Columbus City Schools
What’s Up with Matter?
Take a "conservative" approach to planning your next unit on mass and matter! What better way to answer "But where did the gas go?" than with a lab designed to promote good report writing, research skills, and detailed observation....
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Physical Changes to Matter
Pupils explore matter by conducting an in-class experiment. They experiment with water's various forms by melting and freezing water, identifying its new shape. These observations are recorded to supplement later discussion. They also...
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What's Matter?
Students explore many of the basic properties of matter including atoms, ions, elements, molecules, and density. The class explores an interactive flash-animated Web site to answer questions and clarify misconceptions they might have had...
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The Physical Behavior of Matter
Students distinguish between three phases of matter: solid, liquid and gas, on the molecular level. They compare and predict the relative compressibility of the three phases of matter through journal writings and drawings.
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What is Air?
Students investigate air by participating in a class experiment. For this matter measurement lesson, students identify air as a gas which consists of mass. Students utilize a windsock or balloon to measure oxygen and explore it's true...
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Matter: Atoms and Molecules
Students investigate how information about the atom has been determined. In this atomic structure lesson, students draw what they think an atom looks like. They conduct Internet research about the types of atomic models and how...
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Heat and Matter
Students explore liquids and solids by conducting in class experiments. In this matter lesson, students define the properties of matter and how heat can change those properties. Students experiment with heating objects such as butter and...
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Comparing Matter
Students use Internet to research and discover states of matter and explain how molecules are arranged in each state, complete Comparing Matter Work Sheet, and identify objects around classroom that fit three states of matter definitions.
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Matter and Energy
Students explore energy by completing a science worksheet in class. In this principles of matter lesson, students define the vocabulary terms force, gravity, nuclear, and electromagnetic before reading assigned text about energy....
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The Water Cycle/States of Matter
High schoolers engage in a lesson that is concerned with the water cycle and different states of matter. They conduct research using a variety of resources in preparation for taking a quiz. Then students take the quiz in correlation to...
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Matter: Build a Word
Fourth graders examine matter and the periodic table of elements. In this matter lesson, 4th graders discuss atoms and their composition. Students explore the periodic table of elements and use it to spell words out of the elements.
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Investigating the Shapes of Covalent Molecules and Measuring their Respective Bond Lengths and Bond Angles
High schoolers will draw Lewis structures of common covalent compounds using a Chem 3D computer program. They will predict the shapes of the molecules, complete a data table, and formulate rules for predicting shapes of molecules. In the...
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A Chemist in My Class?
First graders in kindergarten science class discuss matter. They make predictions and then identify mystery items in brown paper bags as either solid, liquid, or gas by using their senses. They discuss that a chemist is a scientist that...
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The Nature of Chemical Change: Acting Out an Example
Students identify the signs that a chemical reaction took place. In this chemistry lesson plan, students role play the movement of different molecules of matter. They classify matter according to their properties.
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Carbon: Structure Matters
Young scholars read the Who We Are Section on Calfee Designs Webpage and discuss carbon usage. They work in pairs to look up the minerals diamond and graphite then create a chart on the properties of each mineral then compare how they...
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"Heat Transfer and Ice Cream!"
Students analyze earth science by creating a frozen treat in class. In this heat transfer lesson, students discuss how matter is transformed from solid to liquid and liquid to gas when energy is removed from the equation. Students...
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Atomic Models
Students explain scientists' ideas about the structure of the atom over the last century. They develop a pictorial history of the changing ideas about the atom and write a caption describing the scientific thinking behind the model.
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The Elements
Students watch video, The Elements, research information about elements using both the Internet and CD-ROM program, and create atoms out of gumdrops and licorice.
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Water Chemistry
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of water chemistry. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students also consider an experiment to observe how water has the abiility to exist as three different...
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Elements And Atoms
Students investigate the concept of elements and atoms. They conduct research using a variety of resources and use the information in order to create a class presentation. The lesson includes specific dialogue and steps for the teacher...
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Emulsion_ Compulsion
Students experiment with common household products to determine the properties of emulsions and how they fit into the classifications of matter through this series of lessons.
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Density
Learners, in groups, design a procedure to calculate the mass of gas molecules in the classroom by measuring the volume of the classroom and researching the density of air. They apply changes in air density with altitude and effects on a...
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Properties of Salt
Students see how the properties of salt affect the color of flame, the flow of electricity, and the freezing temperature of water. They identify salt and sugar crystals under a microscope and discuss various practical uses of salt.
Serendip
How Do Muscles Get the Energy They Need for Athletic Activity?
Every muscle movement requires energy, but where does that energy come from? Scholars answer this question and more as they complete a worksheet. By following the directions, completing research, and discussing it as a class, they begin...