Summary
Students will be able to sort, classify and chart objects by their
observable properties. They will learn to identify the three forms of matter and will be able
to predict and identify changes in matter.
Materials
- Describe Me recording sheet
- Big Book: What is Matter?
- Book: What Is the World Made Of? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
- Large chart paper
- Markers
- Pencils
- Masking tape
- Describe Me worksheet
- Solids, Liquids, Gases recording sheet for each exploration center
- Physical Objects: sheet of paper, rock, paper clip, piece of fabric, button, hanger,
popsicle stick, bottle of water, perfume, balloon, small rubber ball (inflated with
air), wooden block, brick, plastic vase, candy bar, small flag, paper cup, rope, rubber
band, rubber duck, pipe cleaners, cinnamon stick or a small bag with cinnamon
inside, other spices in small bags (such as cinnamon, marjoram, pepper, salt, garlic
powder or garlic salt, cayenne pepper) screws, nails, etc.
- Gallon glass jar
- 8 oz. glass
- Paper towels
- Dish soap
- Water
- Oil
- Soda
- Powdered drink mix
- Vinegar
- Ice cubes
- Small see through dish pan
- Marbles
- Clear cup
- 6 eye droppers
- Salt
- Pepper
- Various sizes/shapes containers for liquids
- Square plastic dish tub or container for experiments
- 4 c. glass measuring cup
- Transparent rectangular plastic container for sink and float
- Small garbage can for disposal
- Tin foil
- Wax paper
- Six envelopes filled with 6 different spices (cinnamon, garlic salt,
marjoram, rosemary, pepper, cloves, cayenne pepper)
- 40 small round balloons
- Straws, 1 per participant
- Paper cup, 1 per participant
Books:
- What is Matter? From Newbridge. Cost is $33.50 for Big Book and Instructional Guide.
Order code: OWA 8‐25805
- What is the World Made Of?, by Kathleen Weidner Zoefeld, ISBN 978-0-06-445163-5
Media
- Properties of Matter (Part I), DVD, Educational Media for 1st Grade, 800-483-3383, Item # S14903DV. Website: schoolvideos.com
Background for Teachers
Children learn about the world around them through their senses. In their explorations of
physical objects the students will observe, make predictions, and record the information.
These activities are carefully guided with instruction to lay a foundation of knowledge of
the three kinds of matter and their characteristics in the physical world.
Intended Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate a positive learning attitude.
5. Understand and use basic concepts and skills.
6. Communicate clearly in oral, artistic, written, and nonverbal forms.
Instructional Procedures
Content Connections:
By learning about physical characteristics the students will be able
to understand and make connections to the weather, water, living/nonliving things, and the
seasons.
Invitation to Learn:
Describe Me
In a whole‐group activity, have the students come up and pull an item from a bag. The
teacher writes the name of the item and draws the item. The students generate their
observations of the item. Ask the students to tell or describe what they know about the
item.
Example: An aluminum pie tin properties are: silvery, shiny, round, crinkled, bendable,
shaped like a pie, makes a sound when tapped, holds pie filling.
Use a chart to record their comments. The teacher uses the chart paper to make the following chart.
Item ‐ Drawing of item |
Item ‐ Drawing of item |
Item ‐ Drawing of item |
Item ‐ Drawing of item |
Record properties |
|
|
|
- Students will describe and identify properties found in common, everyday items.
They will use their knowledge to communicate these ideas.
- Items in the bag aluminum pie tin, pencil, feather, sponge. (The teacher can decide
on the items in the bag. It is important to provide a variety of items.) Here are few
more items to collect for this activity: sheet of paper, rock, paper clip, piece of fabric,
button, hanger, popsicle stick, bottle of water, perfume, balloon, small rubber ball,
(inflated with air) wooden block, brick, plastic vase, candy bar, small flag, glass jar,
paper cup, rope, rubber band, garlic powder in a bag, cinnamon stick or a small bag
with cinnamon inside, rubber duck, pipe cleaner, cotton ball, etc.
Day One
- After the Invitation to Learn and the class discussion, have the students pair up.
Each partner group is given an item from the bag. The students are asked to
generate and identify as many properties as they can for their item. They a label
the item, draw it, and record their information on the recording sheet (use the
Me blackline).
- The students share their chart with the class.
- Summarize what has been learned and identified as properties.
Check for understanding of what the term "properties" means.
Day Two
- Explain that in some ways these items in the bag are all alike. Display the items
and ask the students, "Can you figure out how these items are alike even though
they have different properties?" There are three properties to discover that each
item has in common. In order to help your students discover these new
properties, they can ask you twenty questions. (In the game "twenty questions,"
the students ask questions to figure out what it is you want them to discover.
They can only ask yes‐or‐no questions. The object of this game is to figure out
the discovery before twenty questions have been asked. The teacher keeps a
tally of questions asked on the board.)
- Depending on the outcome of the twenty questions game, explain that the
common properties among the items are (1) they take up space (2) they have
weight, and 3) they can be touched or held. Some objects take up more space,
and some take up a small amount of space. Some are lightweight and some are
heavy.
- Everything in the world has these three properties (1) takes up space (2) has
weight, and (3) can be touched or held. When an object or item takes up space,
has weight and can be touched, it is called matter. Everything is made of matter.
Read the poem "What's the Matter?"
