This cluster includes the following access points.
Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.
| Name |
Description |
| What Floats Your Boat: | Students will solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, density, volume and surface area of 2 – and 3-dimensional objects composed of triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, cubes, and right prisms. Students will engineer solutions to the given problem using gained scientific content knowledge as application of mathematical skills |
| Atomic Structure Unit: Lesson 3 - What's My Element?: | This is the final lesson 3 in the Atom Structure Unit. This lesson allows students to program in Scratch and switch the costumes based on the operational conditions placed on the sprite. The final product in this lesson will showcase the students' conceptual understanding of the atomic structure in a computer science medium. |
| Atomic Structure Unit: Lesson 2 - Build Atom in Scratch: | This is lesson 2 of 3 in the Atomic Structure unit. This lesson helps students sketch atoms by placing electrons, neutrons, and protons by referring to the periodic table. This lesson also helps students upload/draw costumes on Scratch to create animated objects. |
| Atomic Structure Unit: Lesson 1 - Science of an Atom: | This is lesson 1 of 3 in the Atomic Structure unit. This lesson helps students determine charge, structure and location of different components of an atom. This lesson also allows students to sketch the first 18 elements from the periodic table. |
| It's All About That Base and Acid: | This is an 8th grade science activity in which students will perform a variety of tests to determine the properties of different acids and bases. |
| Stay Afloat in Water: | In this lesson, students will explore the physical characteristics of various liquids, including mass, volume, and density. They will perform a lab and analyze data to determine how liquids with different densities interact in a graduated cylinder. |
| Slope Intercept - Lesson #1: | This is lesson 1 of 3 in the Slope Intercept unit. This lesson introduces graphing proportional relationships. In this lesson students will perform an experiment to find and relate density of two different materials to the constant of proportionality and unit rate. |
| Drink Mix Mix-Up: | In this inquiry activity, students will identify unknown powdered drink mixes. They will use their knowledge of various physical properties to design tests for the unknown drink mixes and then compare them to the known. Students will use their own generated data as evidence to form a conclusion and support their findings. |
| Knight Shipping, Inc.: | In this design challenge students will take what they have learned about calculating the volumes and densities of cones, cylinders, and spheres, to decide which shape would make the best shipping container. Students will calculate the volumes and densities to help select the best design and then test them to move at least 3 containers of the chosen shape across the classroom. Students will fill the shapes with marshmallows to visually confirm which shape would hold more. |
| Scout Robot: Mass, Density, Volume, Weight: | In this MEA, students must select which material to use in the development of an advanced military scout robot. Students must analyze data about each material’s individual properties that would make it a valid choice for military or police service. Students must complete calculations to determine material density as well as the overall mass and weight of the robot. This lesson focuses on the characteristic properties of density, unit conversion, and differentiating between mass and weight.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Periodic Table - Atoms and Bonding: | In this Model Eliciting Activity (MEA), students will use their knowledge of the organization of the periodic table and the basic properties of atoms to determine which elements should be used to develop compounds with two atoms of different elements. Students must determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in a neutrally charged atom of an element using the periodic table. They must also determine which elements will likely bond together using their location on the periodic table. Students completing this MEA will develop two short essay responses to a client in the scientific industry. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| All the Small Things: | Students will observe and analyze visual representations. Students will sort, classify and compare their findings to known characteristics of pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures. Students will differentiate matter into pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures on a basic molecular level. Students will use hands-on card sorting to create a rule for sorting matter. The definitions of pure substance, mixture, element, and compound will be introduced. |
