1.

Instructional Context
a. Level: 4th Grade
b. Physical Science
c. Unit Title: The Three States of Matter
d. Anticipated Length of Unit: One Week
e. List any required devices/supplies
i. Computer, iPad, Tablet, etc. (Anything the students
can access Google Drive from)
ii. Science Notebook
iii. States of Matter Worksheet
iv. Balloons
v. Water
vi. Something to freeze the water.
vii. Bucket/Cup (to pour water in)
viii.
Whiteboards
ix. Whiteboard Markers
f. Differentiation plans for a variety of learning styles
i. Students will be given an aid to help assist them
throughout the unit.
ii. Students will be allowed to use a speech to text
program to help assist them while filling out the science notebook.
iii. Students will be given five printed pictures of each
state of matter for the States of Matter Final Worksheet and they will
match the pictures with the correct state.
2. Standards Addressed (at least one content standard, one Common Core Tech
Standard, and TWO ISTE standards)
a. Tech Standards (NETS for students):
i. Common Core Tech Standard: Use a word
processing application to write,

edit, print and save simple

assignments
ii. https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/accommodati
onsmanual_ccss_k12_techscope

b. WI Academic Standard:
i. D.4.3. Understand that substances can exist in
different states-solid, liquid, gas.
ii. http://dpi.wi.gov/science/standards/d/4
c. ISTE Standards:
i. Must have at least one tech activity with summative
assessment where students can create something to illustrate what theyve
learned. Make sure to include a rubric for summative assessment
purposes.

ii. You should have other tech pieces to include

(review videos, websites to access, activities, etc). Remember, this is
supposed to be a technology-rich instructional plan.
iii. Include directions for what students will be doing
and instructions on how to use the tech tools
iv. http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-s-standards.pdf?
sfvrsn=2

3. Lesson Objectives (For the whole unit)

a. Students will be able to identify the difference between solids,
liquids, and gases.
b. Students will be able to give examples of each state of matter.
c. Students will be able to understand the concept of each state of
matter in the experiments.
d. Students will be able to work and collaborate with others
throughout the unit.
4. Instructional Activities and Samples
Lesson One: (Introduction)
Introduction: explain that over the week, students will be learning about
The states of matter. These include solids, liquids, and gasses.
The teacher will first introduce the Google Doc. Shared with each student
in the classroom. Students will open the doc, and begin to watch the Intro to
Science Notebook Instructional video.

https://youtu.be/_Nlv0l1DV3Y
Discussion: ask students what they know about the unit topic solids,
liquids, and gases. Students will record these ideas and any background knowledge
in their science notebooks.

Science Notebook:
https://docs.google.com/a/uwosh.edu/document/d/13p_T2PnVdW7E9pNzu1DvqLJ9xEQUi1npGWx7Y1MeEw/edit?usp=sharing
Ask students to talk with their table partners about what they may want to
know about solids, liquids, and gasses.
Ask students to record 3 things they are curious about when it comes to
solids, liquids, and gasses in their science notebooks.

Science Notebook Intro Know/Want to know on page 2

labelled as Introductory Thoughts

Do the states of matter influence our

everyday living?

Are the states of matter essential to live?

Why might the states of matter be

important?

 Exit: Ask students to practice sharing their science notebooks with the
teacher so that the teacher can see the work done on the introductory page.
Lesson Two: (Solid)
Introduction: Play Matter Chatter youtube video and ask students to listen
closely to information about solids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33WdI64FiY (Stop
at 38 seconds)
Ask students for examples of things that they think are solids and write
their responses on an easel pad.
Ask students what makes an object a solid.
Explain to students that solids can hold their shape. (They dont flow like
a liquid)
Experiment:

Fill balloon with water then put the balloon into a freezer.

Ask students to write in their science notebook (google

docs) what they predict will happen to the water when it freezes.

Will the water become a solid, liquid, or

gas?

Remove balloon from freezer at the end of the day.

Ask students to record what they observe into their science

notebooks.

What do they think about their observation?

Was their prediction correct?

Discussion:

Asks students to share with an elbow buddy what their

prediction was and if their prediction was correct.

