6th Grade The Physical Properties Of Matter Lesson Plan Example (Science)

Topic: The physical properties of matter

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify and describe the physical properties of matter, including mass, volume, density, consistency, and temperature.

Materials

• Rock samples
• Pieces of different materials, such as paper, plastic, metal, and sand
• Balance
• Thermometer
• Pyrex cylinder or beaker
• Water

Warm-up

• Ask students if they have ever heard of the physical properties of matter.
• Discuss the importance of understanding the physical properties of matter and how they can help us to identify different substances.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the concept of the physical properties of matter, explaining that these are the characteristics that can be observed and measured when we examine a substance.
• Discuss the four physical properties of matter: mass, volume, density, and temperature.
• Demonstrate how to measure these properties using the appropriate tools, such as a balance scale, graduated cylinder, and thermometer.
• Explain the significance of each property, how it can be used to differentiate between substances, and how they are related to each other (e.g. higher density usually corresponds to higher mass, higher temperature usually corresponds to higher volume).

Guided Practice

• Have students work in pairs to measure and record the values of the four physical properties of a given substance (e.g. a piece of solid rock).
• Have them compare their measurements to see if they agree, and explain any discrepancies.
• Have them use their knowledge of the relationships between the properties to explain their findings.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose two different substances and perform a controlled experiment to measure the relationship between their physical properties.
• Have them prepare a formal report of their findings, including a graph or table of the data and a written explanation of the relationship they observed.

Closure

• Review the main points of the lesson, including the definitions of the physical properties and the ways in which they can be measured.
• Ask students to share any observations or insights they gained from their independent experiments.

Assessment

• Observe students during their independent experiments to assess their ability to clearly define a question, conduct a controlled experiment, and collect and analyze data.
• Evaluate the presentations and reports from the group or individual projects for the ability to clearly explain the physical properties of matter and the ways in which they can be measured.