Design Topic Matter

Subject(s) Science
Grade(s) 2nd
Designer(s) Brinda Patel
Understanding by Design
Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: States of Matter Grade Levels: 2nd

Topic/Subject Areas: Matter/ Science-Physical
Key Words: Matter, Solid, Liquid, Gas, Volume
Designed By: Brinda Patel Time Frame: 3 weeks
School District: Regent University

School: Teacher Ed & IDS Dept.

Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):

The students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the properties of solids,

liquids, and gases. Students will be able to acquire the vocabulary associated with the
properties of solids, liquids, and gases. They will also be able to observe and report the
physical changes of matter. Students will gain knowledge through explanation and
exploration through activities. The unit is aimed towards second grade students and
will take approximately three weeks to accomplish the goals for this unit.

Unit design status:

X Completed template pages stages 1, 2, 3

X Completed rubrics

Completed blueprint for each performance task

Directions to students and teacher

Materials and resources listed

x Suggested accommodations
Status:

x Suggested extensions

Initial draft (date: ___________)

Peer Reviewed

Content Reviewed

Revised draft (date: ____________)

Field Tested

Validated

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

Anchored

Design Topic Matter

Subject(s) Science

Grade(s) 2nd

Designer(s) Brinda Patel

STAGE 1 DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: States

of Matter

Established Goals (cite specific VA SOL):

2.3

The student will investigate and understand basic properties of solids, liquids, and gases.
Key concepts include
a) identification of distinguishing characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases;
b) measurement of the mass and volume of solids and liquids; and
c) changes in phases of matter with the addition or removal of energy.

Understandings: Students will understand that

(Provide 3 to 5)

Each state of matter has different physical

property.
All substances are made up of matter.
When matter changes from one phase to
another, these changes are referred to as
physical changes.
Volume is the measure of the amount of
space occupied by matter.

Students will know:

(Give at least 5)

The difference between solid, liquid and

gas.
Each state of matter needs external energy
to get transformed into different state of
matter.
Solids have definite shape and volume.
Liquid have definite volume and take the
shape of the container.
Each state of matter is measured
differently.

Essential Questions:
(Provide 3 to 5)

What is a solid?
What is a liquid?
What is a difference between solid, liquid
and gas?
What physical properties can be used to
describe and sort solids? Liquids? Gases?

Students will be able to:

(List at least 5 skills)

Classify an object as a solid, liquid or gas

depending on their physical property.
Identify the phases of water and use of
water in its various phases at home and in
school.
Describe and identify examples of
condensation, evaporation, and freezing.
Observe and describe interactions
between solids and liquids, liquids and
liquids, and liquids and gases.
Explain how matter changes from one
state to another.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

Design Topic Matter

Subject(s) Science

Grade(s) 2nd

Designer(s) Brinda Patel

STAGE 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks:
(Briefly describe 1 to 3 authentic assessments)
Summative Assessment

Other Evidence:
(List 3 including MC quiz)

Project book

Multiple choice quiz

Students will be given 10 multiple choice quiz on
matter and its property. This will help them better
understand the concept.

Students will be asked to do 4-page project book

on states of matter. Book should include cover
page that should have title, name and date on it.
Page 2 should include about solids and it
characteristic. Page 3 and 4 should include about
properties and characteristic of liquid and gas
respectively. Rubric will be provided for the
project book.

Test
Students will be given end of unit test. Test will
have multiple-choice question, fill in the blank,
true or false and Essay question.
Think- pair-share (Rutherford, 2008, p. 112)
Teacher will show some objects and will ask
students to identify if the object floats or sinks.
Students will be asked to pair up with their
partner and share their responses.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

(List at least 2)
Ticket to Leave
Students will be given a paper or an index card and will be asked to answer the question either by
writing or drawing. Students will write what they have learned about density in their own words. It is
also a great way to include creative writing in science. Students can be creative and use a picture to
describe their writing.
Journal
Students will spot different objects in the classroom and differentiate them as solid, liquid and gas.
They will write or draw about them in the journal. If students have any question that they are
struggling to answer, they can write it in a journal as well.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

Design Topic Matter

Subject(s) Science

Grade(s) 2nd

Designer(s) Brinda Patel

STAGE 3 LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Learning Activities:
(list by number here and then complete the week-by-week planning calendar below using the same information)

