20389_Science_with_STEM_Year_5_Chemical_Sciences_Its_a_matter_of_state

Lesson 4
Chemical sciences
IT’S A MATTER OF STATE
Teacher notes
Science inquiry focus:
Does a gas have mass like liquids and solids?
Science Inquiry Skills:
• Questioning and predicting QP
• Planning and conducting PC
• Processing and analysing data and information PA
• Evaluating
E
• Communicating
Science as a Human Endeavour:
C
• Students predict and observe the properties and behaviours
of common gases, such as air, and how this knowledge allows
us to understand that gases exist all around us.
Technology/Engineering/Mathematics links:
• designing and creating balance scales using a skewer, string
and tape, testing the designed solution for even weight
distribution
• weighing two objects using self-constructing balance scales
• using a digital video camera to plan, record and edit a video
of the experiment
Background information
• Gases do not have a fixed shape or volume. They expand
to fill the container in which they are placed. Most gases
are colourless and odourless which often makes them
seem invisible. Like solids and liquids, gases also have
mass; even though an object filled with gas, such as a
balloon, seems light.
• Some common misconceptions about gases are that they
are not matter because they are invisible and that gases
do not have mass.
• While most gases are odourless and colourless, there are
some gases, such as chlorine and nitrogen dioxide that
are coloured. To view examples of coloured gases, go to
.
• Because objects filled with gas appear to be light in
comparison to solid objects, many misconceptions arise
about whether gases have mass. For more information, go
to .
Assessment focus:
• Use pages 54 and 55 and the
video created to assess students’
science inquiry skills.
• Use students’ responses to the
question in the Reflection to
assess their understanding of
the properties of a gas.
Resources
• A copy of page 54 for each
student
• For each pair: a copy of
page 55, two latex balloons,
one skewer, string and
tape, digital video camera,
if available (if not, one
camera can be shared)
• Online video—What’s
matter? at
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52 Science:
A STEM APPROACH
YEAR
5
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