Strand:
-
Standard: All students will measure and describe the things around us
Benchmark: Classify common objects and substances according to their observable
attributes/properties.
Constructing and Reflecting:
SCI.I.1.1 - Generate reasonable questions about the world based on observation.
SCI.I.1.5 - Develop strategies and skills for information gathering and problem solving.
SCI.I.1.6 - Construct charts and graphs and prepare summaries of observations.
SCI.II.1.1 - In the scientific world, decisions must be based on factual evidence that can be replicated.
Vocabulary / Key Concepts
Texture:
•
rough
•
smooth
Flexibility:
•
rigid
•
flexible
•
stiff
•
strong
•
firm
Smell:
•
pleasant
•
unpleasant
States of matter:
•
solid
•
liquid
•
gas
Magnetic properties:
•
attract
•
repel
•
push
• pull
Context
Common objects such as desks, coins, pencils, buildings, snowflakes. Common substances, including solids such as copper, iron, wood, plastic, Styrofoam. Liquids such as water, milk, juice, alcohol. Gases such as air, helium, water vapor.

Vocabulary / Key Concepts (continued)
Size:
•
larger
•
smaller
•
length
•
width
•
height
Color:
•
common color words
Shape:
•
circle
•
square
•
triangle
•
rectangle
•
oval
Weight:
•
heavy
•
light
•
heavier
•
lighter

Knowledge and Skills
Students will describe and classify/sort common objects using physical characteristics/observable attributes. Students will relate their vocabulary of descriptive terms to the physical characteristics
(e.g. rough is texture, rigid is flexibility, oval is shape). Students will increase the numbers of identified characteristics at each grade level.
Attributes and Properties:
•
color
•
size
•
shape
•
smell
•
hardness
•
texture
•
flexibility
•
length
•
weight
•
buoyancy
•
states of matter
•
magnetic
Resources
Coloma Resources:
These are completed through classroom activities within the chapters.
Module B – Activity B32, Ch. 2
Curious Kids Museum – presents a program
“Rocks and Minerals”
Other Resources:
Hurwitz, Sue. Sight . Library of the Five
Senses Series. Watts Publishing, 1998.
Pluckrose, Henry. Shape . Math Counts
Series. Children’s Press, 1995.
Videoconferences Available
For more information, see www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl or call Janine Lim
471-7725x101 or email jlim@remc11.k12.mi.us
4.1.1
Heart of the Matter from COSI Toledo (a science museum)
Secret Potions from the Lake County Solid
Waste Management District (liquids)
4.1.1
Heart of the Matter from COSI Toledo (a science museum)
Secret Potions from the Lake County Solid
Waste Management District (liquids)

Benchmark Question: How do we describe the things around us?
Focus Question: How are given objects alike and different?
Instruction
Students identify and describe the physical characteristics of an object. Students will brainstorm, record, and report unique physical characteristics of similar objects (e.g. sphere, disc, cylinder). Students will use the description of an object written by someone else to locate and identify the described object. Students will choose a mystery object in the classroom and write a description of it using physical characteristics.
Using the mystery object descriptions students will exchange descriptions and locate the mystery objects or play an “I Spy” game.
Scoring Rubric
Assessment
Coloma Assessment:
Scott Foresman “Discover the Wonder”
Performance Assessment Test:
Module C page 131-138 (copy attached)
Other Assessment Option:
Given a selection of objects, the students will sort the items using their physical characteristics. After the students have sorted the items they will either create a way to graphically organize their information.
Item name
Color
Shape
Texture
Size
Hardness
Choose 2 objects from the table, or graphic organizer. Write a summary telling how they are alike and different. When appropriate, an oral summary could also be given.
(Give students rubric before activity.)
Criteria Apprentice Basic Meets Exceeds
Accuracy of identification
Identifies one to two characteristics correctly.
Identifies three characteristics correctly.
Identifies four characteristics correctly.
Identifies five characteristics correctly.
Accuracy of
Summary
Compares and contrasts using one to
Compares and contrasts using three two characteristics. characteristics.
Compares and contrasts using four characteristics.
Compares and contrasts using five characteristics.

