This unit on matter cycling and photosynthesis begins with students reflecting on what they ate for breakfast. Students are prompted to consider where their food comes from and consider which breakfast items might be from plants. Then students taste a common breakfast food, maple syrup, and see that according to the label, it is 100% from a tree.

Based on the preceding unit, students argue that they know what happens to the sugar in syrup when they consume it. It is absorbed into the circulatory system and transported to cells in their body to be used for fuel. Students explore what else is in food and discover that food from plants, like bananas, peanut butter, beans, avocado, and almonds, not only have sugars but proteins and fats as well. This discovery leads them to wonder how plants are getting these food molecules and where a plant’s food comes from.

Students will investigate the construction of batteries based on how different materials react with one another to produce electricity.

CK-12 Physical Science Concepts covers the study of physical science for middle school students. The 5 chapters provide an introduction to physical science, matter, states of matter, chemical interactions and bonds, chemical reactions, motion and forces, and the types and characteristics of energy.

Students will look at the balance of carbon among the systems and construct an explanation of how the movement of carbon can result in changes to the system.

Students investigate the products of a combustion reaction. Students will learn tests to identify gases.

This Nearpod can be used for distance learning or in class to teach students about how temperature changes the density of fluids.

This lesson plan utilizes the Describe App to solidify student speech sound productions.  While the plan is tied to all grade Speaking and Listening by responding to questions using a clearly stated response which is found across all the grade language arts standards, it can be adapted to meet any Speaking and Listening standard at any grade level, particularly in upper elementary, school based on the amount of support given by the clinician to support the sound producitons, clarify clues given, and the contextual clues discussed to support the student's ability to respond clearly.S(This resource's preview image was created by the author of this lesson plan.)

This activity gives students a way to look at how organisms are connected to ecosystems through the cycling of matter and the flow of energy. By the end of the activity, students will be able to make distinctions between how matter and energy are used and transferred and will be encouraged to apply this important crosscutting concept to the world around them.

First, students observe an animal, then they reflect on how it uses matter from food to build body structures and energy from food to do things. Students look at food as “packages” of matter and energy that animals (and plants) consume. They also think about wastes, such as poo, pee, sweat, heat, and carbon dioxide. This is a focused activity best used as part of an extended matter and energy-themed experience, and it works best after students have had time to explore, check out organisms in other ways, and be physically active.

This lesson plan utilizes filmmaking to solidify student understanding of scientific phenomena related to matter. While the plan is tied to 5th grade SEEd standards, it can be adapted to meet any SEEd standard at any grade level, particularly in upper elementary, middle school, and high school.  (This resource's preview image was created by the author of this lesson plan.)

Students will explore the different properties of matter as they determine which materials are best suited for certain functions.

This is the first instructional sequence in a teacher's guide built with the purpose of helping students build a deeper understanding of the Structures and Properties of Matter standard.Students have the opportunity to engage with interactive simulations, create poetry, drawing scientific diagrams, read complex text, develop evidence based explanations and design a model . The instructional sequence described in the lesson uses the 5 E learning model and includes a variety of online simulations, polls and model drawings.

Students will identify different states of matter, the conservation of mass with phase change and make observations of energy/heat loss during a physical change in matter.

Students will research different types of plastics and their uses. They will also conduct several tests on the plastics to determine their physical properties.

Students will conduct an investigation to determine which insulators work best and compare materials. Students will design insulation that allows Utah’s waxy crude oil to remain as a liquid during transport.

Students will investigate to determine the optimum conditions for phase change, using water as a model for natural gas.

For this unit plan, see the old unit calendar (link on left sidebar, click ALT7 tab at the bottom).  Once we update this unit to the new Doc template, we will post it here. This is now unit 7, but it used to be unit 4 (we will update file and folder numbering as we continue to revise the units). Thanks for your patience as we work hard this year to update all of the materials to the new unit template and unit/standards arrangements.

Students will investigate different phases of and properties of matter, including mass, volume, density, solubility, and conservation.

In this Matter and Energy Name Game, students learn each other’s names through a chant about energy and matter, then each dance in the spotlight when it’s their turn. It gives students a fun introduction to some words relating to matter and energy that the instructor can refer back to during later learning experiences. It also provides an opportunity for each student to feel “seen” at the beginning of a field experience.