Subject

General Science
Teaching Tools
White Board
Text Book
Work Book
Practical Activity
YouTube

Topic
Year Level
States of Matter: Introduction Year Eight (SEAL)
24 Students
Prac Materials
References
Slime
Oxford Big Ideas 8
Polyvinyl Alcohol
(Website)
Borax
AusVELS
Food Dye
PoLT
Containers and Stirrers
E5
Kinetic Sand

Activity:
Welcome the class

Date and Duration

15th May 2015, 50 Minutes
AusVELS
The following AusVELS
objectives will be explored
within this class:

(ACSIS148)
(ACSIS139)
(ACSSU151)

(ACSSU225)

Teaching Cues
Introduce yourself to the class by writing your
name on the top corner of the write board

Mark the roll

Engage
[5 Minutes]

Have the students write the learning objectives

Write learning objectives on the board
into their workbook so they know what will be
covered in todays class.
To explore and identify the different states of
matter
To create and analyse slime
AUSVELS: Chemical change involves substances reacting
to form new substances (ACSSU225)

These learning objectives should remain on the board for

the entirety of the class so the class is able to refer back to
them throughout the class.
By the end of the class, students will be able to discuss
and describe these objectives through formative
assessment.

In continuation of writing these learning

objectives on the board, continue the class
with a brainstorm activity.

Explore
[10 Minutes]

Activity:
Brainstorm
As a class, develop a mind map on what they already
know about the states of matter. Group together
examples they give of solids, liquids and gases. Include all
statements made by students to incorporate any common
misconceptions students may have on the topic.

Organising States of Matter

Give each student an example picture of an
everyday object
Learning connects strongly with communities
and practices beyond the classroom
Have the students individually decide whether
their example is a solid, liquid or gas
Have each student place their image in their
respective columns on the whiteboard (see
below)
SOLID
LIQUID
GAS

Discuss with the class whether they agree with

each one and why they dont
See Appendix 1

Teaching Cues:
As this was a topic the students have covered
in year 7, most of them will have a good
understanding on the different states of
matter and will be able to give examples of a
number of these.
Misconceptions:
Gasoline is always a gas
The sun is a gas
Each example can only be in one
category
Solids have larger particles
air is not made up of any particles

When organising states of matter, have the

students come up to the front a couple at a
time to avoid all students coming up at once.
Ensure that during this activity students are
supportive of one another and encourage all
students to have a fair go.
The learning environment is supportive and
productive

Explain
[10 Minutes]

Extension Activity:
Some students may even present PLASMA which is an
additional state of matter. For the students who are more
advanced, have them give their examples and definitions
and finish with this video which explains plasma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkeSI_B5Ljc
AUSVELS: Communicate ideas Using scientific language
and representations using digital technologies as
appropriate (ACSIS148)

This extension activity is not part of the

curriculum framework, but as this class is a
SEAL class, they may find this type of extension
insightful.
Students needs, backgrounds, perspectives
and interested are reflected in the learning
program

Activity:
Work Book
States of Matter:
SOLIDS

Teaching Cue
Altering states of matter
The two main ways to alter states of matter is
to alter its temperature or pressure.
Have a student give an example of how
temperature effects a particle
Have a student give an example of how
pressure effects a particle
What happens to the molecules in
reference to the Kinetic Theory of
Matter?

Definitive Shape
Definitive Volume

LIQUIDS
Indefinite Shape
Definitive Volume

GASES
Indefinite Shape
Indefinite Volume

Use examples from around the room to explain the shape

and volume features of each state of matter
Kinetic Theory of Matter:
SOLIDS
LIQUIDS

GASES

For students to understand the Kinetic theory of matter

further, enhance they knowledge with this short video
explaining the theory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndw9XYA4iF0

The video goes for 3 minutes.

Main Concepts
Everything is made up of moving
particles.
Gas particles have a high amount of
energy so they are moving across
infinite distances
Liquid particles have a moderate
amount of energy which is why they
are able to visually change shape easily
Solid particles have the least amount
of energy so they dont move as much,

AUSVELS: The properties of the different states of matter

can be explained in terms of the motion and arrangement
of particles (ACSSU151)

Elaborate
[20 Minutes]

but more so vibrate against one

another to maintain shape
The only time particles will lose their
kinetic energy is when they reach a
temperature of zero degrees Kalvin
(absolute zero)

Revisit Learning Outcome 1

Revisit Learning Outcome 1 on the board To explore and
identify the different states of matter. If students are not
showing a great understanding, continuing with discussion
on defining different states of matter.