Teacher Notes:
Measure and describe the things around us.
Elementary school children should be able to describe attributes of matter, which are qualitative, such as color, smell, size, and texture. Other attributes of matter are magnetic properties, such as attract and repel and density determined by sinking and floating. As students get more experience with qualitative aspects, they can move to quantitative attributes such as mass, weight, volume, and length. Students often have difficulty understanding the concept of matter. Research suggests that children often think that everything that exists is matter, including heat, light and electricity. They may also think that matter does not include liquids and gases.
Mass and weight are two different ways to measure matter. Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and a measure of the amount of inertia an object has. Mass does not change. Weight is dependent on location and can vary depending on where it is measured. Weight will be less if you are on the moon compared to the earth. Some students are confused about the difference between mass and weight. Mass is a property of all matter, weight depends on gravity. If there is no gravity, there can be no weight.
Accepting weight as an intrinsic property of matter is difficult for some students. It is interesting to note that many sixth and seventh grade students still appear to think of weight as "felt weight". This leads them to think that if they cannot feel the weight then matter has no weight at all.
Volume is another way to measure matter. Volume measures the amount of space an object occupies. Two objects can have the same mass, but very different volumes. Students frequently confuse mass and volume thinking that they describe the "amount of matter" and therefore are the same.
Elementary students are often asked to identify floating and sinking objects. This poses problems for elementary students who misunderstand why objects sink or float. Density and buoyancy are complex ideas for students and are difficult to understand and teach at the elementary level. It is important to know that some students will think that objects sink in water because they are heavier than water. They also may think that objects float because they have air in them. In order to really understand floating and sinking, students must understand density. Objects sink if they are denser than the liquid and float if they are less dense than the liquid. Freighters are an excellent example of sinking and floating to begin to challenge students' ideas.
Freighters are huge steel ships that are very heavy. Just the paint used to protect them can weigh tons. Yet large ships float because they displace their weight in water.
Density is a ratio of mass to volume and is, therefore, a derived quantity. Density is a property of matter that does not change, regardless of the size of the sample. However, the density of an object can be altered by increasing or decreasing the volume of the object, while keeping the mass constant. For example, a hot air balloon rises when the air inside the balloon is heated because the process of heating causes the volume of air inside the balloon to increase and the density to decrease.
Interestingly, students often confuse density and thickness, assuming that thick liquid is denser than thinner, less viscous liquids. Simple experiences with everyday objects can make it clear that this is not true. Oil is much thicker, more viscous, than water and yet is less dense than water. The thickness of a liquid is related to the strength of the intermolecular forces rather than spacing between molecules

Teacher Notes (continued):
Measurement is an important skill that students begin developing in the earliest years. It begins with nonstandard units of length, volume, and mass. An important concept is that any measurement is an estimation to the nearest unit being used. The measurement tool and the unit will be determined by the attribute being measured and the purpose of the measurement. Students must be able to select and use a balance to measure mass and measuring cups or graduated cylinders for volume. When measuring matter, students should understand that all measurements have error because one must always estimate the last reported digit.
When measuring, a person must estimate one more place than the last number on the measuring device. All instruments have limitations on their ability to measure.
Importantly, students in the middle school should be able to explain and use appropriate measurements to describe the properties of an object or substance. For example, they need to be able to determine if they should use mass or weight when finding density and they need to know when to use area and volume.
Beginning in the elementary years, students should be able to identify the properties of materials that make them useful. This can be tied to simple ideas like strength or stretching and to more complex ideas like the conduction of heat and electricity. In the high school years, students are asked to analyze properties of common household and agricultural materials for risks and benefits.

