Matter Changes

Overview

In this first lesson of the four-part “Matter in Motion” unit, students investigate how matter can change and how observations provide evidence. They move from a surprising orange-peel demonstration to classifying changes, learning particle vocabulary, and building a concept map that connects particles, properties, and changes.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Distinguish physical and chemical changes using observable evidence.
• Use the terms atom, element, compound, physical property, and chemical property accurately.
• Connect particle descriptions to the properties and changes of matter.
• Cite specific observations from a demonstration or example to support a claim.

Success criteria

• I can classify familiar examples as physical or chemical changes.
• I can describe observations that support my classification.
• I can use particle vocabulary when explaining matter.
• I can identify evidence that a chemical reaction occurred and correct a misconception.

Curriculum links

• Read and comprehend grade 6–8 science texts independently and proficiently.
• Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of a science text.
• Integrate technical information in words with visual representations such as diagrams and concept maps.
• Determine the meaning of domain-specific terms in a scientific context.
• Follow a precise multistep procedure when carrying out a technical task.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Engage: surprising demonstration. Teacher displays the question “How can a peel pop a balloon?” and uses the opening question and demonstration slides to demonstrate squeezing a small piece of orange peel near, but not touching, an inflated balloon; students silently record two observations and one question. Use safety goggles, check latex allergies, keep the balloon pointed away from faces, and explain that only the teacher handles the peel and balloon. Invite students to distinguish what they observed from what they think happened.

2. 8–18 min · Explore: classify changes. Teacher distributes the matter changes investigation sheet and has pairs sort familiar examples—ice melting, paper tearing, wood burning, a bicycle rusting, sugar dissolving, and an effervescent tablet reacting—using the prompts on the slides. Students classify each as physical or chemical, record observable evidence, and mark any example they are unsure about. Do not require students to decide from appearance alone; prompt them to ask whether a new substance may have formed.

3. 18–30 min · Explain: build the language. Teacher uses the vocabulary and particle-model slides to explain that atoms are tiny particles, elements contain one type of atom, and compounds contain atoms of different elements chemically joined; model physical properties, chemical properties, physical changes, and chemical changes. Students annotate a vocabulary table on the matter changes investigation sheet and complete brief partner checks, such as “Is color a physical or chemical property? Explain.” Emphasize that particles are rearranged during changes and that observing a new color, gas, precipitate, temperature change, light, sound, or odor can provide evidence of a chemical reaction, but one clue alone is not always conclusive.

4. 30–43 min · Explore further: evidence stations. Teacher forms four groups of three and provides each group with the Particle Model Cards and a set of teacher-prepared example cards or projected examples; groups rotate or work through examples, identifying the matter description, likely change, and strongest evidence. Students use the sentence frame “I classify this as ___ because I observe ___, which suggests ___.” Circulate and ask, “What exactly did you observe?” and “Could the original substance still be present?” Record strong evidence statements for the class.

5. 43–55 min · Elaborate: concept map. Teacher models one connection on the concept-map instructions and discussion slides—for example, “Atoms combine to form compounds”—then directs groups to complete the concept-map section of the matter changes investigation sheet. Students connect particles, atoms, elements, compounds, physical properties, chemical properties, physical changes, and chemical changes using labeled arrows and at least two examples. Each group explains one connection to the class. Encourage students to revise inaccurate links rather than simply erasing them.

6. 55–60 min · Evaluate: exit ticket. Teacher displays the exit-ticket prompt and students independently answer on the final section of the matter changes investigation sheet: “Name one observation that can be evidence of a chemical reaction. Explain why it is evidence.” Students then address the misconception: “If matter changes shape, a new substance has formed.” Collect responses to identify students who need reteaching before Lesson 2.

Resources

• Teacher demonstration: inflated balloon, small orange peel, tray, goggles, and allergy/safety check
• the Matter and Its Changes slide deck
• the matter changes investigation sheet
• the Particle Model Cards
• Teacher-prepared familiar-change example cards or projected examples
• Timer, pencils, colored pencils, and chart paper or whiteboard
• Short, chunked science reading in large sans-serif text
• Tinted paper or digital text-to-speech access

Assessment

• Listen during pair sorting and require students to support classifications with observations rather than guesses.
• Check vocabulary tables and concept maps for accurate definitions, labeled connections, and particle-level language.
• Use the exit ticket to assess evidence of chemical reactions and the misconception about shape changes; group students for targeted review in the next lesson.

Differentiation

• Support learners with picture/example cards, a word bank, partially completed concept-map arrows, sentence starters, teacher think-alouds, and mixed-ability groups.
• Offer oral responses, speech-to-text, or a recorded explanation for students who struggle with writing. Read directions aloud and check understanding one step at a time.
• For dyslexic students, provide the short reading in clearly chunked sections with large sans-serif text, clear headings, tinted paper or digital text-to-speech. Avoid unnecessary copying from the board.
• Challenge advanced learners to explain the orange-peel phenomenon at the particle level, including how the peel’s oil interacts with the balloon material and why this is evidence of a physical change rather than necessarily a chemical reaction.

Extension

• Write a short claim-evidence-reasoning explanation of the orange-peel demonstration using at least three terms from the lesson.
• Predict whether crushing a solid, dissolving a substance, or burning a substance changes the particles themselves or only their arrangement.