| States and Phases of Matter: | Students will collect and analyze data on the kinetic energy of molecules through the different states of matter. Throughout the lab, students will be modeling the process of adding and removing energy from matter which leads to phase changes. Students will use their knowledge of states of matter to introduce the relative amount of kinetic energy in each state of matter, how changes in the kinetic energy can causes phase changes in matter, and what those phase changes are called. |
| Exploring the Atom!: | Students will be able to explain what an atom is and what its subatomic particles are. Students will be able to read and locate the number of protons for each element on the periodic table. Knowing the location of the protons, they will gain knowledge about the electrons and the neutrons. They will also be able to model an atom and properly locate the protons, neutrons, and electrons. |
| Investigating Elements - Metals, Non-Metals, and Metalloids: | This resource is a guided inquiry that will aid students in understanding how an element's physical and chemical properties determine its placement on the periodic table. |
| Experiment with pH of Unknown Substances: | The inquiry method is used for students to gather data and problem solve to determine the identify of unknown pH values to be used to construct a pH value chart. |
| Temperature and Particle Theory: | The resource allows students to model and describe how temperature affects molecular motion or particle theory. |
| States of Matter: | States of matter seems like a simple concept. Everyone knows that water has a solid phase, which is ice, a liquid phase, which is water, and a gaseous stage, which is water vapor. At this level, students are expected to understand the motion of particles at the molecular level. A thorough understanding of particle motion is necessary in preparation for chemistry in the eight grade standards. This activity is fun at Halloween because families may use dry ice in Halloween displays. |
| Musical Elements: | This resource is a research project that is part of a unit on atomic structure, the periodic table, and chemical bonding. Students form a group (band) and are assigned a part of the periodic table to research. They will discover why the periodic table is arranged the way it is and properties of different sections of the periodic table. Each group of students will create a band show poster that relates to properties of elements in their assigned section of the periodic table. Each individual student will also make a Facebook-type page that describes the properties and uses of a particular element in their "band." |
| Pennies For Thought: | Through this two day lesson, students will learn the concepts of weight, mass, volume, and density, and be able to accurately measure them and understand the relationship between them. They will also be able to calculate a substance's density by taking two points on a graph and applying the rise/run equation.
Day one will include a pre-test to access prior knowledge on the concepts of weight, mass, volume and density. Direct instruction of their definitions along with practice measuring these four properties will be provided in the form of interactive centers.
The hook for day two will be a class demonstration. (You will need a balance, and 50 pennies divided into two separate piles: 25 pennies from the year 1981 and earlier and the other 25 newer than 1982.) The pennies will be measured by placing a penny from each pile on the balance until all the pennies have been placed on the balance; students will observe that as you add more pennies to each side, it becomes unbalanced. Discuss how it is possible to have two equal volumes of pennies be unbalanced using their knowledge of weight, mass, volume and density from the day before.
For the remainder of class, have them explore the relationship between mass, volume and density by measuring and graphing their two sets of pennies. By creating a double line graph of their volume and mass, they will discover that their densities (indicated by the slope in their graph) are different. And that by taking the points on their graph and applying the rise/run equation they can obtain the density of each group of pennies.
To provide enrichment for those that are ready to take it a step further, have them research and compare densities of commonly used metals to discover what their two groups of pennies were composed of and what change was made in 1982 to change the density of the pennies. |
| Particle Movement in Solids, Liquids, and Gases: | Using guided notes and an interactive game, students will be able to describe the motion of particles in solids, liquids, and gases. |
| Mixtures and Solutions Uncovered: | This lesson is a hands-on approach to SC.8.P.8.9 that the students enjoy and are engaged in. The main activities cover making anchor charts (teacher lead) that will assist them in completing activities that cover vocabulary and a break down of characteristics for mixtures. There are four group activities that will guide the students to an understanding of the standard outlined. This is a two-day lab that adds teacher demonstration and allows for collaborative group and student-talk sessions. |
