Unit Plan

Why Matter Matters

3rd grade Science

Purpose of Unit: The purpose of this unit is to show students in the third grade that
matter is all around them and to make them conscious of matter. Students will learn how
to observe, measure, and use matter to its fullest potential.

Lessons:
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Lesson 1
What is Matter?
Topics Covered: What is matter, what is a physical property of
matter, what are the three states of matter, and how to classify
matter based on physical properties.
Lesson 2
Making Observations of Matter!
Topics Covered: Making observations using all 5 senses, and
making predictions. (Reinforcing lesson 1 objectives)
Lesson 3
Measuring Matter Matters!
Topics Covered: Measuring mass and volume.
Lesson 4
Useful Property of Matter?
Topics Covered: Noticing objects in the real world and making
connections to why state of matter matters and their physical
properties.
Final Investigation:
Topics Covered: Students will demonstrate what they learned in
lesson 1-4 through participating in a gallery walk.

Lesson 1: What is Matter?

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Outcome:
State: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or
concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to
time, sequence, and cause/effect.

Instructional:
Students will be able to identify and describe the three states of matter.
Students will be able to classify objects according to their physical properties.

Assessment:
Teacher will also want to hear vocabulary used in the lesson and see meaningful
connections to matter in their own lives.

Materials Needed:

A material to sort (ex: shells, Legos)

Rulers
Markers
Hand lens
Investigation notebooks
Molecule paper circle (exit slips)

Time Needed: 25mintues to 30minutes

Procedure:
Introduction: What is Matter?
What is a physical property of an object?

Steps for Instruction:

Start the lesson with the definitions of matter and physical property. Have
students write these definitions in their investigation notebooks.
Matter is every object that can occupy space and/ or can be measured
Physical Property is a property that can be perceived with the five senses. (Ex: Color,
texture, size, taste)

Investigation Activity: Sorting by physical property. (5-6 minutes)

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The teacher will need to provide materials such as, shells, pictures,
blocks, etc.

Start by handing out enough of the materials so that each child can
think through how they will sort their items and why they chose to do it
that way. (Teachers can provide rulers, markers, and hand lens to help
students sort their items)

Have students work in pairs or individually to sort their items and must
be able to explain the physical property they sorted by.

Have students share their sorts with the class.

o Tell what your items were.
o How you sorted them.
o Why?

Important Vocabulary: Matter, Solid, Liquid, Gas, Physical Property

Watch Video- youtube: States of Matter Rap
o After watching video have students write in their investigation
notebooks the three states of matter. Referring back to the video to
help student make connections.

Solid- has definite shape and takes up a definite amount of

space.

Liquid- takes the shape of it container and takes up a definite

amount of space.

Gas has no definite shape and does not take up a definite

amount of space.

Closing: Have students write an example of a solid, liquid, and gas on three separate
molecule circles. (Add their examples to the wall by arranging them in the molecular
arrangement of a solid.)

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Lesson 2: Making Observation of Matter!

Outcome:
State: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific
ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language
that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

Instructional:
Students will be able to describe physical properties of an object that can be
observed using the five senses.

Assessment:
Students will discuss their observations and how they helped them figure out what
was in the blind boxes. Teacher can listen in to conversation and ask open ended
questions to make sure that student in-depth understanding. In addition, teachers
can collect students investigation worksheets to get a further look at what the
student was thinking during the activity.

Materials Needed:

Blind Boxes

Observation/ Investigation Worksheet

Science/ Investigation Notebooks

Paper towels (to wipe hands)

Time Needed: 30-35 minutes

Procedure:
Introduction:
Opening Investigation: What were our examples of our three states of matter
investigations?
*split students into groups of 3 and have them make a graphic organizer in their
investigation notebooks.
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Solid

Liquid

Gas

Ex: Apple

Ex: Water

Ex: Oxygen

Steps for Instruction: Making Observations of Matter

Ask students the following questions:

o How do we make observations?

By examining an object in multiple ways and through using our

background knowledge to make connections.

o What do we use to make observations?

Eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and hands

Small Group Activity: Stations

o Teacher needs to pre-make blind boxes

Blind Boxes= boxes students cant see into but can reach hands into or
smell to help students use other observation tools other than their
eyes.

o Teacher will set up stations and students will have 3 minutes at each station.
o Students will make their observations and guess about what is in the blind
boxes. *5-6 stations suggested*
o When all stations have been complete, have students take their seats and
turn and talk to other students or as a whole class. Talk about what they felt,
smelt, heard, or tasted.
o After discussion is over reveal what was in each box.

Closing: Have students write three ways of making observations of matter on more
molecule circles and add to the solid arrangement from the day before.

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Name: _______________________
Investigating Blindly
Station # 1
Observations:

Guess:____________________________________
Station # 2
Observations:

Guess:____________________________________
Station # 3
Observations:

Guess:____________________________________

Station # 4
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Observations:

Guess:____________________________________
Station # 5
Observations:

Guess:____________________________________
Station # 6
Observations:

Guess:____________________________________
Station # 7
Observations:

Guess:____________________________________

Lesson 3: Measuring Matter Matters!

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Outcome:
State: CCSS.Math.Content.3.MD.A.2
Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard
units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l).1 Add, subtract, multiply, or
divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are
given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a
measurement scale) to represent the problem.2

Instructional:
Students will be able to discuss that all objects have mass.
Students will be able to discuss that all matter takes up space or has volume.

Assessment:
Materials Needed:

Multiple types of containers for Lab

Sand or water
Balance Scale
Lab
Legos
Graduated Cylinder
Funnel

Time Needed:
Procedure:
Introduction: Have students write the Opening Investigation in their Investigation
Notebooks.

