Unit Plan 3 (Grade 5 Science): States & Properties of Matter

Focus: Make observations and measurements of matter in different states to describe and compare properties such as hardness, flexibility, luster, conductivity, magnetism, and solubility, and use those properties to identify materials.

Grade Level: 5

Subject Area: Science (Physical Science • Matter & Properties)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students act like materials scientists, exploring how different solids, liquids, and powders can be identified by their observable and measurable properties. Through hands-on stations and simple tests, they examine hardness, flexibility, luster, magnetism, electrical and thermal conductivity, and solubility in water. They then use patterns in their data to match unknown samples to known materials, preparing them for later work on changes in matter and engineering design.

Essential Questions

• How can we describe and compare materials using observable and measurable properties?
• Why are properties like hardness, conductivity, and solubility useful for identifying materials?
• How do careful observations, measurements, and data tables help scientists agree on what a material is?
• How do people use material properties when they choose substances for real-world uses (e.g., wires, containers, buildings)?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Describe states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and recognize that different materials can share a state but still have different properties.
2. Make careful observations and measurements of properties such as hardness, flexibility, luster, magnetism, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and solubility.
3. Record property data in organized tables and use it to compare and group materials.
4. Use patterns in properties data to identify unknown materials by matching them to known samples.
5. Explain how material properties influence their uses in everyday objects and technologies.

Standards Alignment — 5th Grade (NGSS-Aligned)

• 5-PS1-3 — Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.
  • Example: Students test the hardness, magnetism, conductivity, and solubility of unknown samples and compare them to known samples to decide which material each unknown is most likely to be.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can use words like hard, soft, flexible, magnetic, shiny/dull, and conducts/does not conduct to describe materials.
• I can follow directions to test properties and record my data in a table.
• I can look for patterns in my data to decide which materials are similar or different.
• I can use my property data to identify an unknown material by matching it to a known sample.
• I can explain how a property (like conductivity or hardness) makes a material good for a certain job.