| Density Cube Lab: | Students will find the density of cubes made from different substances and determine if they sink or float. |
| Rainbow Density Lab: | Students make salt water solutions varying in density to create a rainbow in a 10 mL graduated cylinder. Students apply their knowledge of solutes, solvents, solutions, and the properties of density. |
| The What and How of Compounds : | This lesson helps students to differentiate between compounds and mixtures. This lesson will also help students understand how compounds are held together. |
| Interactive classroom atom: | Students learn the charge and location of subatomic particles by dressing as them and creating an atom model in the classroom. |
| Pure Substances, Mixtures and Solutions, Oh My!: | This lesson will assist students in distinguishing between pure substances and mixtures. Students will be able to identify elements and compounds as examples of pure substances. Students will also be able to distinguish between homogeneous (solutions) and heterogeneous mixtures. |
| Density Dilemma: | This lesson is about density and its relationship to sinking and floating. First, previous knowledge will be assessed through a measuring activity of mass, volume, and density. Next, the topic of sinking and floating will be addressed and how they relate to density. Finally, students will undergo an independent activity where they will figure out how to make one object sink, one object float, and one object stay suspended in a liquid. Overall, this lesson contains 4 activities and 2 video clips. It can require 3 or 4 days to complete. |
| Crime Scene Density Lab: | Students will learn about the practical application of density measurement in the context of conducting a crime scene investigation of a break-in at the school. |
| Build An Atom: | This lesson provides students with the basic foundations of atomic theory and a simple understanding of the periodic table. It provides an easy-to-understand Prezi presentation before leading students into an easy and fun atom building simulation. Assessments are scored by the progam. A vocabulary website is also provided. It can be used on iPads or in a computer lab. |
| Edible Mass vs. Weight: | Students will experiment with edibles (fun size Snickers candy bar, Oreo cookie, and Peppermint Puff candy) to measure their mass and calculate their weight on different planets. Students will be able to differentiate between weight and mass recognizing that weight is the amount of gravitational pull on an object and is distinct from, though proportional to, mass. |
| Element Most Wanted Poster: | Students will research an element from the Periodic Table of Elements and produce a Most Wanted poster allowing students to creatively detail the chemical and physical properties of a particular element. |
| Alien Elements-Are they hiding here?: | This lesson is a high interest presentation and activity that presents the concepts of elemental composition, temperature effects, and states of matter geared to 8th graders. |
| Stable Atom, Ion, or Isotope?: | This lesson will teach the concept of differences between stable atoms, ions, and isotopes. The students will take their knowledge of the atomic theory and will build models of varying atomic forms. |
| Density of Solids and Liquids: | In this Lab, students create their own definition for the term density and calculate the densities of different substances- solids and liquids. Students will learn that every substance has its own unique density, depending on how tightly atoms or molecules of the materials are packed. Students gather data about known samples to infer the identity of an unknown sample.
Note: This lesson will only cover the density portion of benchmark SC.8.P.8.4 |
| Why do things float in water?: | In this lesson, the concept of density is effectively integrated into a lab. The students will understand why certain objects float in water and why others sink. This lesson requires the students to cooperatively work in groups, make predictions, examine data trends, and relate their understanding to real world objects. |
| What's Your Calculator Lid's Maximum Floating Load?: | Students explore and describe the masses, volumes, and densities of various liquids and solid objects while mastering measuring techniques using various apparatuses. |
| Atomic Theory: | The Purpose of the lesson is to teach the students about five major atomic theories using inquiry-based learning. By allowing the students to be introduced to the historical backgrounds and having each group to create a three dimensional figure and a poster, it allows the learning process to be student-driven, inductive and interactive. |
| "Weight! What's the Mass?": | The lesson will teach students the difference between mass and weight with a hands-on activity and instruction. Students will simulate a reduction in gravity (i.e. a reduction in an object's weight) using water's buoyancy. The research question that the students will address is: "Will an object's mass and weight differ in and out of water?"