(pdf)
- Everything in our world is matter. Matter is made up of little parts called
molecules. How these molecules are arranged and organized makes items what
they are. Matter can be seen and touched. Matter is sometimes very hard and
unbreakable; some matter breaks easily, while other matter is drippy, like
water, milk, or lemonade. Other matter floats, and some matter cannot be seen.
- Read either What Is Matter? or What Is The World Made Of? (to page 8). Have the
students listen for the names of the different forms that matter comes in. As you
read, stop and talk about the three kinds of matter. Draw the illustrations below
on the chart paper so the children understand how the molecules look in each
form of matter.
- After reading and discussing matter, demonstrate the three kinds of matter by
having the students use their hands to model each form. Another idea is to have
the children act as molecules and make each form using their bodies.
Day Three through Day Five Exploring the Three Forms of Matter
- Review the three forms of matter. Explain how these three forms (states) of matter have different properties.
Today students will be moving around the room to different exploration stations to
learn about each kind of matter. The students are to explore, predict, and record
their findings through a guided approach from either a parent helper or the teacher.
After the children have had the opportunity to explore and predict the physical
characteristics of a particular kind of matter, hold a debriefing and clarifying
discussion to teach the specific qualities of each kind of matter.
Set up exploration centers with parents' help so that parents can help guide
instruction and management. It is suggested to set up one exploration center a day
for the students to rotate through. The teacher may decide on how to facilitate this
activity. Each student can be given a clipboard, pencil and graphic organizer to
record his/her observations of each kind of matter.
Solids Center: At this station have a small pan of water, scale, tape measure, and a
hammer. The students use these tools to investigate the characteristics of each item.
Suggested items: rocks, small toys, feathers, sponges, sugar cubes, paper, paper clips,
metal screws, nails, yarn, brick, bobby pin, clay, ice, candy, gum, small balls, paper,
pencil, crayon, eraser, rubber duck, leaf, cork, metal toy car, etc.
The liquids center has four individual parts to it. They are (1) mixing solids and
liquids, (2) sink and float, (3) water displacement, (4) how liquids react to tin foil,
paper towel, and wax paper. (The last shows how water repels, absorbs, and
dissolves. )
Liquids Center: Have a pitcher of water and different small containers to put the
different liquids in.
- Straws 1 per participant
- Plastic spoons
- Dish soap
- Vinegar
- Water
- Oil
- Soda
- Powdered drink mix
- Tin foil
- Wax paper
- Paper towels
- Small see‐through dish pan
- 20 marbles
- 20‐clear plastic cups
- 6 eye droppers
- Salt
- Pepper
Gasses Center:
- Blowing up paper bag and popping it
- Cup with a crinkled paper inside and pushing it down in a large glass jar or seeing through washtub
- Bottle with a balloon on it, warm water, soda and vinegar
- Making a wind puller or fan
- Straws
- 20 clear plastic cups
- Large glass gallon jar/8 oz. glass
- Liquid dish soap
- Water
- Six envelopes
- Spices (cinnamon, garlic salt, marjoram, rosemary, cayenne pepper, cloves)
- Define and clarify the characteristics of each kind of matter. Use the following
graphic organizer to record and write what the class tells about each form of
matter. Record examples of each kind of matter. (Use chart paper to make the
graphic organizer.)
Solids |
Liquids |
Gases |
Characteristics: |
Characteristics: |
Characteristics: |
Examples: |
Examples: |
Examples: |
- These are the qualities you want the students to understand:
- Solids have molecules that are tightly bound together; they keep their shape.
- Liquids have molecules that are loosely bound together. Liquids don't keep
their shape and can mix with other liquids.
- Gases have molecules that float around and do not stay together; they do not
have a certain shape and move freely.
Lesson and Activity Time Schedule:
- Each lesson is 55 minutes
- Each activity is 30 minutes
- Total lesson and activity time is 90 minutes
Activity Connected to Lesson:
EXPLORATION CENTERS: See the Instructional Procedures for a detailed explanation of the
centers.
Activity Materials:
The materials needed are listed below and are also listed in the Lesson Materials.
- Physical Objects: sheet of paper, rock, paper clip, piece of fabric, button, hanger,
Popsicle stick, bottle of water, perfume, balloon, small rubber ball, (inflated with
air) wooden block, brick, plastic vase, candy bar, small flag, paper cup, rope, rubber
band, rubber duck, pipe cleaners, cinnamon stick or a small bag with cinnamon
inside, other spices in small bags( such as marjoram, pepper, salt, garlic powder,
cloves, cayenne pepper) screws, nails, etc.
- Gallon glass jar
- 8 oz. glass
- Paper Towels
- Liquid Dish soap
- Water
- Oil
- Baking Soda
- Powdered Drink Mix
Extensions
- A matter journal can be used to keep information about each student's exploration.
Have them record all the ways they use matter during a day.
(Example: They wear matter, eat matter, use matter, read matter, sit on matter, ride
on matter, sleep and play with matter.)
- Make a physical model of each kind of matter using clay or stickers.
- Compare and contrast solids that can be broken easily with those that are
unbreakable unless heated or bent by a strong force.
Family Connections
1‐Family Matter Graph‐Have the student's families record the kinds of matter they eat or
smell, for a week. Send home a recording sheet for recording Solids, Liquids and Gas.
Assessment Plan
Observe the students as they are learning about the physical characteristics of objects. Do
they have the ability to observe and communicate orally and in written form about their
observations? Do they have the ability to synthesize their knowledge and connect it to the
qualities found in the various forms of matter? Are they engaged in the process of inquiry
and exploration?