Opening Investigation: How could we measure matter?

Mass- is the amount of matter in an object
Volume- is the amount of space matter takes up

Steps of Instruction:
Focusing in on Mass: Mass vs. Weight

o Mass is the amount of matter in an object

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o Weight is the amount of gravitational pull the Earth has on an object.

*Teachers should then show students how to use a balance

scale to demonstrate mass vs weight.

*To understand the differences we need to compare a few points:

1) Mass is a measurement of the amount of
matter something contains, while Weight is the
measurement of the pull of gravity on an
object.
2) Mass is measured by using a balance
comparing a known amount of matter to an
unknown amount of matter. Weight is
measured on a scale.
3) The Mass of an object doesn't change when
an object's location changes. Weight, on the
other hand does change with location of an
object.

Investigation Activity 1: Lab- Mass

Students will build a small figure out of Legos.

Students will then discover that no matter how big or little the
figure is that the figure will weigh the same as the separate
pieces.

Investigation Activity 2: Lab- Volume

Student will discover that even when you change containers and
amount of water remains the same. No matter how it looks.

Closing: Have students write what they learned about mass or volume on a molecule
circle. (Have students place their exit slips on the wall next to their solid figure, but now
arrange your circle molecules like a liquid.)

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Name:______________________
Investigation Lab: Building and Figuring Out Mass
Pre-Lab Work:
What is mass?

What is Weight?

Are mass and weight the same or different? Explain your answer.

Lab:
1) Gather four Legos and then gather the same four Lego. You should now have two
sets of Lego that have the same pieces.
Group 1

Group 2

2) Take the Legos from group one and build a figure. Leave the Legos from group 2 as
they are (NO BUILDING).
3) Take your figure with your group 1 Legos and place it in on the balance scale. Then
one by one add the Legos to the opposite of the scale.
4) Write your observation of what happens with*you can draw a picture of what it looks
like but also include in words what is happening to the scale.

a. Only the figure on the balance scale.

b. The figure on one side with one Lego on the other.

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c. The figure on one side with two Legos on the other.

d. The figure on one side with three Legos on the other

e. The figure on one side with all four Legos on the other side.

5) Repeat the process with your own constructed figure. (No more than 12 Legos per
figure)
What did you learn in this lab and mass?

What do you still have questions about?

Name:____________________
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Investigation Lab: Finding Volume No Matter What the Shape

Pre-Lab Work:
What is volume? (in terms of matter)

How does volume relate to mass?

What type of real world item has volume?

Lab: * Be careful not to spill*

1) Start by measuring out any amount of water in your graduated cylinder.
2) Then take your water back to your seat and try filling your first container. Make
observation about what you see. After making your observations pour your water
back into you graduated cylinder and prove to yourself if it was the same or a
different amount of water. (draw a picture with labels and explain what you saw)

3) Fill your next container with your water from your graduated cylinder. Make your
observations and then refill your graduated cylinder.

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4) Fill your next container with your water from your graduated cylinder. Make your
observations and then refill your graduated cylinder.

What are your final observations of what happens when you pour an amount of water
into other containers? What did you learn from this investigation?

What are you still wondering about?

Lesson 4: Useful Property of Matter?

Outcome:
State: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or
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steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and
cause/effect.

Instructional:
Students will be able to describe why certain properties of matter are
important to a piece of matter.

Assessment: Students will create a visual representation of their learning in their final
investigation project.

Materials Needed:
Time Needed:
Procedure:
Introduction: Teacher can dress up in rain gear to get the students full attention
on this important application on this unit.

Opening Question: Why are raincoats important?!? How do they work more
important how do they work? Lets Investigate!

Steps for instruction:

Break students into groups and have them use their investigation notebook
to create their own idea about why raincoats keep us dry in a spring time
shower.

Hand out the real life application worksheet. Have students have group
discussion and take notes on their investigation sheet.

Have students share their findings. One student will stand up and share why
they think raincoats work the way they do.
o *important* make sure to talk about the physical properties of the
raincoat.

Lead another classroom discussion about how different properties are useful
for different purposes in everyday life.
o Example: You couldnt cook food with a plastic pan without it melting.
o Example: Being magnetic is a useful property to hang pictures on your
refrigerator.

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o Example: Some kinds of matter allow electricity to flow through it more

easily.
o Example: Glass has a property of being clear therefore light can pass
through it and light up a room.

Now that we can learned all about the uses of matter and their properties. I
want everyone to pick something that is matter. (Which we know now is
every object that is a solid, liquid, or gas.) We are going to construct out final
piece of our investigation.

FINAL INVESTIGATION:
Students will be start by picking any object they find at home or in the classroom. They
will then research the item in relation to the topics we have covered in our unit. They
will create a visual representation of what they have learned in the unit and about their
final investigation object.

Name:____________________
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Final Investigation:
1) First pick one object that you can find in the classroom or at home.
2) Next you will research the object you choose.
Specifically:
1. Object Name
2. Picture of object (or the object itself, if it is small enough to bring
in)
3. What state of matter it is (solid, liquid, or gas)
a. Draw the molecular arrangement
b. Give observation using 3 of the 5 senses
c. How you would measure your object? (mass or volume)
d. Use of the object
e. Why the state of matter is important to the object
f. Why the physical properties of the object is important to
the object
3) You will then make a poster to show all of your research you found about your
object.
4) Lastly, you will show off your hard work as an investigator by displaying you poster
in a gallery walk.

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