Corgi Structure and Properties of Matter and its Interactions
Overview
In this unit, students will explore and understand the fundamental principles governing the composition, structure, and behavior of matter, and how matter interacts with other substances and energy.
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Unit & Lesson Plans
Structure and Properties of Matter and its Interactions
Subject: Science
Grade level: Middle School (Grade 6-8)
Guides: Cause & Effect, Comparison, Question Exploration
Standards: NGSS, Common Core - ELA
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in Unit & Lesson Plans for the Corgi application!
The units and lessons that follow are intended to be used in conjunction with Corgi, a free, digital tool developed with the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
Each unit is aligned to national and/or state standards such as the Next Generation Science Standards or the Common Core Standards.
Each lesson utilizes the 5E Instructional Model to guide implementation.
Table of Contents
What is included in this Unit?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 1: How Atoms Combine To Create Pure Substance?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 2: How Pressure or Temperature Affect a Substance’s States of Matter
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 3: Crystalline & Amorphous Solids
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Lesson 4: Physical & Chemical Properties Used To Identify Pure Substances
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Unit Plan
Unit Synopsis
In this 4-lesson unit, students will explore and understand the fundamental principles governing the composition, structure, and behavior of matter, and how matter interacts with other substances and energy.
Learning Goal
Students will understand the structure and properties of matter. Students will develop a solid understanding of the particle nature of matter and the relationship of temperature and pressure with states of matter. Each pure substance has its own characteristic physical and chemical properties.
Main Ideas
- All matter is composed of small particles called atoms and molecules.
- A substance’s state of matter depends on the energy of its particles (temperature) and space (pressure) between them.
- A crystalline solid and an amorphous solid both have the properties of a substance in the solid state of matter, but are different because of their structure.
- Pure substances can be described by their characteristic properties. Physical properties include color, density, melting point, etc. and chemical properties include reactivity and flammability.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-PS1-1. Students who demonstrate understanding can develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS1.A: Structures and Properties of Matter
Substances are made from different types of atoms, which combine with one another in various ways. Atoms form molecules that range in size from two to thousands of atoms.
Solids may be formed from molecules, or they may be extended structures with repeating subunits (e.g., crystals).
Common Core State Standards:
ELA/Literacy - SL.8.5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
What is included in this Unit?
Several key pieces are included to help you build your own unit or support a unit you have already created.
Each lesson in this unit contains:
- Essential question for students
- Key Terms
- Resources
- Lesson narrative that follows the 5E model of science instruction
- Corgi guide
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
This unit includes a step by step scaffolding that follows the 5E model of science instruction. Please note that we do our best to maintain correct links to resources and materials. If a specific link is no longer working, please don't hesitate to contact us at corgi@cast.org.
Lesson Plans
| Lesson 1 | How Atoms Combine To Create Pure Substance | Cause & Effect Guide |
| Lesson 2 | How Pressure and Temperature Affect States of Matter | Cause & Effect Guide |
| Lesson 3 | Crystalline & Amorphous Solids | Comparison Guide |
| Lesson 4 | Physical & Chemical Properties Of Pure Substances | Question Exploration Guide |
Methods of Assessment
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for teaching and learning that guides the design of inclusive, accessible, and challenging learning environments. The framework is grounded in three principles:
- Design multiple means of engagement
- Design multiple means of representation
- Design multiple means of action and expression
CAST’s UDL Guidelines were developed to support practitioners to apply these three principles to practice.
While this unit was not explicitly designed through a UDL lens, UDL can be used as a tool to reduce existing barriers and increase access to the unit learning goal as well as to individual lesson goals. Below is an overview of how UDL might be applied to this unit. We’ll also offer more specific ideas for applying UDL at the end of each of the lessons associated with this unit.
Anticipate Potential Barriers
The UDL framework can support educators to reframe their understanding of barriers: from locating barriers within individual students to locating barriers within the design of the learning environment. Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the unit. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Are there barriers to engagement? (connection to students’ lives, location, grouping, noise level, etc.)
The design of the unit/lessons may need to do more to spark students’ curiosity based on their unique interests, goals, and contexts. The design may need to better emphasize why the topics are meaningful and important to explore. The design may also need to more fully support students to make connections to their own lives, communities, and questions they care about.
Are there barriers to the representation of content? (oral, written, etc.)
These lessons consist of multimedia presentations with text, graphics, videos, and infographics. Some videos may need captions, or some captions don’t turn on automatically. The videos may also need a written transcript so students can follow along for key ideas, vocabulary, and note-taking. Finally, several of the lessons contain non-interactive PDFs that do not allow students to highlight or make comments.
