during the activity.
• Formative: Worksheet completion (correct categorization).

Adaptations

• For Kinesthetic Learners: Act out molecules (stand close for solids, move around for liquids, run freely for gases).
• For Visual Learners: Use colored water in clear cups to show liquids taking shape.

Mid Level (Grade 3 to 5)

Subject: States of Matter

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • 5-PS1-1: Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen.
  • 5-PS1-3: Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Connections:
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1: Engage effectively in collaborative discussions.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Define solids, liquids, and gases based on particle arrangement and movement.
2. Explain how heating and cooling cause phase changes (melting, freezing, evaporation).
3. Conduct experiments to observe and record changes in matter.

Materials Needed

• For Experiments:
  • Ice cubes (solid water)
  • Small pot or microwave-safe bowl (for melting)
  • Heat source (stove/microwave)
  • Thermometer (optional, for measuring temperature changes)
  • Balloon (to demonstrate gas expansion when heated)
• Recording Tools:
  • Science journal or worksheet
  • Pencils, colored markers
• Visual Aids:
  • Diagram of particle movement in solids, liquids, gases
  • Chart paper for recording hypotheses/results

Lesson Activities

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Engage: Show an ice cube, water, and a steaming kettle. Ask:
  • “How are these related? What makes them change form?”
• Review States of Matter:
  • Solid: Fixed shape, particles tightly packed.
  • Liquid: Takes container’s shape, particles slide past each other.
  • Gas: Fills space, particles move freely.

2. Hands-On Experiment: Melting & Freezing (20 minutes)

A. Melting Ice (Solid → Liquid)

1. Place an ice cube in a bowl.
2. Predict: “How long will it take to melt at room temperature? What if we heat it?”
3. Test by leaving one cube out and heating another (adult supervision required).
4. Record observations (time, changes in state).

B. Freezing Liquid (Liquid → Solid)

1. Pour water into a small cup.
2. Place it in the freezer.
3. Check every 10 minutes and note when it becomes solid.

C. Gas Expansion Demo (Optional)

• Blow up a balloon slightly, then place it in warm water—observe expansion (particles move faster).

3. Discussion & Model-Making (15 minutes)

• Group Discussion:
  • “Why does heat cause melting? Why does cold cause freezing?”
  • Introduce energy’s role (heat adds energy; cooling removes it).
• Kinesthetic Model:
  • Have students act as “particles” (stand close for solids, move around for liquids, run for gases).

4. Creative Application (10 minutes)

• Science Journal Entry:
  • Draw and label the three states of matter with examples.
  • Write a short explanation: “What happens to particles when ice melts?”
• Extension: Research real-world examples (e.g., glaciers melting, water vapor in clouds).

5. Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

• Exit Ticket:
  • “Name one example of melting in everyday life. Is it reversible?”
• Review Key Points:
  • Melting = Solid → Liquid (adding heat).
  • Freezing = Liquid → Solid (removing heat).

Assessment

• Informal: Observe participation in experiments and discussions.
• Formative: Review science journal entries for accuracy.
• Optional Quiz Question:
  • “If you leave juice in the freezer, what happens? Why?”

Adaptations

• For Advanced Learners: Explore sublimation (dry ice → gas) or evaporation.
• For Visual Learners: Use interactive simulations (e.g., PBS Learning Media’s “States of Matter” game).

High Level (Grade 6 to 8)

Subject: Properties of Matter

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • MS-PS1-2: Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after interactions.
  • MS-PS1-3: Gather and make sense of information to describe synthetic materials.
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS):
  • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.B.6: Solve real-world problems involving volume and density.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3: Follow procedures precisely in technical texts.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Define physical properties (mass, volume, density, color, texture) and chemical properties (flammability, reactivity).
2. Measure mass (balance scale), volume (displacement), and calculate density (D = M/V).
3. Classify materials based on observed properties and justify reasoning.

Materials Needed

For Experiments & Measurements:

• Physical Properties Lab:
  • Triple-beam balance or digital scale
  • Graduated cylinder (for water displacement)
  • Ruler (for regular solids)
  • Objects to test (e.g., rock, wooden block, metal spoon, rubber ball)
• Chemical Properties Demo (Teacher-Led):
  • Vinegar + baking soda (reactivity)
  • Candle (flammability)
• Recording Tools:
  • Science notebook/data table
  • Calculator

Visual Aids & Safety:

• Chart comparing physical vs. chemical properties
• Safety goggles (for chemical demos)

Lesson Activities

1. Introduction (15 min) – Properties Sort

• Engage: Show a rusty nail and a glass of water. Ask:
  • “Which changes are reversible? Which involve new substances?”
• Direct Instruction:
  • Physical Properties: Observable without changing composition (e.g., density, melting point).
  • Chemical Properties: Describe how matter reacts (e.g., iron + oxygen → rust).

2. Hands-On Investigation (30 min) – Density Lab

A. Measuring Mass & Volume

1. Use a balance to find mass (grams) of each object.
2. For volume:
   • Regular solids (cube): Measure L × W × H (cm³).
   • Irregular solids (rock): Use water displacement in a graduated cylinder.
3. Calculate density (D = mass/volume).

B. Data Analysis

• Rank objects from least to most dense.
• Discuss: “Why does a metal spoon sink, but a rubber ball floats?”

3. Chemical Properties Demo (15 min) – Reactivity & Flammability

• Vinegar + Baking Soda: Observe gas production (new substance = chemical change).
• Candle Test: Discuss flammability as a chemical property.

4. Real-World Application (15 min) – “Mystery Material” Challenge

• Provide an unknown object (e.g., wax, plastic, aluminum).
• Students must:
  1. Measure its mass and volume.
  2. Calculate density.
  3. Use a density table to identify the material.

5. Wrap-Up (10 min) – Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER)

• Prompt: “Is density a physical or chemical property? Support your answer.”
• Exit Ticket: Sketch a flowchart for classifying matter based on properties.

Assessment

• Formative: Lab data sheet (accuracy in measurements/calculations).
• Summative: CER response (depth of reasoning).
• Optional Extension: Research real-world applications (e.g., why ships float despite steel’s density).

Adaptations

• For Advanced Learners: Introduce buoyancy (Archimedes’ Principle).
• For Kinesthetic Learners: Use clay to model how density affects floating/sinking.