Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oobleck

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore "matter." In this literacy and three states of matter lesson, students listen to Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss, then work in groups to explore "oobleck" (cornstarch and water mixture) with their five senses....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Matter?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate what matter is and how it changes states.  In this physical properties lesson, students examine the vocabulary database and identify the characteristics of the three phases of matter.  Students perform a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Float or Not to Float, That is the Question?

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders develop operational definition of density, do computations using density equation, categorize pieces of matter as being able to float on water or not, based on density, explain why some objects sink or float based on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter Matters: Solids, Liquids and Gases

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Scientists participate in a variety of hands-on experiments in this ten-day unit on the three states of matter. Lessons incorporate literature, a-v materials, and poetry to help students differentiate between solids, liquids and gases.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ready, Set, Let's Dough! It's a Matter of System

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore physical sciences by participating in a class experiment. In this matter lesson, students identify the three forms of matter and their physical differences. Students utilize cookie dough to create a play dough like...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's the Matter?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore the components of matter. They discover what matter is, the states of matter, and how heat and cold cause it to change states in an online format. In addition, they complete internet-based lessons, activities, and quizzes.
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Polymers: Making Silly Putty

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Putty is proof that learning can be fun! Share the wonderful world of polymers with your class through an experiment. Young scientists create their own silly putty, then examine its properties.
Lesson Plan
1
1
Center for Learning in Action

Introducing Physical and Chemical Changes

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
Young scientists investigate chemical and physical changes to the states of matter—gas, liquid, and solid—as well as solutions and suspensions with a variety of demonstrations, grand conversation, and an interactive quiz to check for...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Center for Learning in Action

Gases

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
Explore the properties of gases through one activity and two investigations in which super scientists observe the changes gas makes when encountering different conditions.
Lesson Plan
1
1
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Don't Mess with Mercury (Lesson C)

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
The health effects of mercury exposure if the focus of the first of three activities about the properties of metals. Pairs research mercury to write, prepare, and share posters, articles, or PSAs with the class. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mystery Eggs

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the properties of plastic eggs filled with solids, liquids, and gases and use these observations to hypothesize whether a chicken egg is hard-boiled or raw.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A New Phase In Town

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore heat energy and how it is used to change the phase of matter, and discover that temperature does not increase or decrease until the phase change is complete. This extremely well-written plan is packed with great...
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Curious Crystals

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Crystals are more than meets the eye! Can learners tell them apart simply by observation? As they examine five samples with a magnifier, they find that appearance alone is not enough. This serves as an introduction to a mini unit on...
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Exploring Moisture on the Outside of a Cold Cup: For Dry Environments

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
If the area you live in is arid, or the preceding experiment in this unit didn't yield obvious results, use this one in place of it to help reveal where condensation comes from. The mini unit that this is part of a comprehensive...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter Jeopardy

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore science by participating in a Jeopardy style game. In this matter lesson plan, 4th graders define matter and identify the characteristics and properties of it. Students collaborate in two teams and utilize a SMART...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating the Relationship of Mass to Volume

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the relationship of mass to volume. In this physical science lesson, 3rd graders participate in an investigation with a several materials and measure the mass and volume using scientific tools. Students discuss and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Does It Matter?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students match definitions with vocabulary words and learn basic facts about matter. Then, they see how to determine the physical characteristics of matter. They determine the mass, volume, and density of objects using appropriate tools...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Does It Matter?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students define matter, the chemical properties of matter, and the physical properties of matter. They name physical and chemical properties of matter (by classifying using a Tree Map). Students determine the mass, volume, and density of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oobleck/Slime War

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Young scholars compare slime recipes. In this properties of matter lesson, students make Oobleck and glurch and compare the properties of each and examine the solid and liquid properties of them.
Lesson Plan
1
1
Center for Learning in Action

Water – Changing States (Part 2)

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Here is part two of a two-part lesson in which scholars investigate the changing states of water—liquid, solid, and gas—and how energy from heat changes its molecules. With grand conversation, two demonstrations, and one hands-on...
Lesson Plan
3
3
American Chemical Society

Mixing Liquids to Identify an Unknown Liquid

For Teachers 5th
Yellow and blue make green in a colorful lesson on liquid solutions. The seventh installment of a 16-part Inquiry to Action series asks pupils to mix different-colored solutions and record their observations. They then use their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Three States of Matter

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate the three states of matter and the properties of materials as they undergo physical changes. They identify examples of each type of matter, role-play atoms in solids, liquids, and gases, and conduct an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter for Minors

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students use streaming videos, web sites, and hands on activities students to explore matter. They focus on how temperature affects matter and what the particles look like in the states of matter.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's The States of Matter

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students investigate the properties of solids, liquids and gases. In this states of matter lesson plan, students observe dry ice and its characteristics. They calculate the density of dry ice and observe the sublimation of the dry ice...