Are there barriers to action and expression? (writing, speaking, planning, etc.)
While the Corgi guides embed multiple options for students to share their ideas (text, images, and speech-to-text), it is important to anticipate barriers to students being able to express their ideas in other associated activities.
Address Learner Variability
Here we brainstorm ways to address the potential barriers described above. Again, please note that these approaches to reducing barriers and increasing access to the learning goals are just examples to get you thinking. We know that every context is unique.
How will you address barriers to engagement?
The Engagement Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to engagement:
- Are there options for choice, relevancy, and minimizing distractions?
- Are there options for sustaining effort and persistence?
- Are there options for supporting and developing self-regulation and self-assessment?
Barriers to learners’ engagement and multiple pathways to engage students will be addressed through the supplementary resources, survey questions, and videos throughout each lesson.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around supporting students to find meaning and relevance, consider creating spaces for students to make connections to their own lives, their communities, and issues that they care about. For example, the instructor could take a common material (such as steel) and observe the density, color, hardness, and color of the object to discuss physical properties. The instructor could also use the same object to talk about how the object oxidizes, reacts to heat, solubility, and flammability to show that matter contains both sets of properties.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to engagement that may emerge throughout this unit.
How will you address barriers to representation?
The Representation Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to representation:
- Are there options for audio/visual/display of info?
- Are there options to access language, math, and symbols?
- Are there options to build background knowledge, construct meaning, and generate new understandings?
The supplementary resources and videos have been constructed to offer multiple ways of representing information as well as the mixed media within each lesson/activity.
With regard to captions that don’t turn on automatically, support students to learn how to use and turn on/off the closed caption option. Also, transcripts of the videos should be made available for students.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around the lack of captions and transcripts, consider transcribing tools like Otter.ai, rev, and Express Scribe. Further, free screen readers such as TextHelp Read & Write, ChromeVox, or NVDA can assist students with online articles. Finally, to reduce the barriers associated with non-interactive PDFs, consider free PDF tools such as Bit.ai and Jotform.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to representation that may emerge throughout this unit.
How will you address barriers to action and expression?
The Action and Expression Guidelines prompt us to consider the following questions when addressing barriers to representation:
- Are there options for physical action?
- Are there options for multiple communication tools?
- Are there options for varying levels of support?
- Are there options for goal setting, strategy development, and self-monitoring?
The Action and Expression Guidelines can offer ideas for embedding varied ways for learners to communicate ideas, share understandings, and work toward goals in the associated activities throughout this unit.
With regard to the anticipated barriers around physical action and physical space, consider encouraging learners to find learning spaces that work best for them (e.g. a quiet space, a space with natural lighting, etc.) and spaces that offer room to move or stand.
We encourage you to collaborate with your students and co-design ways to address other barriers to action and expression that may emerge throughout this unit.
Review the following link for a complete interactive overview of the UDL Guidelines.
Lesson 1: How Atoms Combine To Create Pure Substance?
Essential Question
How do different types of atoms combine to make pure substances?
Key Terms
Atoms
Chemical bond
Compound
Elements
Molecule
Ionic Bond
Substance
Resources
Video: Atoms, Elements, and Molecules
Website: ’Elements of a SmartPhone’
Video: Pure Substance | Atoms & Compounds | GCSE Chemistry (9-1) | kayscience.com
Infographic: ‘Substance Activity Chart’
Website: ‘3D Periodic Table’ or ‘Elements Wlonk’
Website: ‘Definition of a Compound’
Sample Corgi Guide: How Atoms Combine To Create Pure Substance (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Cause and Effect Guide with each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Cause and Effect Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor shares the video, Atoms, Elements, and Molecules with the class.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and new knowledge acquired from the video. The questions below can be used to start or guide the conversation:
- What makes a substance a pure substance?
- What do we know about how atoms combine?
- How do atoms stick together?
- Any other interesting points that students want to share.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Step 3 of the guide by applying their understanding from the video and discussion.
Explore:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested activities designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: The instructor uses the ’Elements of a SmartPhone’ website and its corresponding materials to engage students in an exploration of the substances that make a common smartphone. This lesson helps students to build their own understanding through a well known, commonly used product and build vocabulary for whole group discussion.
The instructor reconvenes the class to recap the exploration and invites students to share their findings.
Explain:
The instructor introduces the video, Pure Substance | Atoms & Compounds | GCSE Chemistry (9-1) | kayscience.com. The video is divided into sections with questions at the end of each section for students to discuss. Make sure to pause the video at the section questions to check for understanding. Then allow time for students to think-pair-share their answers and reasoning with a partner or small group.
