2 - What is Matter? (Advanced Prep Required)

Lesson Goals:

1. Ask questions about matter.
2. Classify forms of matter as solid, liquid, or gas.
3. Generate working definitions of matter.
   
4. Explain that matter commonly exists as a solid, liquid, or gas and show interest in learning about other states of matter, such as plasma.
   

Big Ideas:

• Matter is anything that has mass (weight) and takes up space. (Mass is the amount of matter or “stuff” in a certain object. The amount of space an object takes up is its volume.)
  
• Most matter on earth can be sorted into one of three states: solid, liquid, or gas.

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Teacher-Led Activity:

Everything in this classroom is considered to be matter. Let's list some examples of matter on this Google Sheet and let's see if we can be creative and find things that others might not realize is matter!

Definition of Matter
Matter is anything that takes up space and has weight.

Complete the activities here: sd25.sciencecompanionprime.com

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Science Companion Activities:

Scientists classify matter on earth into three main categories: Solids, Liquids, and Gases (Plasma is not a "main" category.). Do we know about each of these categories? These are called "States of Matter." What makes something a solid, liquid, or gas? Can we classify the examples from our classroom into those three categories?

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nv5JADj0tC8/Vw4o-7yRsSI/AAAAAAAAF10/S0xz3G59f0kXtTL1SzmX-RcLeARpYPRVwCLcB/s1600/k.jpg

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Whole-Class Activity:

Watch the top two videos together as a class. Students who finish early can watch the third video and you could save the fourth video for a 25 minute period or a substitute (Optional).

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Independent Student Activity:

Directions:

1. Create the following chart in a blog post entitled, "What is Matter?"
2. Make sure to have an equal number of objects in each column! Try to find variety in your answers.
3. When you've finished your chart, use the images below to check your work.
4. Finally, answer the Reflection questions on your blog.
   

Solids

• List examples from the classroom and your experience.
  

Liquids

• List examples from the classroom and your experience.
  

Gases

• List examples from the classroom and your experience.
  

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Don't click on these pictures until your three-column chart from above is done. Then, use these images to check your work.

https://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/states-of-matter-111025095410-phpapp02-thumbnail-4.jpg?cb=1319536515

https://media1.britannica.com/eb-media/65/63065-004-07B69F7B.jpg

https://researchthetopic.wikispaces.com/file/view/Three%20states%20of%20matter%20JH.jpg/369167902/622x414/Three%20states%20of%20matter%20JH.jpg

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Reflection/Synthesis Questions:

Answers:

1. What is YOUR definition of matter?
2. Explain how you came up with that definition.
3. Scientists define matter as...
   

1. My definition of matter is...
   
2. I came up with this definition...
   
3. Scientists define matter as...