1. Begin the unit by introducing What is matter. Mention different states of matter.
2. Matter hunt activity: Students will go on Matter hunt and will draw and write what they
found in a journal. Journal will be used for self assessing. Also, they will be asked if the things
they found are matter.
3. What is matter worksheet- Students will classify drawn objects into their appropriate
categories.
4. Introduce What are Solids? Explain different physical properties of solids. Emphasize on
texture, shape and size.
5. Zoom- in activity- Students will be given 3 objects (clip, sponge and chalk) and will be asked
to observe with the magnifying glass and draw the magnified image of one of the 3 solid given to
them.
6. Students list solids that they have seen around and in their house.
7. Review the characteristics of solids by showing that even though baseball bat and toothpick are
different in size and made up of different material, they are still same type of matter.
8. Cookie monster activity: Students will be asked to pair up and will be given a cookie. They
will be asked to break the cookie into piece and discuss with a partner the physical properties of
solids (cookie). Students will share their discussion to the whole class. Also, emphasize on the
characteristic of solids, i.e. same solid can come in different shape and size.
9. Introduce the term Liquid and explain the physical properties of liquid by focusing on key
words such as shape, color, viscosity, transparency, float, volume and sink.
10. Liquid race test- Student will be placed in a group of 4. Each group will be given 6
containers filled with 6 different liquids. They will also perform race test to find the viscosity of
the liquid. This activity will help understand the physical properties of liquid.
11. Explain the term Density and provide example by showing different pop bottles filled with
different things (water, sand, air).
12. Think- pair -share activity (Rutherford, 2008, pg.112)- Students will be paired and given
plastic eggs, penny, cotton ball, and stone. They will put this objects in water and compare and
discuss their observation. This activity will help students discover the idea of density and how it
relates to whether objects float or not.
13. Lets predict activity-Teacher will mix oil and water in container 1, milk and chocolate syrup
in container 2 and oil and vinegar in container 3. Students will predict which liquid will mix and
why. This activity will help them understand about two liquids with different densities and help
make reasonable prediction of which liquid is denser.
14. Ticket to leave (Rutherford, 2008, pg.115)- Teacher will provide a paper or index card to class
and will ask student to write about density on it. They can either draw or write about density.
15. Density demo- Teacher will show demo of solids in liquid and student will discover that
sometimes a solid will mix with a liquid, and sometimes a solid and a liquid will not mix.
16. Student will be introduced to the concept of dissolving by dissolving coco powder in milk.
Various solids like, sand, sugar, salt will be given to students for dissolving and marking the
result on worksheet. Life saver will be dissolved overnight in water and students will be asked to
predict what will happen to it.
17. Aha!-huh? Strategy (Buehl, 2001)- Students will be asked to write three aha! (something that
have learned about matter so far) and 1 or 2 huh? (things you still have question about) on a
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
4

Design Topic Matter

Subject(s) Science

Grade(s) 2nd

Designer(s) Brinda Patel

paper. Teacher will collect this at the end of class.

18. Gas activity- Students will be shown blown balloon and they will be asked what is in the
balloon. They will brainstorm ideas of places where air can be found. Students blow bubbles
with the help of water, dishwasher soap and light corn syrup. They will learn that bubbles are
made when air gets trapped by the soapy water. Also, air is a gas, which is a state of matter that
has no shape or size. It spreads out to fill any container it is in.
19. Students will be assessed on 4-page project book by writing about characterization of solid,
liquid and gas on each page and cutting and gluing picture from newspaper. Rubric will be
provided for the project book.
20. Think pair share about a solid, liquid and gases (what kind of shape do they have? Does any of
the matter have any similarities and differences). Discuss with your partner and share the
response to class.
21. Gas expansion activity- Teacher will perform CO2 balloon demo by putting baking soda in
water in pop bottle and fitting balloon on it. Students observe balloon getting expand. Teacher
explains that a gas expands to fill the space that it has.
22. Teacher handout gases worksheet and ask students to color the areas of the object where the gas
is.
23. Penny boat competition- Students will be grouped and given a 30 cm piece of aluminum foil.
Their task is to build a boat that could stay afloat while holding pennies inside. After building
their boats they put them in water. They then add pennies, one at a time, until their boats sank.
24. Share out loud- Teacher asks, "How do we use mixing matter in real life?" After discussing
students thoughts they will be shown a variety of things and asked what they were, as well as
what state of matter they were.
25. Mixing matter activity- Teacher demonstrated an experiment with the help of these items (flour,
baking soda, salt, butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and chocolate chips). Students and
teacher worked together to combine the ingredients, discussing how matter is mixed, and then
put the cookie dough in the oven.
26. Students investigate three states of water. Teacher plugs in kettle filled with ice and asks
students to what they see when ice is heated. Introduce the terms condensation, evaporation,
boiling, water vapor, energy and steam. When a spoon is placed in a steam- condensation
happens! Discuss as class what it is that makes the ice melt, and water boil and the steam to turn
back to water. Student will know that External energy is needed for matter to get transformed to
another state.
27. Review for test will be done with series of games. The first game was a true/false game. This
game involves a "T" and a "F" being taped to the wall, then they will be given a statement and
had to move to the "T" if they thought it was correct or the F if it was wrong. Following that
we will work together to complete a chart that shows what they know about the three states of
matter. Then, they will be given a topic, and will be asked to fill in information about that topic.
28. Unit test will consist of 20 multiple choice questions, 10 true/false, 5 fill in the blank and 2 essay
questions. This test will help to evaluate student about their knowledge on states of matters.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

