Many Kinds of Matter: A Look at Solids, Liquids, and Gases

Many Kinds of Matter | Nonfiction | Jennifer Boothroyd | ages 6-9 |

Topic: Properties of Matter

TEKS: 

• 2.5(A) classify matter by physical properties, including relative temperature, texture, flexibility, and whether material is a solid or liquid.
• 2.5(B) compare changes in materials caused by heating and cooling

Summary: The three states of matter are explained in this book and makes real-world connections we see every day. Solids, liquids, and gases are all around us, and we can study each one by asking questions and connecting those properties to the three states of matter. 

Teacher Review: The science concepts related to the book are the three states of matter, and the different properties such as how it takes up space or the shape of a container, how it spreads or compresses, and how matter can change forms due to temperature. This book prepares students as we dive into experiments of changing substances' form through temperature. We can use this book as an introduction to the lesson and review vocabulary words and apply this new knowledge after the lesson. Before starting the lesson with the book, I'd have the students come to the rug for the read aloud calling them out by properties. Example, "If you are wearing a red shirt, come to the rug. If your hair is curly you may sit down. If you are the tallest student, stand up." Then after touching over the concept of properties, I will begin using the book. How I would use this book in my classroom is I'd set up the new words such as: matter, mass, volume, space, solid, liquid, gas, shape, temperature (for second grade I would briefly go over mass, volume, evaporation, and condensation since those vocabulary words are more for third grade). Once we have studied these words, we would begin the book and as we read, check off the words on the board (work a scavenger hunt of these words as we read). Once we reach the page where it talks about matter taking different forms, I would have the students move around according to each shape. For example, the teacher would call out "What shape does water take if it is placed in a glass cup? What if it is placed in a plate? What shape does ball take in a box? Does it change shape? Why not?" With each question of shape, the students will do their best to act out the form. Because the TEKS highlighted is on properties of matter, with each example from the book, I would have the students describe those items as detailed as they can. I would have prepared a few of these items to bring to class and have the students pass around. At the end of the book, we would sort out the items together into different categories by properties like in size, texture, color, shape.

Assessment of Books Accuracy:

Three states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. Sometimes, matter changes state, for example, water can change into a solid. Changes we see and does not change the object's form are called physical change. The physical properties can be classified by taste, smell, texture, and color. Other examples of physical change are cutting, melting, and coloring. If I cut a sheet of paper, is it still paper? Yes!

The book ensures to identify the three states of matter and define them. It also mentions change due to temperature and that everything is made of matter. 

Misconception: 

• A misconception to address to students before diving deep into the lesson is that gas, which we will be talking about is not the same as gas for cars. The gas for cars is actually called gasoline and it is a liquid (oil). After clearing this up, I will ask again what the difference is between gasoline and gas as a quick formative assessment to make sure all students are understanding.
• "Everything is made of matter." At the end of the book read aloud, I would like to remind students that everything is made of matter if it has mass and takes up space. What we see and don't see, like air, is matter. There is one exception which is light because it has no mass, therefore not considered matter.

Boothroyd, J. (2015). Many Kinds of Matter: A Look at Solids, Liquids, and Gases. Lerner Publications/Lerner Classroom.

Exploring our Fluid Earth. Properties of Matter | manoa.hawaii.edu/ExploringOurFluidEarth. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/chemical/matter/properties-matter 

KET. (2022, July 18). What's the matter?: Everyday learning. PBS LearningMedia. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://houstonpbs.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/evscps.sci.phys.matter/whats-the-matter/