Molecules and Matter Grade Level: 4 6 Teacher Guidelines pages 1 2 Instructional Pages pages 3 4 Partner Project page 5 Crossword Puzzle page 6 Answer Key page 7
Classroom Procedure 1. Without introduction, distribute a salt packet, balloon, and small cup of water to each student. 2. Have students blow up and tie the balloon. 3. Ask students: What is the same and different between the air in the balloon, the water in the cup, and the salt? 4. List responses for display and discuss. Students should begin to recognize that there is a solid, liquid, and a gas. 5. Ask the question: What is the most common characteristic of all three? 6. Accept responses and discuss. 7. Tell the students that each of the items and everything around them is made up of matter. 8. Display the definition of matter: Anything that has mass and takes up space. 9. Ask the question: Do you think atoms and molecules are matter? 10. Accept responses and discuss leading to: Since both take up space, they are also considered matter. 11. Ask the question: What is the difference between an atom and a molecule? 12. Accept responses and discuss. (The answers will vary because many students do not understand the difference.) 13. Explain to students that today they will be learning the difference between atoms and molecules and how it relates to matter. 14. Distribute Matter and Molecules content page. 15. Two options: Read aloud the content together and skip to Step 17, or have students read with their partner beginning in Step 16. (continued Approximate Grade Level: 4-6 Objectives: The students will be able to recognize the differences between atoms, molecules, and compounds as it relates to matter. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA.Science.6.RST.4 CCSS.ELA.Science.6.RST.7 CCSS.ELA.Science.4-5.RI.4 CCSS.ELA.Science.4-5.RI.7 Class Sessions (45 minutes): At least two-three class sessions Teaching Materials/Worksheets: Matter and Molecules content page, rubric page, homework puzzle Student Supplies: salt packet, balloon, small cup of water, colored pencils/markers, drawing/construction paper, access to old magazines, scissors, access to Internet research or other resources, handouts Prepare Ahead of Time: Collect enough salt packets, balloons, and cups for everyone in the class; drawing paper for each pair of students (2-3 large sheets), old magazines for cutting out pictures, copies of rubric page for each pair of students, other copies. Additional Resources: http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_intro.html (additional content) http://chemistry.about.com/od/moleculescompounds/f/what- Is-A-Molecule.htm (additional content) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioxxfahbixg (molecule formation: 2 min.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv4jjzcimpo (atoms, molecules: 9 min) Options for Lesson: Show youtube video(s) prior to, during, or after lesson. Have students work in groups of three. Using a variety of other supplies, students may be able to create a 3D model of an atom, molecule, etc. Use 2-minute video for lower level students and 9-minute video for more advanced students. Do not have the students present information, collect projects and score them. Have students do drawings only without magazine pictures. 1
Classroom Procedure (continued): 16. Pair students. Tell them they are to read the content page together. 17. Instruct the students: Each of you must use the content page and show the differences between atoms, molecules, and matter. You must show others how atoms, molecules, and matter are related to each other. Be sure to use labels, make it large enough for others to see. In summary, you will be turning the content of the reading for others to understand in pictures. You can also be creative. 18. Tell students they will be presenting the completed work to the class on another day and will have 3-5 minutes for each presentation. The presentation will be scored using the rubric. 19. Distribute and review the rubric with the students. 20. Distribute supplies to each pair of students and have them begin working. While the students work, encourage them to make rough drafts, reread information, and make sure the facts are accurate. 21. After students are completed with the project, assign each pair of students a time slot for their presentation. 22. Each pair of students present as you use the rubrics for assessment. After all students have presented, allow time for discussion. 23. When closing the lesson, review the homework page with students to check for understanding. 24. Display projects on the hall or classroom bulletin board, etc. Teacher Notes Matter and molecules are just a sliver of the information available related to chemistry and its teaching. There is an abundant amount of teaching materials available, but also see related lessons for chemistry units. It is very easy for students to get confused about atoms, parts of atoms, molecules, compounds, and matter. Check for understanding often when teaching this lesson to be sure the students understand the basic concepts. 2
Matter Matter is everywhere. It is anything that has mass and takes up space. Atoms and molecules take up space, so it is also matter. Atoms join together to make molecules. Molecules join together to create other matter of different substances. A molecule is the smallest piece of the substance that has all the properties of the substance. For example, it takes many water molecules coming together to give you a cup of water. Just a single water molecule is still water, but you would need a very tiny cup to hold it. It stops being water when the atoms that make water are taken apart. A water molecule is the smallest part of the water that has all the properties of the water. This is how water is created. The image to the left represents a water molecule. The red symbolizes one oxygen atom and it is combined with two hydrogen atoms. You sometimes hear the term H2O. It is the chemical symbol for a water molecule. You cannot see one water molecule, but join trillions of water molecules together and you ll probably have a cup of water. The atoms came together to make one molecule of water. If the atoms did not join together, there would not be water. When different atoms come together like this it forms a compound. 3
Atoms, Molecules and Compounds Nearly all matter is created this way. Atoms come together to form molecules and compounds. Molecules join together to create most of the matter around you. Water, and most other matter, is created by molecules formed by different atoms, but there is matter made from only one kind of atom. For example, iron consists of a single iron atom. One atom of iron is iron. Two atoms of iron will still be iron. Iron is not a molecule or a compound. On the other hand, when two oxygen atoms come together and create the air we breathe it is a molecule and a compound. One oxygen molecule cannot give us air, two of them must join together to form an oxygen molecule. O2 is the chemical symbol for the oxygen in the air. If three oxygen atoms joined together it would form another molecule called ozone, or O3, and that molecule can cause harm. One more example of another common molecule is salt. Different atoms join together to create ordinary table salt. NaCl is the molecule symbol for salt. The Na represents a chemical called sodium, and the CL represents a chemical called chloride. One atom of sodium must join with one atom of chloride to create a single molecule of salt. Since the two atoms are different salt is also a compound. Chloride alone can be harmful, but joined with the sodium it is simply salt. As you can see, the different ways atoms and molecules react with one another give us the different kinds of matter that can be found throughout the universe. The molecules that make up the matter react differently depending on if it is a solid, liquid, or gas. If it is a solid, the molecules are joined closely together. If it is a gas, the molecules are spread out. Finally, the molecules of a liquid are somewhere in between. In summary, everything is made of matter. Atoms can be alone, join with other atoms, or they come together to make molecules. Molecules can then combine with other molecules to make compounds. The atoms, molecules, and compounds are the building blocks of all the matter in the universe. 4
Project Requirements Name Partner The project clearly presented the following information to the viewer in drawings or pictures: (Y or N) 1. Matter is everywhere, it has mass, and takes up space. 2. An atom is smaller than a molecule. 3. The same atoms can join together to make a molecule. 4. Different atoms can join together to make a molecule. 5. Molecules can join together to make matter. 6. A single atom can be matter but not a molecule or compound. 7. The same atom can be combined with itself to make good molecules or harmful molecules. 8. Different atoms can be joined together to make good molecules. 9. An atom can be harmful alone, but joined with another atom it is safe. 10. Molecules are combined differently in a solid, liquid, or gas. The presentation to the class met each of the following expectations: 11. The student was well-prepared for the presentation. 12. The student was able to explain the project s information clearly. 13. The student used a sufficient volume when speaking to the class. 14. The student cooperated with his/her partner during the presentation. 15. The student kept within the time frame allowed for the presentation. Teacher Comments: Score or Grade 5
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