Revisiting Learning Outcome 1

This is the first stage of formative assessment
where you can ask students the defining
features of each state of matter

Activity:
Kinetic Sand Demonstration
Before moving onto our practical activity, we are going to
have a look at kinetic sand, which sits half way between a
solid and a liquid. This changes its state under pressure.

Teaching Cues:
Formative Assessment Questions
How does the kinetic sand act as a
solid?
How does it act as a liquid?
Where does it classify?

Slime Experiment
Students will be handed out a Lab Report sheet to be
filled out and completed by next weeks class.
Hypothesise! Before the students commence the practical
activity they have to fill in the first part of their lab report:
If we were to assign slime to either solid, liquid or gas,
where would we place it?
Although many students will know that it is an
interchangeable fluid between solid and liquid, for the
sake of a hypothesis, they must choose one.
Students are challenged and supported to develop deep
levels of thinking and application

Lab Sheet: SLIME TIME!

See Appendix 2
Aim: To investigate the properties of Slime
Hypothesis: I hypothesise that slime is a
solid/liquid/gas
Materials: Borax, PVA, food dye, container,
stirrer
Method: Place Borax in PVA container with
food dye and stir, one contents is fully mixed,
start to explore the properties of slime by
answering the discussion questions.

AUSVELS: Identify questions and problems that can be Discussion Questions:

investigated scientifically and make predictions based on
Can you pour slime?
scientific knowledge (ACSIS139)
Does it have a fixed shape?
How is it like a liquid? Explain.
How is it like a solid? Explain.
After going through the required information, students
will be asked to make slime. This can be done with the
combination of two liquid substances together and they
bond into a slime like fluid. Ensure students understand
practical activity safety, so ensure you tell them not to eat
the slime.

Safety precautions of slime

If students have younger siblings, ensure they
dont let them eat it
Leave it in a safe area at home
If playing with it again, ensure they put down newspaper
to minimise mess

Clean-up Procedure
Students understand their requirements and expectations
during clean-up of an experiment. Ensure they understand
that they are able to keep their slime going over any
home safety rules.
The learning environment promotes independence,
interdependence and self-motivation

Results: Was your hypothesis right? How does

it link to your discussion questions?
The completion of the Lab sheet will be a type
of summative assessment
While the students are making their slime, go
around the room asking them how they are
currently defining slime in terms of states of
matter.
Have the students manipulate into different
shapes to see if they hold and have them:
Change pressure of their slime
(squeeze it hard/stretch it out)
Change temperature of their slime
(hold it in hands and blow hot air on it)
While they are doing this, keep asking them, if
it is a solid or a liquid and WHY as a form of
formative assessment.
Clean up requirements
All students are involved with the clean-up
procedure, they must do this promptly and
thoroughly leaving behind no mess for the
follow class.

Evaluate
[5 Minutes]

Activity:
Summary
During the summary activity ask several different students
what they learnt from the practical activities as a form of
formative assessment.
Link what they learnt in the experiment to the
information we discussed during the Explain work and
also from their prior knowledge eliminating any
misconceptions.

Teaching Cues:
Summary
Have students answer questions such as:
How do you define slime as a state of
matter?
Did pressure and temperature alter its
state?
What other substances have a similar
consistency?
Ensure students have put their slime away into
their take home containers and are not playing
with it during this discussion time.

Revisit Learning Objectives 1 and 2

Learning objective 1 should already be quite well
established by this point so focus on the discussion of
learning objective 2. Link this to their hypothesis that they
wrote at the beginning of the practical activity and see
how they may answer the results part of the report.

Revisit Learning Objectives 1 and 2

Go back to the board and look at the learning
objectives. Have the students collectively
discuss how they believe they have achieved
these objectives. If they feel as a whole they
have achieved these, place a tick next to them
as a sign of success for the class.

Homework
Students are required to have completed their lab reports
by the next scheduled class. This will be assessed as a
form of summative assessment. Ensure the students are
aware of their expectations of this task.
Assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and
learning

Homework
Have the students write down this due date in
their student planners and answer any
questions they have on the assessment.

Thank class for their cooperation, ask them to push their

chairs in and leave the classroom quietly.

Appendix 1: Cut these out and give one to each student. For some that are a bit more difficult, give them to the more advanced students.

Appendix 2: Hand out a Lab Sheet out to each student. These need to be completed individually as a form of summative assessment.
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