Properties of Matter
Elementary
Type of
Reasoning
Signal Words
Example Questions
Next Steps
Considerations
1. Analyze
Components
Parts
Ingredients
Order
Main idea
pattern
What does the addition or removal of
heat do to matter? What patterns do you
notice?
Experiments related to the
removal or addition of heat and
resultant changes of state.
How are the molecules in a solid, liquid,
and gas alike? How are they different?
Use the picture above to identify
water in all 3 states of matter.
2. Compare/Contrast
Discriminate
Distinguish
Analogy
Alike
Different
Similar
Formulate, describe, combine,
blend, organize, adapt,
modify, interpret
How would you describe the effect of
changes on the physical properties of an
ice cube that has been heated to a
classmate?
Investigations: properties of
water, changes in states of
matter
Example of
Group
Sort
Category
Common relationship
identify
How many ways can you sort this bag of
items? Explain why you chose to sort
the items as you did.
Identify differences between
properties and materials.
Modeling sorting based on
properties.
Example: Explain why a plastic
wrapper is a solid even though it
is flexible.
3. Synthesize
4. Classify
5. Infer/deduce
6. Evaluate
Role play
Properties of Matter
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Type of
Reasoning
1. Analyze
2. Compare/Contrast
Signal Words
Example Questions
What is?
Identify
Components/Parts
Determine
What properties determine the
placement of an element on the periodic
table?
Pre-assessment
Basic Research
Grouping ‘activity
Discriminate, distinguish,
different, similar, analogy,
alike
Distinguish between reactants and
products in a chemical reaction.
Fermentation Lab where a gas
is produced
Compare and contrast chemical and
physical properties of solids
Mystery Powder Lab
Combine, formulate, blend,
adapt, modify
How would you use physical properties
to organize material into similar groups?
Lab where students identify
physical properties and they use
them to classify into groups.
Sort, examples of, group,
classify, identify, types of,
organize, categories, similar
characteristics, chronological,
common relationship,
differentiate
Identify the reactants and products in the
following reactions…..
Model using proficient students
or yourself.
Group using obvious items
Simplify vocabulary and
directions
Predict
Conclude
Use evidence
Imply
why
Infer why plastic and Styrofoam are used to
make football helmets. What evidence did
you use?
Justify, support, defend,
prove, take a position, judge,
critique, appraise, dispute,
give evidence, evaluate
Evaluate the mystery substances,
classify each according to their
properties, and justify the classifications
3. Synthesize
4. Classify
5. Infer/deduce
6. Evaluate
Next Steps
Considerations
Classify matter as an element or
compound.
Predict what an unknown substance might be
used for and give reasons for your
predictions
Observe properties of various
materials. Discuss uses,
advantages, disadvantages
based on these properties in
terms of application
Lab with different mystery
substances using different tests
to identify each substance
Properties of Matter
HIGH SCHOOL
Type of
Reasoning
1. Analyze
2. Compare/Contrast
3. Synthesize
4. Classify
Signal Words
Components
Parts
Ingredients
Order
Main idea
pattern
Next Steps
Considerations
Describe the logical sequence that a
substance goes through at the molecular
level, as it is being heated
In a lab, determine the melting
points of various substances
Differentiate between conductors and nonconductors in terms of the resistance in the
flow of electrons.
Electron flow relay
Test resistance of conductors and
non-conductors with Ohmmeter.
Distinguish between metals and nonmetals
based on the patterns in the periodic table
Lab experiment & generate
properties of mystery materials.
Using list of properties of elements,
highlight on PTable –note patterns
Combine
Blend
Modify
formulate
How would you describe the relationship
between energy and matter?
Formulate a lab to test the law
of conservation of matter.
Describe the law of conservation of
matter.
Write a lab report
Sort, differentiate between,
Find an example of…
Classify, organize, group,
identify, similar characteristics,
type of, chronological,
common relationship
Given the following materials, sort into
conductors or non-conductors.
Conductivity tester
(What to do with metalloids?)
Predict, Imply, Why, conclude
from evidence
Predict behavior based on the
temperature, particle number, pressure
and volume using the Universal Gas
Laws
Change temperature and kids of gases
to predict behavior.
Justify whether the object is a metal or
nonmetal.
Have students complete lab to
determine whether objects are
metals or nonmetals and defend
their decisions.
Discriminate, differentiate,
similarities, differences,
analogies
5. Infer/deduce
6. Evaluate
Example Questions
Justify, why or why not?
Critique, dispute, appraise,
defend, judge
Sort these materials as being an
element, compound, or mixture.
Apply to experiences: tires, dissolved
oxygen, air pollution, hypothermia,
global warming to discuss implications
Properties of Matter
Key Ideas about Reasoning:

It is important to think about/formulate questions before instruction.

Questions must be intentional and purposeful to really align to learning targets and lessons.

Good questions move students to appropriate applications.

The use of a particular word in and of itself doesn’t necessarily imply what we inferred.

Time must be spent really understanding the vocabulary we use.

Careful questioning really allows us to assess for learning , and know what students know.
Formulated by SLSN September 2007