Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Measuring Matter, and supports the standard of making observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display a tissue box. Ask students:

  • What are some properties of this box? 
  • What are some different ways we might measure the box?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read the description on the Measuring Matter topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Around the World,” or “The Final Frontier.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Students take the Measuring Matter Challenge and Quiz, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about measuring matter while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Create a tutorial explaining how to find the volume of different writing tools, like pencils and markers. 
  • Make-a-Map: Make a concept map comparing the masses, densities, and volumes of a hardcover book and a paperback book. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a game where players determine whether a unit of measurement describes an object’s volume, density, or mass. 

More to Explore

Matter Sorter: Players determine falling objects’ states of matter in this sorting game.

States of Matter: Basics: Students explore states of matter as they heat, cool, and compress atoms and molecules in this interactive simulation. 

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments