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Science lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes

Evidence that matter is made of particles too small to see

States of matter

CCSS NGSS.5-PS1-1England: KS2 Y4 States of matterEngland: KS3 Chemistry: The particulate nature of matter

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Evidence that matter is made of particles too small to see.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: The particle model

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Ice, water and a kettle (teacher demo), Particle diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (The particle model). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which state is described: particles close together in a random arrangement? (solid / liquid / gas) → liquidPrompt: How close are the particles, and how do they move?
  2. Why can't solids flow? (Their particles move very fast / Their particles are held in fixed positions / Their particles are far apart / Their particles do not exist) → Their particles are held in fixed positionsPrompt: Can solid particles swap places?
  3. The particle model: which statement is NOT true? (Particles expand when they are heated. / Particles in a solid still vibrate. / There is empty space between gas particles. / All matter is made of tiny particles.) → Particles expand when they are heated.Prompt: Do particles themselves change size?

Hook · 5 min

  • Show an ice cube melting and a kettle steaming and ask what is the same and what is different.
  • Share the objective: Evidence that matter is made of particles too small to see. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: You blow up a balloon. What keeps it puffed up?
  • Step 1: Gas particles we cannot see push on the balloon from inside.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Billions of air particles hitting the inside of the balloon.
  • Answer: Billions of air particles hitting the inside of the balloon.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. A drop of food colouring is put in a still glass of water. After an hour, all the water is coloured. Why? (The water absorbed light. / Someone stirred it secretly. / The colouring grew. / The particles of colouring and water keep moving and mixing.) → The particles of colouring and water keep moving and mixing.Prompt: Nobody stirred the glass.
  2. True or false? A balloon stays inflated because air has no mass. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Think about things you cannot see but can smell, taste or feel.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Sugar is stirred into water and seems to disappear, but the water tastes sweet. What does this show? (The water turned into sugar. / The sugar was destroyed. / The sugar broke into particles too small to see, spread through the water. / The sugar sank and vanished.) → The sugar broke into particles too small to see, spread through the water.Prompt: If it was destroyed, would the water taste sweet?
  2. Particles: which statement is true? (The smell of baking only travels if a fan blows it. / Particles stop moving in liquids. / Gas particles are packed tightly together. / A puddle dries up because water particles escape into the air.) → A puddle dries up because water particles escape into the air.Prompt: Particles are tiny, always moving, and spread out on their own.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: The particle model.
  • Use concrete materials: ice, water and a kettle (teacher demo).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-5.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Evidence that matter is made of particles too small to see

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Someone opens a bottle of perfume at the front of the class. Soon people at the back can smell it. What explains this?

    • A. Smells travel only through walls.
    • B. The bottle grew bigger.
    • C. Tiny perfume particles spread out through the air.
    • D. The smell is a kind of light.

  2. Question 2

    True or false? When sugar dissolves, it stops existing.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    Particles: which statement is true?

    • A. Gas particles are packed tightly together.
    • B. The smell of baking only travels if a fan blows it.
    • C. You can squash air in a syringe because its particles are far apart.
    • D. Particles stop moving in liquids.

  4. Question 4

    A drop of food colouring is put in a still glass of water. After an hour, all the water is coloured. Why?

    • A. The particles of colouring and water keep moving and mixing.
    • B. Someone stirred it secretly.
    • C. The colouring grew.
    • D. The water absorbed light.

  5. Question 5

    True or false? Particles in liquids and gases are always moving.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

    True or false? Air is made of particles even though we cannot see them.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  7. Question 7

    Sugar is stirred into water and seems to disappear, but the water tastes sweet. What does this show?

    • A. The sugar was destroyed.
    • B. The water turned into sugar.
    • C. The sugar broke into particles too small to see, spread through the water.
    • D. The sugar sank and vanished.

  8. Question 8

    True or false? All matter is made of particles too small to see.

    • A. True
    • B. False

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Answer key: Evidence that matter is made of particles too small to see

  1. 1. C. Tiny perfume particles spread out through the air.

  2. 2. B. False

  3. 3. C. You can squash air in a syringe because its particles are far apart.

  4. 4. A. The particles of colouring and water keep moving and mixing.

  5. 5. A. True

  6. 6. A. True

  7. 7. C. The sugar broke into particles too small to see, spread through the water.

  8. 8. A. True