Fifth Grade Unit 3: Physical and Chemical Changes

Unit Description:
In this unit students will begin to identify chemical and physical changes. It is not always easy to tell one from the other. Students should be aware
that scientists sometimes disagree on whether a change is physical or chemical or both. At the 5th grade level we should keep it simple. Students
should understand that a physical change is a change that can be reversed. The shape or size of the matter has been moved around, but not
permanently altered. Students will also identify the basic physical changes of water (gas, liquid, and solid).
Teacher Background Information and Glossary
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings: Vocabulary
Some objects are too small to be seen without magnification Physical Change
When matter is changed, we can make observations to determine if Chemical Change
the change was physical or chemical Manipulate
A physical change is a change where no new substances are formed Separate
In a chemical change, a new substance is formed Mixture
Temperature variations cause a physical change to the state of water States of water
Temperature
Particles
Essential Questions:
How can I tell if matter has undergone a chemical change or a physical
change?
How do different forms of water exist on Earth?
Why does ice melt?
What causes water to change states?
What happens to water as its temperature changes?
Content Standards
S5P1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to explain the differences between a physical change and a chemical change.
a. Plan and carry out investigations by manipulating, separating, and mixing dry and liquid materials and communicate collected data to
demonstrate examples of physical change.
b. Construct an argument based on observations that the physical changes in the state of water are due to temperature differences, which cause
small particles that cannot be seen to move differently.
c. Plan and carry out an investigation to determine if a chemical change occurred based on observable evidence (color, gas, temperature
change, odor, new substance produced).

1
S5P1 Physical and Chemical Changes GYSTC Unit Plan
 Misconceptions Proper Conceptions
Water must be boiled in order to change from a liquid to a gas Water does change from a liquid to a gas when it reaches boiling
Freezing only happens when it is cold outside temperature. It can also evaporate at room temperature or even when it
Students are often unsure if an object has undergone a chemical is cold outside.
change, physical change, or both Matter freezes (becomes a solid) at different temperatures. For
example glue and wax freeze at room temperature. Water freezes at 0
degrees Celsius.
In 5th grade, we want to keep it simple regarding chemical and
physical changes. Scientists continue to debate this concept. In simple
terms, a chemical change cannot be reversed and a physical change can.
Web Resources
Teaching Channel
Chemical vs Physical
Science Buddies
http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_chemphys.html
Web Quest
http://www.strangematterexhibit.com/
http://www.strangematterexhibit.com/teachers.html
Assessments Literature Connections
See assessments in individual lab/lessons activities. Change It!: Solids Liquids Gases and You by Adrienne Mason
Solids, Liquids, And Gases by Ginger Garrett
What Is the World Made Of?: All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases
by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
Pan Cake, Pan Cake by Eric Carle
The Magic School Bus gets baked in a cake: A book about kitchen
chemistry
Chemistry for Every Kid by Janice VanCleave
Lab/Lesson Activities STEM Challenges STEM Career Connections
Name that Change Matter STEM Challenge
Physical and Chemical Change
Cleaning Pennies
Changing States

Information from: https://www.georgiastandards.org/Frameworks/GSO%20Frameworks/5%20Science%20Framework%20Chemical%20and%20Physical%20Changes.pdf

2
S5P1 Physical and Chemical Changes GYSTC Unit Plan