Grade Level: PRIMARY
Big Idea: Structure and Transformation of Matter
Big Idea: Structure and Transformation of Matter (Physical Science) Grade: End of Primary
A basic understanding of matter is essential to the conceptual development of other big ideas in science. In the elementary years of conceptual development, students will be studying properties of matter and
physical changes of matter at the macro level through direct observations, forming the foundation for subsequent learning. The use of models (and an understanding of their scales and limitations) is an effective
means of learning about the structure of matter. Looking for patterns in properties is also critical to comparing and explaining differences in matter.
Standards from Combined Document
Understandings
SC-P-STM-U-1
Students will understand that objects
are made of one or more materials and
investigating the properties of those
materials helps in sorting and
describing them.
SC-P-STM-U-2
Students will understand that tools
such as thermometers, magnifiers,
rulers, and balances can give more
information about objects than can be
obtained by observations.
SC-P-STM-U-3
Students will understand that things
can be done to materials to change
some of their properties, but not all
materials respond the same way to
what is done to them.
SC-P-STM-U-4
Students will understand that water
can be a solid, liquid, or gas and can
go back and forth from one form to
another.
SC-P-STM-U-5
Students will understand that in
science, it is often helpful to work with
a team and to share findings with
others. All team members should
reach their own individual conclusions,
however, about what the findings
mean.
Skills and Concepts
Core Content for Assessment
SC-P-STM-S-1
Students will use senses to observe
and describe properties of material
objects (color, size, shape, texture,
flexibility, magnetism).
SC-EP-1.1.1
Students will classify material
objects by their properties providing
evidence to support their
classifications.
SC-P-STM-S-2
Students will use appropriate tools
(e.g., balance, metric ruler,
thermometer, graduated cylinder,) to
measure and record length, width,
volume, temperature, and mass of
material objects and to answer
questions about objects and
materials.
Objects are made of one or more
materials such as paper, wood, and
metal. Objects can be described by the
properties of the materials from which
they are made. Those properties and
measurements of the objects can be
used to separate or classify objects or
materials. DOK 3
SC-P-STM-S-4
Students will classify water and other
matter using one or more physical
properties.
SC-EP-1.1.2
Students will understand that objects
have many observable properties such
as size, mass, shape, color,
temperature, magnetism, and the ability
to interact and/or react with other
substances. Some properties can be
measured using tools such as
metric rulers, balances, and
thermometers.
SC-P-STM-S-5
Students will observe and predict the
properties of material objects.
SC-EP-1.1.3
Students will describe the properties
of water as a solid, liquid, or gas.
SC-P-STM-S-3
Students will investigate the physical
properties of water as a solid, liquid,
and a gas.
SC- P-STM-S-6
Students will work with others to
investigate questions about
properties of materials, documenting
and communicating observations,
designs, procedures, and results.
Matter (water) can exist in different
states: solid, liquid, or gas. Properties of
those states of matter can be used to
describe and classify them. DOK 2
Knowledge
Reasoning
Skills
Know that properties of an object
help us to describe/identify an
object.
Classify and sort material objects
based on the properties of the
materials of which they are made.
Describe properties of material
objects based on information
gathered by using the senses.
Know that common objects are
often combinations of more than
one type of material.
Conclude from observations that
objects can be made of one or
more materials.
Investigate the physical
properties of the materials that
make up common objects.
List examples of information that
can be obtained about common
objects just by observing them.
(such as size, shape, color, and
ability to interact and/or react with
other substances)
Justify how materials are classified
by asking and answering the
question “How do I know?”
Use appropriate tools to
measure mass, length, width,
volume, and temperature of
common objects.
List examples of information that
can be obtained about common
objects by using tools such as
thermometers, magnifiers, rulers,
and balances.
Identify matter (water) when it
occurs as a solid, liquid, or gas.
Describe water as a solid, liquid or
gas.
Know that water can change back
and forth between physical states.
Identify benefits associated with
working as a team when
investigating questions in science.
Describe the benefits of sharing
findings with others.
Compare and contrast the
information that can be obtained
about common objects through
observations versus the
information that can be obtained
through using tools.
Predict/infer properties of material
objects.
Use information gathered by
making measurements of objects
to formulate answers to questions
about those objects.
Classify common materials
(including water) using one or
more of their physical properties,
including physical state.
Use evidence to justify/support
classification of materials.
Explain why it is important to draw
your own conclusions about the
meaning of your findings.
Observe, describe and compare
the properties/behavior of large
collections of ‘pieces’ (marbles,
sugar cubes, grains of salt/sand,
Legos, etc.)to those of individual
objects in order to conclude that
collections can have new
properties that the individual
objects/pieces do not (e.g., a
cup of sand can be poured, but
an individual grain can not).
Investigate the properties of
water as a solid, liquid, and a
gas.
Work as part of a team to
investigate questions about the
properties of materials.
Present findings and
conclusions from investigations
of material objects to the
class/other authentic audiences.
Products
Assemble small
parts/various
materials to make an
object.
Rearrange small
parts/materials to
make various “new”
objects.
Record the mass,
length, width, volume,
and temperature of
common objects.
Document
observations,
designs, procedures
and results of
investigations about
the properties of
materials