What is the structure of matter?
What is the structure of matter? Today we will answer that very question. In addition, we’ll also talk about the Crosscutting Concept aligned with this phenomenon and some teaching strategies you can use today in class.
First, let me ask you: “Why should you never trust atoms? They make up everything.” Haha! Corny right? But also very true. Atoms do make up everything, and everything is called matter. So, when asking “What is the structure of matter”? My answer is that matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.
Our goal today is to provide you with a simple overview of the structure of matter, as contained in the Next Generation Science Standards MS-PS1-1. We will then talk about using this information in a lesson as the “Explain” portion of the 5E model of instruction or as a review of the structure of matter.
Before we get too far into the structure of matter (also known as the atomic composition model), you might be searching for some online resources as you begin your lesson planning. Finding the perfect simulation, lab or video can be a daunting task on the vast web. Trust us, we know! That is why we compiled THE Ultimate Guide of Online Resources for teaching science, and it is our gift to you.
Background Knowledge of The Structure of Matter
How does the structure of matter depend on atoms?
Atoms are made up of little subatomic particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons and are very important when learning about the properties of each kind of atom. Protons (+ charge) and neutrons (0 charge) make up the nucleus, which is the bulk of the atom’s mass. Remember mass is the amount of “stuff” in a substance or an object.
The number of protons also determines what kind of atom it is. The electrons, on the other hand, are whizzing around at the speed of light in a cloud of different energy levels outside the nucleus, and far from the nucleus at that. In all actuality, atoms are MOSTLY EMPTY SPACE. If the nucleus were an apple, then the first electron shell would be about 5 soccer fields away. That is difficult to comprehend when you consider that these little particles make up all matter.
So what happens when these atomic particles come into contact with other particles? As one kind of atom, they are pure elements. However, they would like to bond with other atoms to create other substances called molecules. To become a molecule, it will depend on the outer electrons. An atom wants to be stable, and if it can bond with another atom by sharing electrons to fill up its outer (valence) shell, then it will be stable and will become a molecule.
An atom can also “give away” or “take” an electron from another atom, creating an opposite charge in both of them. Molecules that form this way are called ionic because they attract like magnets.
What model explains the structure of matter?
Perfect and simple examples of both of these types of molecules are two things we consume every day: water and salt. A water molecule is the strong bond (covenant) of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom called H2O. Isn’t it remarkable that two gases can chemically react to form something so vital to our survival? The ionic, or weak bond, of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) creates the edible table salt that we enjoy in our food. Crazily, sodium is a solid that ignites in water and chlorine is a poisonous gas, yet when they chemically react, it forms a stable compound.
Crosscutting Concept:
Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
With the NGSS MS-PS1-1, the concentration for this standard is to develop and build models to show the scale, proportion, and quantity. These models can be of simple molecules or extended structures. They could also be a 3D drawing, stick structures, or a computer-generated model.
Teaching Strategy:
We love the 5E model of instruction. It provides a proven framework of lesson planning that puts students in the driver’s seat. When using the 5E model of instruction, students begin to take ownership of their education. You can read more about the 5E model of instruction here.
Today for our teaching strategy we will emphasize the “Explain” portion. Once students have “Engaged” with the phenomena and “Explored” the phenomena, it is now time to provide some organization to their thinking. This is where you as the teacher will turn from a facilitator to giving students some direct instruction.
Before you provide that direct instruction, allow students to talk in their teams about the phenomena. Let them share what they learned during the “Explore” portion. To facilitate this, you can provide some discussion prompts to help (if you need some done for your discussion prompts, you can get those here).
As students are talking within their teams, circle through the room and listen to each team for a bit. Take note of some good examples students can share with the whole class. We like to give students time to think about what they might say to the whole class, so let them know you would like them to share their thoughts, instead of calling on them as a surprise.
Conversely, take note of any misconceptions you hear. When it is time for you to give direct instruction, you can take a few minutes to clear up those misconceptions. These notes will also provide you with insight tailor-made for this particular class.
Here are several different ways you can work through the “Explain” phase:
- Direct instruction can come from a slide show where students will take notes or complete an interactive notebook page.
- Students can analyze their findings and write up a lab report on the experiment they did in the “Explore” phase.
- Video clip. Edpuzzle is a platform that allows you to embed questions right into the video. So as students are watching a video explaining the phenomena, they are also answering questions to help them solidify their thinking.
- Students can read an informational text about the phenomena and do a quick write to explain their thinking.
- After reading the informational text, students can draw a concept map of the phenomena.
If you are pressed for time, we have a done-for-you lesson on the Structure of Matter. It is a time saver for a teacher, as it is completely student-driven. In addition, teachers can rest assured that all of their students will be able to work through the lesson with ease as differentiation is embedded. If you are looking for a way to pull small groups, but need your other students to be on task, this is the resource for you. Click here to see if it is the right fit for you…
In Summary…
In summary, we provided some background knowledge on The Structure of Matter. We provided the NGSS Crosscutting Concept along with some ways to drive this concept home with your students. The teaching strategy today was focused on the “Explain” portion of the 5E model of instruction. Finally, we delineated several different strategies you can incorporate into the “Explain” section of your lesson.
And remember, if you are in need of cutting through the chaos when it comes to finding online resources to spruce up your science instruction, grab our free gift to you. The Ultimate Guide of Online Resources for teaching science is just a click away.
3 Responses
Thx
Thanks!
You are welcome! Happy teaching!