
Lesson Plan Home	Back	Find by Grade	Find by Subject	Find by Author

View Lesson Plan

Print Version

Title	Matter: What is Matter?
Overview	Students will learn what matter is and that we cannot get rid of it -- we can only change it.
Subject(s)	Science
Grade Level(s)	Grade 1 Grade 2
Suggested Time	30 Minutes
Materials	matter
Objectives	Students will be able to: define matter. understand that matter can be changed, but not eliminated.
Materials	- a piece of paper - a white board and marker OPTIONAL: a match (if you're comfortable lighting paper on fire in class) a garbage can
Motivation	Ask the children if they know what 'matter' is. Write their thoughts on the white board. Explain that 'matter' is a scientific term that describes everything around us. Point out some things that are made of matter: the floor, the desk, air, water, etc. Ask if they can think of other things that are made of matter.
Activity	Show the class your piece of paper. Is it matter? Yes! Now, ask them to give you some ideas to get rid of it (just think in their heads). Throw it in the garbage. Did that get rid of it? No, it just moved it from one place to another. Scrunch it up and throw it away again. Did that get rid of it? No, it just changed its shape and moved it. Now have them share some ideas for getting rid of the paper. Write them on the board. Talk about some of their ideas and discuss whether they really get rid of the paper. What if we light it on fire (you can either do this or just imagine it). Does that get rid of the paper? Although it destroys the paper, it doesn't destroy the matter... it just changes its form. The paper turns to smoke and ash. Explain to the children that we can move matter, change its shape and change its form but we can't destroy it.
Conclusion	Have the children return to their desks and ask them to answer these questions: Is water matter? - Give one example of how can we move it? - Give one example of how can we change its shape? - Give one example of how can we change its form? - Can we get rid of it altogether? Come back to the large group and discuss.
Next Day Extension	Follow up the next day with the Three States of Matter Lesson plan

Print Version

Leanne Guenther

About the Artist/Author:

Hello! I'm Leanne, the creative mind behind KidZone.ws. I love nothing more than enjoying a warm cup of tea and a quiet day with a good friend. Here’s a bit more about me:

Things I Love:

Writing for Kids: My happy place is creating engaging content that sparks curiosity and joy in young minds.
Early Childhood Education: I absolutely adore those early, eager-to-learn years with kids. Their curiosity and enthusiasm are infectious!
History: Exploring the past helps me understand the present and dream about the future.

Things I Have a Love/Hate Relationship With:

Technology: I love how it connects us and makes things easier, but why does it have to change so quickly?
Trivia Nights: I'm your go-to person for fun facts, yet somehow, I always end up in second or third place. Frustrating!
Gardening: I like to think I have a green thumb, but it has a few brown speckles. My plants and I are working on it.
Animals: I adore my pets and they bring me so much joy, but oh, the chores! Why can’t they clean up after themselves?

I earned my degree back in the early '90s, and as a lifelong learner, I continue to delve into the things I love. This includes technology (though I struggle to keep up!), art, early childhood education, history, and mythology as it relates to sociology.

I know that while the educational content on KidZone.ws is largely for kids, many of you visiting the site are educators and caregivers. I’ve tried to share some interesting trivia tidbits and fun facts to make your visit enjoyable too. Happy learning!