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Matter is Made of Particles

Main Core Tie

SEEd - Grade 6
Strand 6.2: ENERGY AFFECTS MATTER

Time Frame

1 class periods of 45 minutes each

Group Size

Large Groups

Authors

Utah LessonPlans

Summary

Students will observe as the teacher performs a variety of chemical and/or physical reactions. The teacher will guide a discussion that reinforces the concepts that atoms and molecules are too small to see but that we know about them through their behavior.


Materials

Attachments


Instructional Procedures

Introduction: : A long time ago, a Greek man named Democratis had an idea. He thought if you divided a rock in half over and over again, you would eventually get down to a particle so small that you could not see it or divide it any smaller. He named that particle an atom. Today we have proof that atoms exist, even though we still cannot see them with our eye. Thousands of experiments have shown that matter is made of atoms. We can predict what they will do and use them to explain what happens in chemical reactions. In this activity you will watch some atoms reaction and see how an understanding of the atom helps to explain them.

Procedure:

  1. Watch as your teacher demonstrates some chemical reactions and physical changes. Record what happens on your student sheet. See if you can explain what happens in terms of atoms. Write down what YOU think.
  2. Listen as your teacher explains the scientific view of the demonstration. On your student sheet write down how this explanation is different from yours.


Bibliography

Lesson Design by Jordan School District Teachers and Staff.


Created: 09/29/2014
Updated: 02/05/2018
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