3rd Grade
Discussion for 4th Grade: States of Matter and State
- Start with a simple question: "What do you think
everything around us is made of?"
- Encourage students to share their thoughts and
ideas.
2. Definition of Matter**:
- Provide a child-friendly definition of matter using
relatable examples like toys, books, and water.
- Emphasize that matter has mass and takes up space.
Activity 1: Sorting Matter (15 minutes)
1. **Group Activity**:
- Divide students into groups and provide a mix of
objects (some representing matter, others not).
- Ask each group to sort the objects into 'matter' or
'not matter' and explain their choices.
2. Sharing and Explanation**:
- Ask each group to present their classifications and
reasoning.
- Clarify any misconceptions and reinforce the concept
of matter.
Activity 2: "Matter Detectives" (15 minutes)
Becoming Matter Detectives
- **Introduction (3 minutes):**
- Begin by telling the students that they are going to
4th Grade
Transitions
Engage and Elicit Prior Knowledge (5 minutes)
- Begin by asking: "Can anyone name the three states of
matter?"
- Allow students to discuss and share their
understanding of solids, liquids, and gases.
- Write down their responses and use them as a basis
for further discussion.
Recap on Matter and Introduction to States (10
minutes)
- Briefly recap the concept of matter, emphasizing mass,
volume, and its different forms.
- Introduce the three primary states of matter: solid,
liquid, and gas.
- Ask students to think of examples for each state and
write them on the board.
Understanding State Transitions (20 minutes)
1. Solid to Liquid and Liquid to Gas
- Explain that matter can change from one state to
another through heating or cooling.
- Use the example of ice (solid) melting into water
(liquid) with an increase in temperature and water
evaporating into water vapor (gas) with further heating.
- Discuss real-life instances where they've observed
these transitions (e.g., melting ice on a sunny day).
become "Matter Detectives" for the day.
- Explain that Matter Detectives are experts at
identifying different types of matter around them.
Materials Scavenger Hunt
- Instructions (5 minutes):**
- Hand out a small list to each student with various
types of matter (e.g., paper, plastic, wood).
- Briefly discuss what each type of matter is to ensure
understanding.
- Explain that they need to find an example of each
type of matter in the classroom.
- Scavenger Hunt (7 minutes):**
- Let the students move around the classroom,
inspecting items to identify the different types of matter
on their lists.
- Encourage them to write down or draw what they
find and note the type of matter it represents.
Classroom Discussion
- Gathering and Sharing (5 minutes):**
- Gather the students and have them sit together.
- Ask students to share what they found, one type of
matter at a time.
- As each type of matter is discussed, emphasize its
properties and why it belongs to that category (e.g.,
wood is solid, paper is thin and flexible).
-Group Understanding (5 minutes):**
- Encourage discussion and questions about the
different forms of matter.
2. Gas to Liquid and Liquid to Solid
- Discuss how cooling can cause gas to turn back into a
liquid and then a solid.
- Use the example of water vapor condensing into water
droplets on a cold surface (gas to liquid) and further
into ice when the temperature drops (liquid to solid).
- Relate this to everyday experiences like dew forming
on grass in the morning.
3. Solid to Gas (Sublimation) and Gas to Solid
(Deposition)
- Introduce sublimation, where a solid turns directly into
a gas without becoming a liquid.
- Provide examples like dry ice (solid carbon dioxide)
changing into carbon dioxide gas without going through
a liquid stage.
- Explain deposition, where a gas changes directly into a
solid, like water vapor turning into frost on a cold
surface.
Activities (20 minutes)
1. Matter Transformations Skit (10 minutes)
- Divide the class into groups and assign each group a
specific state transition (e.g., solid to liquid).
- Each group prepares a short skit demonstrating their
assigned state transition using simple props or acting it
out.
- Groups present their skits to the class, allowing
students to observe and identify the state transition
being portrayed.
2. Journey of Water (10 minutes)
- Using a large visual aid or chart, create a 'journey of
water' showing its transitions between states (solid,
 - Clarify any confusion and reinforce the concept of liquid, gas) with accompanying illustrations.
matter, noting how it comes in various forms and
properties. - Start with water freezing into ice, melting into water,
and evaporating into water vapor.

- Encourage students to interact and discuss each

transition, emphasizing the processes involved and the
energy changes.