Ask for volunteers to share what they discussed with their

partner.
Lesson Three: (Liquid)
Introduction: Play Matter Chatter youtube video. Tell the
students to listen to the information about the solids and the liquids.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33WdI64FiY
(Stop at 1:21)
Do a quick recap with the students about solids. Prompt them with
questions:
What is a solid?
What happened to the balloon during the
experiment?
Refer back to the video and have the students tell examples of
things that are a liquid. Write the students responses on the easel pad.
Ask the students what they believe a liquid is.

 Explain to students that a liquid take up the shape of the container

in which they are kept. Tell the students that liquid has a definite volume but not a
definite shape which is why they flow and leak when taken out of the container
they are contained in.
Experiment:
Pour water into balloon and tie shut. Let students
pass it around to their neighbors.
While the students are passing around the balloon,
fill up a few more balloons with water so each desk pod has at least one
balloon to look at while writing their observations.
While the balloon is being passed around, have the
students write in their science notebooks (google docs) about what they
think will happen to the water when I pour it into the cup?
Will the water stay a liquid or will it
become a solid or a gas?
Pour the water from the balloon into a cup.
Tell students to write their observations in their
Science Notebooks (google docs)
What happened to the water?
Was your prediction correct?
Was there the same amount of water
as the water poured into the glass or did the volume decrease?
Wrap up/Conclusion:
Have students discuss with a partner what their
prediction was and if it was correct or not.
Allow for students to share with the class what their
prediction was and if it was correct or not..
Lesson Four: (Gas)
Introduction: Play Matter Chatter video. Ask the students to
listen close to the information about all three states of matter and see what they
already knew about solids and liquids and what they learn about gas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33WdI64FiY
(Stop at 2:10)
Recap what they know about solids and liquids, ask questions like:
What is a solid? What is a liquid? How are they
different?
What happened to the two balloons during the
experiments?
Refer back to the video for examples and use video to transition to
gases. Ask what they believe some examples of gases are.
Ask them to use a whiteboard and write as many examples of gases
they can think of with a partner near them.

 Share these lists as a whole class.

Ask them to describe what they listed and why they think they are
a gas
Experiment:
Fill a balloon with air and pass it around the room
so the students can record observations.
While they are passing the balloon around ask them
to write a prediction as to what the air will do when it is let out of the
balloon in their science notebook (google docs)
Will it stay a gas or become a liquid
or a solid?
Release the air from the balloon
Have the students write their observations in their
science notebook (google docs)
What happened to the air?
Was your prediction correct?
Discussion
Have students discuss with a partner
around them if their prediction was correct
Leave time to share predictions as a
whole group
Lesson Five: (Conclusion)
Students will be given time to discuss with a partner everything
that has happened over the past 4 days.
The teacher will ask students if their questions were answered
throughout, or if the have other questions they want answered.
Teacher will share worksheet with students on google drive.
They will use their device to search the web and
find 5 pictures that fit into each states of matter box (solid, liquid, gas)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JRHY4JQxN
BiQSsJFYa4g1c0POc6qRWnNEn6xWYw0Gh0/pub
After the final worksheet is done, each student will share their
science notebook with the teacher.

SCIENCE NOTEBOOK RUBRIC

1 - Needs

2 - Developing

3 - Proficient

4 - Exemplary

Improvement
Completion

Completed
under half of the
science
notebook.

Completed at
least half of the
science
notebook.

Completed more
than half of the
science
notebook.

Completed all 5
pages and cells
within the science
notebook.

Details

Vaguely
described
predictions,
observations, or
additional
thoughts on
experiments.

Partially
described
predictions,
observations, or
additional
thoughts on
experiments.

Described
predictions,
observations,
and additional
thoughts on
experiments.

Comprehensively
described
predictions,
observations, and
additional
thoughts on
experiments.

English
Conventions

There are more

than 3 spelling
or punctuation
errors within the
final project.

There are 2-3

spelling or
punctuation
errors within the
final project.

There is one
spelling or
punctuation
errors within the
final project.

Used appropriate
spelling,
punctuation, and
grammatical
conventions
throughout the
final project.