For each of the pure substances found in the ‘Substance Activity Chart’ have students:
- Identify what type of atoms combine to make a molecule of the sample.
- Determine if the sample is an element or a compound.
- Have students reference:
- Either ‘3D Periodic Table’ or ‘Elements Wlonk’ for element identification or
- The ‘Definition of a Compound’ for part B
The teacher directs them to either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3 complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Cause & Effect’ with their new understandings.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The graphic of ’Elements of a SmartPhone’ is very good and may be of interest to students. The text of the article may be difficult for students to get through.
- Addressing the barrier: Have students review the graphic and record points of interest to share with a partner or the whole class. Have the instructor read the article and have students make connections to the graphic.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The video Atoms, Elements, and Molecules and Pure Substance | Atoms & Compounds | GCSE Chemistry (9-1) | kayscience.com contain a lot of information at a fast pace.
- Addressing the barrier: To address the pace and amount of information that is delivered to students consider stopping and/or replaying key information for students. Alternatively, teachers could have students watch and record key points in the video and share out with the class.
Lesson 2: How Pressure or Temperature Affect a Substance’s States of Matter
Essential Question
How do variations in temperature or pressure affect a substance’s state of matter?
Key Terms
Condensation
Evaporation
Pressure
States of matter/phases of matter
Sublimation
Temperature
Resources
Video: Phase Change Demonstrations | Chemistry Matters
Website: ‘Molecular Workbench: States of Matter’
Video: Changes of State | Matter | Physics | FuseSchool
Simulation: ‘States of Matter: Basics’
Sample Corgi Guide: How Pressure and Temperature Affect States of Matter (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Cause & Effect Guide with each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Cause & Effect Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion using the prompts:
- What are common examples of a solid, a liquid, or a gas?
- What happens when an object reaches its freezing point?
- What happens when an object reaches its boiling/melting point?
The instructor shares, Phase Change Demonstrations | Chemistry Matters with the class.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Step 3 of the guide by applying their understanding from the video.
Explore:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested activities designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Use supplemental articles, online simulations or experiments, jigsaw routines, visual thinking routines, etc. to explore.
The instructor invites students to interact with ''Molecular Workbench: States of Matter’ that helps students to build their own understanding through common experiences and build vocabulary for whole group discussion.
The instructor reconvenes the class to recap the exploration and invites students to share their findings.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of how temperature and pressure affect states of matter the instructor shows, Changes of State | Matter | Physics | FuseSchool.
The instructor should pause the video when prompted to check for understanding, allow students to answer the video’s questions, and discuss their answers with members in their group.
To further enhance students’ understanding, have students visit the ‘States of Matter: Basics’ simulation. Once they have downloaded the simulation, have them select the ‘Phase Changes’ option. While students are engaging with the simulation, have them focus on this question, “How heat and temperature affect the state of matter, what can be observed about the motion of the particles and the distances between them as the state of matter (also called phase of matter) changes?”
The teacher directs them to either independently or in small groups of 2 to 3 complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Cause & Effect’ with their new understandings.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The simulation States of Matter: Basics’ may pose a barrier because it requires students to download the simulation, students may not have access to downloads, be using devices that aren’t their own, or have limited time to access the simulation.
- Addressing the barrier: If there are barriers to engaging in the simulation States of Matter: Basics’, there is a pdf/print copy that students can utilize.
Lesson 3: Crystalline & Amorphous Solids
Essential Question
What are similarities and differences of crystalline solids and amorphous solids?
Key Terms
Amorphous
Crystalline
Endothermic
Exothermic
Resources
Video:What Is A Solid?
Video: amorphous and crystalline solids
Handout: Crystalline vs Amorphous
Video: Crystals for Kids Know more about it! Animation Learning Lesson Kids
Video: Underground Cave of the Crystals
Sample Corgi Guide: Crystalline & Amorphous Solids (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Comparison Guide to each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Comparison Guide steps together.
The instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class (without defining them) and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides with the information.
The instructor shares, What Is A Solid? with the class.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Step 3 of the guide by applying their understanding from the resource.
Explore:
The instructor invites students to explore the web to find characteristics of crystalline and amorphous solids to help students to build their own understanding through common experiences and build vocabulary for whole group discussion.
The instructor reconvenes the class to recap the exploration and invites students to share their findings.
Explain:
To develop an understanding of the differences between crystalline and amorphous solids, the instructor asks the students to watch a video, amorphous and crystalline solids.
To further enhance students’ understanding of the differences between crystalline and amorphous solids, have students review the handout, Crystalline vs Amorphous. If additional help is needed, check out Crystals for Kids Know more about it! Animation Learning Lesson Kids and Underground Cave of the Crystals .
