What is Matter?

Lesson Plan

Teacher: Erika Orimoto Date and Time: March 28, 2018 10:05-11:43AM

Class (Content Area): Science Grade Level: 7th Grade

Purpose: The current unit focuses on the Introduction to Matter. This lesson focuses on the
basics, “What is Matter?” Matter is anything that has volume and mass. Finally, a short
exploration of how the volumes of solids, liquids, and gases are measured.

Objectives: Students should be able to:

 Describe the two properties of all matter
 Explain volume and mass
 Make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials are made from matter
and impact society
 Display attentive listening, mutual respect, right to pass, and appreciation

Common Core Standards:

MS-PS1-3. Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come
from natural resources and impact society.

GLO’s: Maryknoll Middle School maintains Tribe Agreements that is a process that creates
culture that maximizes learning and human development. These characteristics are:
 Attentive listening: Pay attention to another’s ideas, opinions, and feelings. Check for
understanding. Let other know that they have been heard.
 Mutual Respect: Affirm the value and uniqueness in others. Appreciate individual and
cultural differences in others. Offer feedback that encourages growth.
 Right to Pass: You have the right to choose to participate however you must remain
engaged and observe quietly.
 Appreciations: Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, and accepting of the uniqueness of
others. Think before you speak. Speak positively.
This lesson plan encompasses all four Tribe Agreements. However, there are times when
students need to be reminded on being mindful of mutual respect and attentive listening.

The Hawaii DOE has a list of GLO’s that are also applicable:
 Self-Directed Learner: The ability to be responsible for one’s own learning.
 Complex Thinker: The ability to demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving.
 Effective Communicator: The ability to communicate effectively.
 Quality Producer: The ability to recognize and produce quality performance and quality
products.

Hawaii State Teacher Standards:

Standard #3 - Learning Environment: The teacher works with others to create environments
that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social
interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
Standard #4 - Content Knowledge: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of
inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences
that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure
mastery of the content. 4A, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F
Standard #5 - Application of Content: The teacher understands how to connect concepts and
use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative
problem solving related to authentic local and global issues. 5A-G
Standard #6 - Assessment: The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment
to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s
and learner’s decision making.
Standard #7 - Planning for Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every
student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas,
curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the
community context.
Standard #8 – Instructional Strategies: The teacher understands and uses a variety of
instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas
and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. 8A, 8B, 8C,
8D, 8H, 8J

Assessments:
 The “Question of the Day” is posed at the start of class in conjunction with the
demonstration objects as a formative assessment.
 Notebooks are collected at the end of the period as a qualitative assessment to indicate
if students are following along during class and recording observations during the
activity
 “Exit Ticket” is the post-assessment to check for understanding

Materials/Set-Up:
 Science notebook
 9 mystery items in paper bags
 Pencil
 For demonstration: iPhone, pencil, book, paperclip

Procedures:
a. Introduction (5-10 minutes)
 On the right side of the white board is a list of resources students will need for this
class period (pencil and science notebook).
 Question of the Day: “What do you have in common with an iPhone, pencil, book, or a
paperclip?” This moves into a short demonstration of the objects. The objects will be
shown to the class on a podium and students are welcomed to participate with educated
guesses and scaffolding questions.
b. Developmental (25 minutes)
 Moving on from the demonstration, students will be introduced to the mystery sack
activity. There are nine groups of three students; each group will receive a sealed paper
sack containing a mystery object. The mystery object is anything that fits in the sack
with an interesting shape, odor, and texture.
  For the duration of the activity I will be butterflying around the room ensure students
are staying on task, participating, and guiding any questions or concerns students may
have.
 Students will have five minutes to make as many observations about the object as they
can without opening the sack. They may touch, smell, shake, or listen to the object
through the sack. Observations will be recorded in the science notebook.
 At the end of five minutes students will analyze their observations and make a list of
the object’s properties that they can identify. Another list of properties that they cannot
identify. And finally make a conclusion about the object’s identity. When each group
has made their conclusion about the object’s identity, they will be allowed to open the
sack. When all students have opened their sack, a class discussion will be conducted.
Did you properly identify the object? If so, how? If not, why not? Students will be
given time to answer these questions in their notebooks as well.
c. Concluding (5-10 minutes)
 Whether or not students properly identified the object or not, their observations should
have demonstrated an attempt at identifying various properties of the object, such as
mass, shape, odor, or sound when shaken. The objective is to realize that all objects,
even yourself, have at least one characteristic in common – it’s all made of matter.
 What is matter? It’s anything that has a mass and takes up space (volume).
*Demonstration of volume involving the iPad or iPhone, pencil, book, paperclip from
earlier*
 Ask students which objects contain the largest amount of matter and thus
have the greatest mass. Then, ask which objects contain the smallest amount
of matter and thus have the smallest mass. Ask if the objects that have the
greatest volume always have the most mass.
 Explanation of volume: Mauna Loa, in Hawaii, is the world’s most active volcano. The
volume of lava that has flowed from the volcano is enough to pave a four-lane highway
that reaches around the world 30 times!
 Exit Ticket: “What is Matter? and “What is one thing you still have a question about?”
Tickets are collected at the Exit door as students leave class.
 Students turn in notebooks at the end of the period.

Adaptations and Extensions:

Period 3 - 7C: There are three students diagnosed with ADHD (S1, S2, S3). These students are
provided brief movement breaks if struggling with inattention and restlessness as well as
additional time to complete assignments when needed. During the course of the lesson,
checking for understanding is helpful as well as butterflying around the room to ensure the
student is staying on task.
Period 4 - 7A: There are two students diagnosed with ADHD (S1 and S2). These students are
provided brief movement breaks if struggling with inattention and restlessness as well as
additional time to complete assignments when needed. During the course of the lesson,
checking for understanding is helpful as well as butterflying around the room to ensure the
student is staying on task. There is one student with Dyslexia (S3). These students are given
extra time to read instructions for assignments or classwork.
Management Considerations:
Period 3 - 7C: On a daily basis there can be side conversations along with the general struggle
with staying on task. I plan to address these issues by approaching the student and reminding
them what they should be doing in the moment. If it seems to be a constant problem, I’ll give
them a final warning, if it continues then I’ll administer the appropriate consequence (keeping
consistent with what my CT administers). In addition, laptops are often a problem in this
particular class If a warning to put the laptop away does not suffice, I will confiscate the laptop
and the student will get it back at the end of class.
Period 4 - 7A: On a daily basis there can be side conversations, students randomly standing
up/walking the room, along with the general struggle with staying on task. I plan to address
these issues by approaching the student and reminding them what they should be doing in the
moment. If it seems to be a constant problem, I’ll give them a final warning, if it continues
then I’ll administer the appropriate consequence (keeping consistent with what my CT
administers).

Reflections: This lesson spanned throughout two class periods. Improvement was made from
one class to the next. Examples include explaining instructions more clearly detailed and the
use of more scaffolding questions. For the most part students were engaged in the activity.
However, hearing feedback from my students it seemed the mystery items in the bag were too
simple for them to guess, they suggested more challenging items or multiple items. Therefore,
I would make those necessary adjustments if I do this lesson again in the future.

Resources:
Hawaii’s Teacher Performance Standards (2018). Hawaii State Department of Education.
Retrieved from: https://hawaiiteacherstandardsboard.org/content/teacher-
performance-standards/
Learner outcomes (n.d.). Hawaii State Department of Education. Retrieved from
http://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/StudentLearning/Lear
nerOutcomes/Pages/home.aspx
MS.Matter and it’s Interactions (n.d.). Next Generation Science Standards. Retrieved
from: https://www.nextgenscience.org/dci-arrangement/ms-ps1-matter-and-its-
interactions