Teachers Note: Prior to the lesson be sure that the balances that are to be used can be submerged in water and that they balance to horizontal or zero out while in water. Different manufacturers and materials may prohibit the use of certain balances underwater since different materials may have different buoyancies that may impact the use of the balance underwater. Please note that there is an optional variation of the activity that uses a 1000 mL beaker instead and does not require the balance to be submerged. |
| NASA: Roving for the right wheel! 3D + MEA: | In this MEA, students will evaluate wheel designs from different companies to determine which wheel is appropriate for the mission. Further 3D printing is integrated by 3D printing different wheel models which can be directly tested using a LEGO Mindsorms Robot or Simple Rubber Band Powered Sled and different Regolith Simulants for the Moon and Titan. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Glider Challenge: | Students will select a glider model that will meet the needs of a Summer Space Camp program. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| What does it mean to be dense?: | Students will use card stock patterns to create two mini-boxes that they can fill with three different substances. The density of each substance will be compared when contained in both the smaller and larger boxes. Students will use their observations to develop an argument describing how the change in volume of the box affected the density of the substance.
SC.8.P.8.4 will not be completely covered; only the physical property of density will be addressed. |
| What are you made of?: | Students will learn about known elements and discover the products that can be made when those elements react. |
| Search for Extraterrestrial Life: | Students rank locations that NASA should search within our solar system for life. Students begin by reading about the origins of life on Earth and locations within our solar system with the potential for life. After students create a ranked list, they must report their findings to NASA in the form of a letter that also includes the procedure used in ranking their choices. A second request is sent from NASA to include distance from Earth as a factor in the ranking of locations and students must return a letter with their revised rankings and the new procedure used. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Silly Cylinders: | This is a short activity where students determine the density of the human body by considering each part of the body to be a cylinder. I use this activity during the second week of school, so students have already had some practice with measurement. In addition to providing students with practice in data collection and problem solving, it is a good activity that allows teachers to measure students' previous knowledge in these areas. |
| Discovering Density: | Students observe the effects of density on flotation and develop an understanding of density as the amount mass per unit volume through discussion and experimentation. Students also work in groups to design an experiment to determine the densities of several irregularly shaped objects and use data to support a conclusion about the buoyancy of each object. |
| Measurement in the Science Classroom: | Students will practice measuring length, mass, volume in a variety of ways using a variety of tools including triple beam balances and graduated cylinders. Density will then be calculated. |
| Determining the density of regular and irregular objects: | This MEA provides students with opportunities to practice solving one-step equations while learning about density. Students will calculate density of regular and irregular objects.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Last...but certainly not the least: | Through this activity, students will create a periodic table with Electron Dot Diagrams. This investigation allows students to explore and recognize patterns of the periodic table. This lesson allows students to draw conclusions and clearly demonstrates that atoms of elements in the same group have the same number of valence electrons while sharing similar properties and characteristics. |
| Force (Weight versus Mass): Newton's 2nd Law: | Students will examine the relationships between mass, force and acceleration, applying Newton's 2nd Law.
This is part 2 of a two-part lab. It is recommended that the teacher cover the first lesson (, ID 51003) prior to completing this lesson. |
| Mystery Isotopes: | Through this engaging activity students work as a group to create models of isotopes with stickers and construction paper. Students also use models created by their peers to analyze the number of subatomic particles and determine isotopes' names. All worksheets and data collection sheets are included. |
| Tranquilizer Chemistry - Temperature and Reaction Rates: | Students must select a tranquilizer dart to be used by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for researching large animals. Next, they must help the US Geological Survey choose a new drilling device. Each projectile has varying characteristics based on the temperature of the chemicals inside. Students must select which temperature lends itself to a reaction suitable for service in animal research or geological studies. Other factors due to temperature come into play as well, such as density and melting point.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Is Popeye's Favorite Drink a Mixture or a Solution?: | In the cartoon, 'Popeye the Sailor Man', he ate spinach for quick energy and increased muscle power. This is aimed at what might be his favorite drink, a spinach smoothie which is an example of a heterogeneous mixture. This lesson can also be done by students in groups if more ingredients and supplies are obtained so everyone can mix up a Popeye smoothie. |