Materials List Performance
none
1 hand lens
none
1 rock specimen: obsidian
1 rock specimen: pumice
2 index Cards (3" x s")
1 rock Chip specimen: obsidian
1 rock Chip specimen: pumice
1 balance with set of masses
1 rock specimen: obsidian
1 rock specimen: pumice
2 index Cards (3" x s")
1 rock Chip specimen: obsidian
1 rock Chip specimen: pumice
water paper towels
1 Cup, plastic (10 oz.)
2 rock Chip specimens: obsidian
2 rock Chip specimens: pumice tweezers or forceps
2 index Cards (3" x s")
glue (Stations 1, 2, and 3)
Scott, Foresman & Company 4 DISCOVER THE WONDER

How to Set Up
Station 1
1 hand lens
1 metric ruler
1 rock specimen: obsidian
1 rock specimen: pumice
2 3" x s" index Cards
1 rock Chip specimen: obsidian
1 rock Chip specimen: pumice
Performance
1. Glue one rock chip of each type onto
3" x s" cards. Label one card "Obsidian" and the other "Pumice." These cards will serve as identification cards for the students.
2. For your own reference, note the characteristics of each rock sample, for example color, texture, shininess, and so
Scott, Foresman & Company 4 DISCOVER THE WONDER

How to Set Up Performance
Station 2
1 balance and set of masses
1. Make sure that the pans of the balance
1 rock specimen: obsidian
1 rock specimen: pumice
2 3" x s" index cards
1 rock chip specimen: obsidian
1 rock chip specimen: pumice are balanced.
2. Mass each rock sample and record its mass for your own reference.
3. Prepare another set of rock "ID" cards as you did for Station 1. glue
ƒ
Students should find that the pumice is lighter than the obsidian, given that the rocks are the same size.
Scott, Foresman & Company 4 DISCOVER THE WONDER

Name
Performance
Date
My Data Collection
Station 1.
Use the card at the station to correctly set up the equipment.
Make as many observations as you can of the two rock samples.
ƒ
Record your observations.
Station 2.
Use the card at the station to correctly set up the equipment.
Measure the mass of each rock sample.
ƒ
Complete the data table.
Scott, Foresman & Company 4 DISCOVER THE WONDER

Station 3.
Use the card at the station to correctly set up the equipment.
Test each rock sample to see if it will float in water. After you test each rock sample, set it out to dry on a paper towel.
ƒ
Record your observations.
My Data Analysis
Write a short report, describing how these rocks can be identified and explaining how rocks like these may have been formed.
Scott, Foresman & Company 4 DISCOVER THE WONDER

How to Set Up
Station 3
water
1 cup. plastic (10 oz.)
2 rock chip specimens: obsidian
2 rock chip specimens: pumice
2 index cards (3" x 5") paper towels tweezers or forceps
Performance
1. Set out a cup about halfway full of water.
2. Periodically wipe up the water that drips on the table.
3. Caution students to inform you of any spills. Ask them to wipe up spills. immediately
4. Prepare rock "ID" cards as you did for
ƒ
Students should find that the pumice will float, but the obsidian will not.
ƒ
You may want to set out separate cups of
Scott, Foresman & Company 4 DISCOVER THE WONDER

Evaluation Guide Performance
Station 1
To evaluate a student's ability to make and record careful observations of the two rock samples.
3 points = Student records observations about one or more characteristics of each of the two rock samples.
2 points = Student records observations about one or more characteristics of one of the rock samples.
1 point = Student does not record observations about any characteristics.
Station 2
To evaluate a student's ability to mass each rock sample and to record the findings
Criteria
3 points = Student masses both rock samples fairly accurately and recorded the masses on the data table.
2 points = Student only partly completes the tasks of massing the rocks and recording the masses.
1 point = Student does not record the masses.
Station 3
To evaluate a student's ability to carefully test and record the buoyancy of the two
rock samples
3 points = Student records observations that only the pumice floats.
2 points = Student records the buoyancy characteristics of only one of the rocks.
1 point = Student does not record any information about whether either rock sample floats.
Scott, Foresman & Company 4 DISCOVER THE WONDER

Data Analysis
To evaluate a student's ability to use the data to describe both rock samples and to note that rocks of these types can be used to identify volcano sites
3 points = Student makes use of the data from all three tests to describe the rocks, and student relates the rocks to volcanic sites.
2 points = Student makes use of the data from one or two tests to describe the rocks.
1 point = Student does not make use of the data to describe the rocks.
Performance Assessment Test Scoring Guide
Points $ equivalent
12 100
11 92
10 83
9 75
8 67
7 58
6 50
5 42
4 33
3 25
2 16
1 8
Scott, Foresman & Company 4 DISCOVER THE WONDER