Matter Teaching Resources
Teaching about matter in your science classes? Explore activities, experiments, worksheets and more teacher resources created to help you with your lesson plans and help primary students understand what matter is and what it's made from!
Aligned with the Australian Science curriculum — including version 9 — the resources in this collection offer everything you need to explain the changing states of matter and how it's classified, plus activities that help students better understand the makeup of different molecules.
Whether it's your first year teaching about matter or you just need a handy guide to save time on lesson planning, we've got you covered! Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a way to explain what matter is to your science classes.
What Is Matter? A Kid-Friendly Definition
So what, exactly, is matter? Here's a helpful explanation from our teacher team that you can use with your class:
Matter can be defined as anything that has mass and occupies space. It's literally the stuff that makes up everything in the universe, including our bodies!
What Is Matter Made Up Of? How to Explain This to Kids
This may sound like a bit of an existential question, but bear with us! Learning what matter is made of can help our students to understand the different properties and behaviour of the various types of matter.
Let's break down all that matter is made of for kids:
- Atoms — All matter is made up of atoms. This is the word we use to describe tiny particles. They're so tiny the human eye can't even see them. Atoms are like the building blocks of matter.
- Molecules — When 2 or more atoms come together and form a bond, you get a molecule. The different combinations and arrangements of atoms and molecules creates the various substances and materials we see, breathe, feel and use every day.
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Changing States Unit Plan
This Chemical Sciences unit addresses how changes in state from solid to liquid and liquid to solid can be caused by adding or removing heat.
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Going, Going, Gone!
A 60 minute lesson in which students will recognise that substances exist in different states depending on the temperature.
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Recycling Case Study – Soft Plastics
A 60-minute lesson in which students will explore how changes from solid to liquid and liquid to solid can help in the process of recycling plastic.
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Understanding States of Matter
An assessment task designed to assess students' knowledge and understanding of solids, liquids and gases, their properties and their behaviour.
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Knowing Matters!
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore how knowledge of states of matter and their changes can help inform practices and decision making.
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Changing States of Matter
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the way solids, liquids and gases change in different situations.
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What's the Matter?
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Changing States – Assessment
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how adding and removing heat can cause solids and liquids to change states.
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Changing States
A 60-minute lesson in which students will observe how a change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat.
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The Three States of Matter
A 60-minute lesson in which students will explore the properties of solids, liquids and gases.
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What State?
A 60-minute lesson in which students will establish that matter can be classified as solid, liquid or gas.
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Slime - Solid, Liquid or Gas?
A 60 minute lesson in which students will recognise that not all substances can be easily classified on the basis of their observable properties.
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Gases
A 60 minute lesson in which students will observe that gases have mass and take up space.
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Liquids
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify the observable characteristics of liquids and how they behave in different ways.
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Solids
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify the observable characteristics of solids and how they behave in different ways.
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Matter Matters!
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Removing Heat
A 60-minute lesson in which students will investigate what happens when heat is removed from a range of liquids.
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Adding Heat
A 60-minute lesson in which students will investigate what happens when heat is applied to a range of solids.
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Changing States of Matter Video – How Long Will It Take to Melt?
Watch this fun changing states of matter science experiment video with your Year 3 class, and skip the melty classroom mess!