| Discovering Density: | In this lesson students will be asked to measure the volumes and masses of objects to determine their densities. Along the way students are expected to gain a greater understanding of the concept of density and the fact that it is a property of a material independent of an objects shape or volume. |
| Atomic Theory Exhibit: | Students take visitors on a trip through time to view the development of the atomic theory. During the presentation they list scientists who contributed to our understanding, give dates, and display diagrams that represent the atom in various stages of its development. |
| It's All Mixed Up!: | This lesson supports student understanding of mixtures and pure substances. |
| Gas Laws: | This is a "gold star" lesson plan that incorporates the virtual manipulative "Gas Properties" from PhET (University of Colorado). Students investigate properties of gases, represent predictions graphically, test predictions using the manipulative, and then extend the knowledge into real investigations (i.e. non virtual). |
| It's Just a Phase: Water as a solid, liquid, and gas: | In this lesson, students use BBs to represent molecules and model water in the solid, liquid, and gaseous states. Background information for teachers is provided. |
| Calculating a Mineral's Density: | Students will use the Density=Mass/Volume formula to calculate the density of an unknown mineral. By using water displacement and a triple beam balance students will collect measurements of volume and mass for an unknown mineral. With this data, they will calculate the mineral's density then identify the mineral based on calculated density. |
| Constructing and Calibrating a Hydrometer: | Students construct and calibrate a simple hydrometer using different salt solutions. They then graph their data and determine the density and salinity of an unknown solution using their hydrometer and graphical analysis. |
| Density – a relationship of mass and volume: | Students will be able to describe density and compare the densities of various materials using their masses and volumes.
Content statements:
- Density is the amount of matter filling the object's space.
- Adding mass to an object without changing its volume, increases the object's density.
- Objects that have a large mass and small volume have a high density.
- Objects that have a small mass and a large volume have a low density.
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| Density and Viscosity: | Students perform an investigation leading them to conclude that temperature is a factor affecting viscosity. Reinforces graphing skills and cross disciplinary concepts. |
| Density: A relationship of mass and volume using liquids: | Students will be able to compare and calculate the densities of various materials using their masses and volumes.
Content statements:
- Objects with the same mass but different volumes have different densities.
- Objects with different masses but the same volume have different densities.
- Liquids with different densities can be layered. |
| Mass/Weight Connection: | Students will recognize that the mass of an object is a measure that is independent of gravity. If they can effectively complete the guided inquiry activity as well as the short writing summary to reinforce what they learned, they will gain a foundation for understanding the difference between mass and weight. |
| Mixture or Solution?: | Textbook definition: "Mixtures are formed simply by blending two or more substances together in some random proportion without chemically changing the individual substances in the mixture."
Mixtures can then be broken down into homogeneous and heterogeneous. A homogeneous mixture is called a solution: salt or sugar and water, air (solution of gases). These have a constant composition throughout the solution. A heterogeneous mixture would be: salt with sugar (no water), water with gasoline or oil, salt with sand. These have areas with differing compositions (you could usually see the separation of the two things). |
| Mystery Powder Investigation: | Students will use their skills as scientists to identify a mystery white powder. This lesson is a hands-on, engaging way to build students' understanding of physical and chemical properties of several common compounds. |
| Periodic Table Family Album: | Mendeleev created the first periodic table based on atomic weight. He observed that many elements had similar properties, and that they occur periodically.
The periodic table can be divided into families of elements, each having similar properties. |
| Properties of Acids and Bases: | In this lesson students will learn about the properties of acids and bases in relationship to the pH scale. |
| Similarities of Elements: | This lesson explores elements and classification within the periodic table. |
| The movement of particles in solids, liquids, and gases.: | Students will be able to describe the motion of the particles in solids, liquids, and gases.
Content statements:
- The particles of a gas move quickly and are able to spread apart from one another.
- The particles of a liquid are able to move past each other.
- The particles of a solid are not able to move out of their positions relative to one another, but do have small vibrational movements. |
| The Universe's Pantry Lesson 4 of 5: | This lesson, part of a series, introduces students to construct the idea that atoms combine to form molecules. |
Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.
Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.
