Structure and Properties of Matter in K-5 Classrooms

KSTA Fall ConferenceNovember 1, 2013

Session Goals

• Examine the Structure and Properties of Matter Storyline in grades K-5

• Examine and analyze sample activities from the K-5 SPM progression

• Share lessons learned

Vision of the Framework for K-12 Science Education

• “The framework is designed to help realize a vision for education in the sciences and engineering in which students, over multiple years of school, actively engage in scientific and engineering practices and apply crosscutting concepts to deepen their understanding of the core ideas in these fields. pg. 8-9

Teaching at the Nexus

Core IdeasPractices

Crosscutting Concepts

What is a Performance Expectation?

• …the NGSS has only two specific purposes beyond its broad vision for science education, namely (1) to describe essential learning goals, and (2) to describe how those goals will be assessed at each grade level or band.

• The rest – instruction, instructional materials, assessments, curriculum, professional development, and the university preparation of teachers – is up to the science education community.– Pg. 15 The NSTA Reader’s Guide to the NGSS

Session Goal

• Examine the Structure and Properties of Matter Storyline in grades K-5

Early Structure and Properties of Matter

Unit Sequence Development

PropertiesComposition(Materials)

Measurement Conservation Change

K Identify - color, texture, shape,length, hardness, shininess, sizeSort objects by property

Not property LengthNon-standardSerial orderMeasurements are estimates

Additive length

1 Identify – K + flexibility,magnetism, float/sink, useSort by

Objects vs materials MassUsing balance with non-std unitsComparingIdea of unitsProper use of deviceMeasurements are estimates

Additive mass When change an object (break,cut, reshape) but not material,some properties change andsome do notMaterial conserved

2 Property of liquids and solidsUse magnifying glasses

WaterMixtures

TemperatureTemperature range for solid,liquidTemperature changes whenstate changes

Mass of mixture is additive Water freezes and meltsMixtures can be separated usingtheir properties

3 Properties of solids, liquids,gasesUse of microscope for water

WaterSame or not thesame throughout –solids and liquids

VolumeReplicating an object

Mass of mixture is additiveAdditive volume if materialsidenticalNo change in mass astemperature changes (accnt formass when boiling)

Water freezes, melts, boilsWhen change material (water),some properties change, somedon’tSome things dissolve whenmixed

4 ConductivityMelting pt & boiling ptGas has massFloating/sinking

Solutions VolumeMeasuring volumeMassScalesGrams

Mass is conserved upon formation of solution

Dissolving is faster if temperature is higher

5 Characteristic properties DensityMeasurements are estimates

Mass is conserved upon mixing; volume is not always conserved

In some changes the material is changed to a new material, and in some changes the material remains the same

Structure and Properties of Matter Storyline in NGSS

• SPM topic in 2nd grade and 5th grade• What about K, 1, 3, and 4?• Are there concepts in K, 1, 3, and 4 that SPM is

foundational to student understanding?– With a partner, examine the K, 1, 3, or 4 standards– Don’t limit yourself to physical science– Be prepared to share

Current SPM Unit Sequence Development

• Important Considerations– NGSS– Framework for K-12

Science Education– Key misconceptions

• Object vs. Material• Gases• Conservation of Mass

• Examine key components K-5 in PPES Unit Overview

From the Framework

“While standards typically outline the goals of learning, curricula set forth the more specific means – materials, tasks, discussions, representations – to be used to achieve those goals.” Pg. 247

Session Goal

• Examine and analyze sample activities from the K-5 SPM progression

Activity Analysis

• Examine Samples from the K-5 SPM Units• Follow the directions at each grade level

station.• Use the organizer for note-taking

Science and Engineering

Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

Connections to Math

Connections to ELA

Activity Debrief

• Discuss the following with your activity group:

• What practices will the student use to explore the phenomenon in order to construct an explanation?– How do these help the students make sense of their

observations?• What disciplinary core ideas were addressed ?• What cross-cutting concept(s) seems especially

pertinent for understanding ?• What was the role of discourse and modeling?

Activity Debrief

• Discuss the following with your activity group:

• What are some instructional implications from this experience?

• How might this inform your selection of experiences for students?

Session Goal

• Share lessons learned

Lessons Learned

• Writing in Science approach to science notebooking was well accepted K-5

• Need to examine K-5 for the progression of the SEP• Need to analyze within each unit for the practices

that are in the foreground/background• Be more intentional about crosscutting concepts• Important to develop content experiences with

teachers• Buy-in from teachers and administrators varies

“Building progressively more sophisticated explanations of natural phenomena is central throughout grades K-5, as opposed to focusing only on description in the early grades and leaving explanation to the later grades.”

Pg. 26

Contact Information

• Diane Johnson– Diane.johnson@uky.edu – http://dianejohnson.weebly.com

• Susan Mayo– Susan.mayo1961@ATT.net – http://mayosw.weebly.com/