The instructor directs students to either independently or in small groups of 2-3 complete the Corgi Guide, ‘Comparison’ with their new understandings.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential Barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The web search in the ‘Explore’ step is open ended and does not have clear expectations for students. This ambiguity can lead to anxiety and frustration because there is a lack of a clear goal.
- Addressing the barrier: Consider adding a specific number of characteristics that students are to find and report on. Also, consider turning the open ended assignment into a web scavenger hunt or webquest. Webquests provide an excellent way to involve students in authentic learning activities. The inquiry-based webquest format encourages students to utilize higher level thinking skills as they complete assignments using information gleaned from the internet. The webquest can be differentiated for students who need less guidance and students who need more direct and focused clues/guidance. If you need help building a webquest this webinar by Cloe Digital is a good resource.
Lesson 4: Physical & Chemical Properties Used To Identify Pure Substances
Essential Question
What are the physical and chemical properties of matter that can be used to identify a pure substance?
Key Terms
Chemical properties
Physical Properties
Pure substances
Resources
Video: Physical and Chemical Changes: Chemistry for Kids - FreeSchool
Website: ‘Physical or Chemical Change?’
Website: ‘Dissolve This: Interactive Lesson’
Video: Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter
Website: ‘FlexBooks: Physical Properties of Matter’
Website: ‘FlexBooks: Chemical Properties of Matter’
Website: ‘ Jeopardy: Physical & Chemical Properties of Matter’
Sample Corgi Guide: “Physical & Chemical Properties Of Pure Substances” (To be able to view the guide you must be logged in to Corgi)
Lesson Narrative
Engage:
The instructor shares the agenda, learning goal, and assessment criteria with the class.
The instructor shares a link to a blank Corgi Question Exploration Guide with each student via email or Google Classroom.
The class reviews the Question Exploration Guide steps together.
For the lesson, the instructor introduces the essential question and key terms to the class and directs each student to complete Steps 1 and 2 in their guides.
The instructor shares the video, Physical and Chemical Changes: Chemistry for Kids - FreeSchool with the class.
The instructor invites students to share their background knowledge and facilitates a whole-class discussion using the prompts:
- Generally, what observations did you make about physical and chemical changes?
- How are these changes similar to and different from each other?
- What common physical changes have you experienced? (you can refer to the video for inspiration)
- What common chemical changes have you experienced? (you can refer to the video for inspiration)
After students have shared their observations in the whole group discussion, have the students, either individually or in groups, take the ‘Physical Or Chemical Change?’ quiz to solidify concepts with everyday examples of physical and chemical changes.
The instructor divides the class into groups of 3 to 4 students. In small groups, the students complete Step 3 of the guide by applying their understanding from the video.
Explore:
The instructor invites students to interact with ‘Dissolve This: Interactive Lesson’ that helps students to build their own understanding through common experiences and build vocabulary for whole group discussion.
The instructor reconvenes the class to recap the exploration and invites students to share their findings.
Explain:
First, have students watch Physical and Chemical Properties of Matterand have the students take note of the primary characteristics of physical chemical properties.
Then, students will expand and build upon their learning by visiting ‘FlexBooks: Physical Properties of Matter’ and ‘FlexBooks: Chemical Properties of Matter’ to review the study questions found at the end of each mini article.
Lastly, the class will review the information they know by participating in the “Jeopardy: Physical & Chemical Properties of Matter’ review before completing their Corgi Question Exploration guide.
Elaborate:
Use the Corgi presentation feature to create a slide deck and have learners present their thinking.
Evaluate:
Option A: Use your district’s current curriculum and suggested assessment designed to consider learner variability.
Option B: Select self-assessments, peer assessments, writing assignments, exams, etc. that allow students to reflect on their learning and demonstrate their understanding.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Suggestions
Here we brainstorm potential barriers that learners may encounter in the design of the lesson. Please note that these are just examples to get you thinking about the potential barriers in your own unique context.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The activity ‘Dissolve This: Interactive Lesson’ may have elements that do not work optimally with tab navigation.
- Addressing the barrier: This site provides a transcript and resource list that can be downloaded and used.
Potential barrier:
- Anticipating the barrier: The review activity: “Jeopardy: Physical & Chemical Properties of Matter’ is designed to be a group activity. Some students feel uncomfortable with public speaking in front of their peers.
- Addressing the barrier: To address the anxiety some students may feel the “Jeopardy: Physical & Chemical Properties of Matter’ review can be customized to small teams and can also be done individually.