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Knowledge and Skills Statement

Matter and its properties. The student knows that objects have physical properties that determine how they are described and classified.

observable characteristics of matter that can be used to identify particular materials

Research

Palmeri, Amy, Amanda Cole, Sarah DeLisle, Stacey, Erickson, and Jennifer Janes. “What’s the Matter With Teaching Children About Matter?” Science and Children 46, no. 4 (2008): 20–23. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43175007. 

Summary: In “What’s the Matter With Teaching Children About Matter?”, common misconceptions children may have about matter are explained, and instructional strategies to bridge that gap are provided. Children naturally use physical properties to describe matter, using words like "hard" and "thick" and describing odor. Students use their observations to classify matter.