9. Introduce the term

Liquid and key words.
Explain the properties of
liquid

17. Review from last class 19. Students learn about

16. Watching and
about the lifesaver in the water.
performing demos by
properties of gases by doing
Brief overview of matter, solid,
teacher, students will
an activity.
understand the relationship liquid, density, and concept of
dissolving was given.
of solids in liquids. New
concept of dissolving

7. Review
10. Liquid
characteristics
race testof
activitysolids from
Thisyesterday
group activity
by
comparing
will help and
student
contrasting
describe
the example
liquidsofand
baseball
learn bat
and tooth pick.

4. Ask students What are

solids? Explain different
properties of solid.

Thursday

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

Focus on key words.

Grade(s) 2nd

29. Unit test will help to

assess students knowledge on
states of matter.

21. Review about gases from

last class. Think pair share
about solids, liquids and gases.

11. Introduce the term

Density by defining it and
show some examples.

Friday

Subject(s) Science

25. Share out loud- Teacher

28. Review for a test that is
27. Investigate three states
asks, How do we use mixing
tomorrow, will be done with
of
water:
condensation,
matter in real life? and students
series of game.
evaporation and freezing.
share their answer to the class.

will be introduced.

Wednesday

Tuesday

Design Topic Matter

Designer(s) Brinda Patel

Stage 3 Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Consider the WHERETO elements. You must include enough instruction for 15 lessons. If you require more
instructional days, copy and paste the calendar template onto an additional page below. Do not exceed 6 weeks.

Subject(s) Science
Grade(s) 2nd

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

24. A group activity, Penny

boat competition will be
done to give student better
grasp of the concept of
floating and sinking

13. Review density and expand

their understanding by teaching
about Liquid density.

1. Ask What is matter

write answers on the board,
then explain what matter is.

Monday

Design Topic Matter

Designer(s) Brinda Patel

Design Topic Matter

Subject(s) Science

Grade(s) 2nd

Designer(s) Brinda Patel

Rubric for project book

Organization

Cover Page

Characterizat
ion

WOW
Project book is
neat and
presentable with
no spelling
errors.
Project book
contains 4 pages,
which includes
cover page,
solid, liquid, and
gas page.

Cover page
includes title,
name, date, and
illustration.

Lists 4
characteristics
for each state of
matter.
Lists 67examples for
each state of
matter.

5 pictures of
solid, liquid and
gas are cut from
magazine or
newspaper and
labeled
appropriately.
Gluing and
cutting are neat.
Handwriting is
clear.

Creativity

Score

GOOD
Project book is
not well
organized and
has minor
spelling errors.
Project book
contains 3 pages,
which include
cover page,
solid, liquid, and
gas page.

Wow (90-100)

Good (80-90)

Uh-OH
Project book is
shabby and has
lot of spelling
errors.
Project book is
not organized in
4 pages.

Cover page
includes title,
name but misses
date and
illustration
Lists 2-3
characteristics
for each state of
matter.
Lists 5-6
examples for
each state of
matter.

Cover page does

not include title,
name, date and
illustrations.

Lists less than 2

characteristics
for each state of
matter.
Lists 3-4
examples for
each state of
matter.

3-4 pictures of
solid, liquid and
gas are cut from
magazine or
newspaper and
labeled
appropriately.
Gluing is neat
but cutting is not
proper.
Handwriting is
legible.

Less than 3
pictures of solid,
liquid and gas
are cut from
magazine or
newspaper and
labeled
appropriately.
Gluing and
cutting are
shabby.
Handwriting is
not legible.

Uh-Oh (70-80)

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

Design Topic Matter

Subject(s) Science

Grade(s) 2nd

Designer(s) Brinda Patel

References
Buehl, D. (2001). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. Newark, DE: International Reading
Association.
Rutherford, P. (2008). Instruction for all students. Alexandria, VA: Just ASK publishers.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)