Unit 1 — Properties of Matter
Description
Students begin the year by investigating the physical properties of matter and developing models of how matter is structured at the particle level. In the first part of the unit, students measure and describe various physical properties—including color, hardness, reflectivity, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, response to magnetic forces, and solubility—to identify and classify different materials such as powders, metals, minerals, and liquids. They use standard units to measure weight, time, temperature, and volume. In the second part of the unit, students make observations and gather evidence to understand that matter is made of particles too small to see. They examine phenomena such as adding air to expand a basketball, compressing air in a syringe, dissolving sugar in water, and evaporating salt water to build mental models of how gases and other forms of matter behave at the particle level.
Essential Questions
- What are the properties of different materials and how can we use them to identify substances?
- How can we model matter if the particles are too small to see?
Learning Objectives
- Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties including color, hardness, reflectivity, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, response to magnetic forces, and solubility
- Use standard units to measure physical quantities such as weight, time, temperature, and volume
- Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen
- Use evidence from phenomena such as air expansion, air compression, dissolving, and evaporation to support the particle model of matter
- Understand that matter can be subdivided into particles that are too small to see but still exist and can be detected
Supplemental Resources
- Markers for labeling materials for identification for organizing and displaying properties
- Highlighters for identifying key properties in data tables for data interpretation
- Index cards for sorting materials by property for classification activities
- Chart paper for recording observations of physical properties for documentation
- Sticky notes for labeling diagrams of particle models for model annotation
Crosscutting Concepts
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Science and Engineering Practices
Students use informational texts and digital sources to conduct research, gather evidence, and build knowledge across all science units. They quote accurately from texts, draw inferences, summarize and paraphrase information in science notebooks, write opinion pieces supporting claims with evidence, and incorporate multimedia components into presentations. Reading informational texts and writing research-based explanations are explicitly aligned to science performance expectations throughout all six units.
Students apply mathematical reasoning and computational thinking across all units. They measure and graph physical quantities such as weight, volume, and temperature; use coordinate plane graphing to represent scientific data; convert measurement units within standard systems; and reason abstractly and quantitatively when analyzing data as evidence for scientific explanations. Mathematical practices including modeling with mathematics and using appropriate tools strategically are integrated throughout investigation and data analysis activities.
Formative Assessments
- Students measure and describe physical properties of various materials using appropriate tools such as balances, thermometers, and graduated cylinders
- Students conduct hands-on investigations to identify unknown materials based on their measured properties
- Students create and refine models showing how particles are arranged in solids, liquids, and gases
- Students collect and analyze data on the effects of physical changes such as expansion and compression
Summative Assessment
Students use common objects to develop a model demonstrating that particles exist even if they cannot be seen. The model must explain observations from phenomena such as air expansion, compression, dissolving, or evaporation.
Benchmark Assessment
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Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through labeled diagrams or physical models with teacher-provided descriptions of particle behavior, rather than written explanations. Measurement tasks may be completed with simplified data tables, pre-made answer choices for classifying materials, or verbal responses to guide questions about physical properties and particle models.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students may benefit from graphic organizers or visual anchor charts that display physical properties alongside labeled images of materials, helping them connect vocabulary to observable characteristics. During measurement activities, provide step-by-step visual directions and allow students to demonstrate understanding through oral explanation or guided recording rather than independent written responses alone. For the summative model task, consider allowing students to use manipulatives, drawings, or verbal narration to represent particle arrangements, reducing barriers related to written output while still assessing conceptual understanding.
Section 504
Provide extended time during measurement and investigation tasks, as handling tools such as balances, thermometers, and graduated cylinders may require additional processing time. Preferential seating near demonstration areas supports access during whole-class modeling of particle behavior. A reference card listing physical property definitions and measurement unit reminders may help students maintain focus and independence throughout multi-step investigations.
ELL / MLL
Pre-teach key content vocabulary such as property, particle, solubility, conductivity, and evaporation using visual supports, realia, and translated glossaries where available before investigations begin. During hands-on activities, pair simplified written directions with diagrams or photos illustrating each step, and allow students to label drawings or respond to comprehension checks in their home language when possible. Connecting observable phenomena—such as watching salt dissolve or a basketball expand—to vocabulary in a visual word bank supports both language acquisition and conceptual understanding.
At Risk (RTI)
Begin with concrete, hands-on experiences using familiar materials—such as comparing objects students can touch and sort—before introducing more abstract concepts like the particle model of matter. Reduce the number of properties students are asked to investigate simultaneously, focusing on mastery of a few key measurements before expanding, and provide partially completed recording tools that scaffold data collection without removing the investigative process. Connecting particle behavior to everyday experiences like blowing up a balloon or stirring sugar into a drink helps build the background knowledge students need to access more abstract modeling tasks.
Gifted & Talented
Challenge students to investigate how multiple physical properties interact when classifying an unknown material, and to evaluate the limitations of their particle models by considering what the model can and cannot explain. Students may explore how the particle model connects to phenomena beyond the unit—such as pressure changes at different altitudes or the behavior of matter under extreme temperatures—through self-directed research or design challenges. Encourage students to critique and refine their models using scientific reasoning, moving toward the kind of evidence-based argumentation used in authentic scientific practice.