Properties+of+Matter



Who's ready to learn more about science?? If you're not, I know someone who is. In fact, she has found a way to make learning science more fun. Check out the video below to find out who I'm talking about!

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So, what did you think? Miley found a way to make learning science more fun, and I bet you can too! I'm going to try and help make it more fun throughout this unit, as you learn more about the properties of matter. You may be asked to use tools, websites, and equipment you have never encountered before. If you need any help along the way, make sure you ask. Do your best and remember to have fun!!

__How to Blog __
One of the online tools we will be using throughout this unit is a blog. If you have never had experience using a blog then you need to visit kidslearntoblog.com and watch the 5 free videos, under the heading "Free Video Blogging Lessons" that show you how to use Blogger. Even if you know what a blog is or have seen one before, it would still be helpful to watch the videos. Please come see me if you have any questions or need any help while blogging and using Blogger.

__Introduction __
Before you begin, I want to know how much you already know about properties of matter. Take a few minutes to read and think about the questions below. Then, create a blog post that answers each question and post it to your blog. We will visit this blog post again, after you have completed this unit and all of its activities.

1. How can we observe and measure properties of different objects? 2. When is water a solid, a liquid, a gas? 3. What is the relationship between the solid, liquid and gaseous state of water? 4. Why should scientific investigations have similar conclusions when repeated?

__Module 1- Properties of Objects __
First, let's review the meaning of the word "property". Properties are the words you would use to describe something, the characteristics of an object. Flip through the Voicethread presentation below to look at questions that can be used to help observe the properties of matter.

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Now, print the Properties Scavenger Hunt and practice identifying properties of different objects. When you are finished, switch papers with someone else who has completed their scavenger hunt. Check your partner's paper to make sure they have completed it correctly.



It is now time for you to show me what you have learned. The Voicethread presentation below contains pictures of 10 objects. Look at each picture and begin thinking about some of the properties of each object as you go. Once you have viewed each picture, go back and identify at least 8 properties among the 10 objects by leaving a comment via voice recording or text.

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__Module 2- Three Forms of Water __
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Take a minute to look at these pictures that identify the three forms of water.

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<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Liquid <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">media type="custom" key="7518539" align="left"

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Gas <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">media type="custom" key="7518573"

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">It's your turn to use an online tool to create a picture presentation. You will locate two pictures for each form of water using Flickr. Next, you will use these pictures to create a Voicethread presentation or a Google Doc slideshow that will then be posted on your blog.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">You will conclude this module by writing two blog posts. The first post will describe the three forms of water in a 4-5 sentence paragraph. Use examples and descriptive words from your pictures within your post. Second, you will compare the three forms of water in a 4-5 sentence paragraph. I will provide feedback on your picture presentation and blog post via your blog.

__<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Module 3- Investigating Properties (Simulator) __
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">This module will have you complete an online simulator that tests 4 physical properties (waterproof, transparency, flexibility, and strength) of several different types of materials. This simulator will help prepare you for conducting your own experiment. When you are finished, please summarize your experience with the simulator in a brief blog post.

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<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">You will now have a chance to design your own experiment that will test the buoyancy of 4 different objects, a styrofoam tray, plastic bottle, an apple, and a rock. If you are not sure what buoyancy is, click on the link, read the information, and watch the short video. You will need to sign in using our school's user name and password. If you do not have that information, please come see me.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Throughout this process, you will be utilizing the scientific process and will be posting your experiment design on your blog. The experiment design report must contain a title, purpose, hypothesis, a list of materials, step-by-step procedures, the results, and a conclusion paragraph. Please use the checklist below to help guide you through the planning process. Once you are finished planning (the blue items on the checklist) I must review it with you and sign off on it.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">To conduct your experiment you will need to pair up with a partner. They will assist you in filming your experiment with one of our Flip video cameras, and in turn, you will assist them by video taping their experiment. The video of your experiment should be posted on your blog. As you are conducting your experiment, record your results using a chart or a table (green section on checklist). Here is a sample. After you have conducted your experiment, please complete your experiment write up by including the red and purple sections of the checklist. Please use the checklist one last time to self-assess your write up and then post the entire write up on your blog along with the video.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">With your partner, compare your experiment write ups. Explain how the results are similar and/or dissimilar in a 5-6 paragraph essay and post on your blog. I will provide feedback to you via your blog.

__<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Module 4- Similar Conclusions __
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Now that you have successfully designed and conducted your own experiment, you will now analyze the results from a few experiments, conducted by last years students, designed to test the same physical property of an object. Their experiments were not recorded and they did not post their results on the web, so please see me for their results when you are ready. For this module you will work with a partner to identify similarities and discuss the reasons for them. It would be a good idea to write down thoughts and ideas as you discuss. After you and your partner have had time to discuss, explain why the conclusions are similar in a 5-6 sentence paragraph that will be posted on your blog. I will provide feedback to you via your blog.

__<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Wrap Up __
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Now that you have completed these four modules, let's see what new knowledge you have gained about properties of matter. Take a few minutes to read and think about the questions below. Then, create a blog post that answers each question and post it to your blog.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">1. How can we observe and measure properties of different objects? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">2. When is water a solid, a liquid, a gas? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">3. What is the relationship between the solid, liquid and gaseous state of water? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">4. Why should scientific investigations have similar conclusions when repeated?

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">If you look back at your first blog post you will see that you answered the same four questions. How are your answers the same? How are they different? Can you easily see what new knowledge you have gained? Add a 2-3 more sentences to your blog post about how your answers now compare to the answers you started with.