Assessment
Rubric to access the drawings representing the three types of matter. Rubric to access the Venn diagram. Rubric to access the compare and contrast essay.
Learning Context/ Introduction
Eighth grade science students have trouble grasping and retaining the three types of matter. With this lesson, I hope to make it easier for students and teachers alike to cover and retain this difficult material.
I have made a manipulative available to them so they are able to construct the three types of matter using the particles that make them up. In doing so, the students will see the differences and similarities in the types of matter. Since it is manipulative, it will keep them engaged and help with retention for some of the learners. This knowledge and experience will lead to understanding concepts that follow in Chemistry. They will also do a compare and contrast exercise using a Venn diagram and write a compare and contrast essay based on the three types of matter. This part of the lesson forces students to take a close look at the three types of matter and organize the material, which leads to higher-level thinking and of course retention.
Duration
The introductory lesson should take 10 to fifteen minutes.
The computer lab portion of this lesson should take about 20 minutes for a classroom full of students (24) to log on to the computers, do the lesson, and print the results.
The compare contrast Venn diagram should take 15 minutes to complete.
The compare and contrast essay will need 20 to 25 minutes to complete.
Essential Question
How do we classify non-living matter?
Instructional/Environment Modifications
The computer part of this lesson may be done in a classroom on a SMART Board or in a computer lab individually using SMART Notebook software. The writing portion should be done in a classroom.
Procedure
1. The teacher should motivate the lesson by reviewing how important the classification of living matter was. How much information can be learned at a faster rate if we take the time to classify. It can be mentioned how hard it would be to find books in a library if they were not classified by the Dewey decimal system.
2. Teacher should introduce the classification of non-living matter and hand out the table of information on elements, compounds and mixtures included in this lesson. Similarities and differences between them should be pointed out.
3. Teacher can demonstrate the particles that make up each type of matter using atomic models, Styrofoam balls, or dot candies.
4. Using the SMART Board the teacher can show students how to create a scientific drawing of the three types of matter using the SMART Notebook lesson included with this lesson. The bonding of atoms can be shown by overlapping two atoms.
5. The lesson can stop here or students can be brought to a computer lab and instructed on how to create their own scientific drawings of the three types of matter. They should be given a copy of the rubric that will be used to grade this exercise. They can print a copy of each drawing for the teacher.
6. This lesson can stop here or the teacher may choose to have the students do a compare and contrast question on this topic.
7. A copy of the double Venn diagram worksheet should be distributed to each student as well as a copy of the rubric that will be used to grade it. The teacher should explain how to use a Venn diagram and how to address a compare and contrast question.
Students should be reminded that they have a table of information on the three types of matter and may want to use additional sources for this lesson. A completed copy of the Venn diagram should be handed in by each student.
8. A rubric to grade this is included in this lesson.
9. This lesson can stop here or the teacher can go on to introduce a compare and contrast essay. The directions for this activity are included in this lesson. Each student should be provided with copies of the directions as well as the rubric. A copy of their essay and rubric should be handed in at the conclusion of the lesson.
SMART notebook file for drawing Blank Venn Diagram
Reflections and Feedback
The scientific drawing part of this lesson works well. The students needed little added instruction. Students were all engaged during this part of the lesson. The compare and contrast question was a little more difficult for students who had not been exposed to this type of question before. The essay was the most difficult because they had to combine their ELA skills with science in order to complete this lesson.
Student Work
Each student should turn in three scientific drawings. The drawings should show a beaker full of an element, a compound and a mixture - each in a separate beaker. The types of matter should be represented correctly by the particles that make them up. The particles they choose from are atoms that can be put together to make molecules or by themselves.
They will also hand in a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting two of the three types of matter. They will also write a compare and contrast essay using the guidelines included in this lesson.
Student sample 1Student sample 2Student Sample 3High Student SampleMedium Student SampleLow Student Sample
Related Resource
SMART Notebook software & computer lab or SMART Board.
