Mingling Matter

Patricia Bailey

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Mingling Matter Lesson Plan

Students will explore and identify physical and chemical changes through hands-on demonstrations and record observations on a worksheet, then demonstrate mastery via a quick quiz.

This lesson builds foundational understanding of matter’s behavior in everyday life, enabling students to classify and predict substance interactions—essential skills for future science learning.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 Minutes

Approach

Hands-on demos, guided worksheet, and formative quiz.

Materials

Water Cups, - Salt And Sugar Samples, - Vinegar And Baking Soda Vials, - Beakers And Stirring Rods, - Thermometers, - Mingling Matter Lab Worksheet, and - Mingling Matter Quiz

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 Minutes

Gather physical supplies: water, salt, sugar, vinegar, baking soda, beakers, stirrers, thermometers
Print enough copies of Mingling Matter Lab Worksheet and Mingling Matter Quiz for each student
Set up demonstration stations for physical and chemical changes
Review worksheet and quiz to familiarize with expected student responses

Step 1

Introduction & Hook

5 Minutes

Pose the question: “What happens to substances when they mix?”
Briefly review the definition of matter and types of changes
Show everyday examples (mixing sugar in coffee vs rusting metal)
Transition to hands-on demos

Step 2

Physical Change Demonstration

7 Minutes

Demonstrate dissolving salt in water, stirring until fully mixed
Distribute Mingling Matter Lab Worksheet
Ask students to record observations: appearance, temperature, reversibility
Discuss student responses and highlight physical change characteristics

Step 3

Chemical Change Demonstration

7 Minutes

Mix vinegar and baking soda in a beaker, observe bubbling and temperature change
Students note gas production, color changes, and irreversibility on their worksheet
Facilitate discussion on chemical reaction signs and differences from physical changes

Step 4

Guided Lab Worksheet Activity

7 Minutes

Pair up students and provide additional substances (sugar/water, calcium chloride/water)
Students design one physical and one chemical change experiment
Record procedures, observations, and change classifications on the worksheet
Circulate and support groups as needed

Step 5

Quiz & Closure

4 Minutes

Administer Mingling Matter Quiz containing classification and definition questions
Collect quizzes and review a few answers with the class
Summarize key differences between physical and chemical changes and real-life relevance

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Slide Deck

Mingling Matter

Exploring Physical and Chemical Changes in Everyday Substances.

Welcome class! Introduce the lesson title and get students excited about exploring how matter mingles. Briefly explain that today they’ll observe, discuss, and experiment with physical and chemical changes.

Learning Objectives

• Define matter and its properties
• Identify physical changes vs chemical changes
• Observe real-life demonstrations
• Apply concepts in a guided lab
• Demonstrate understanding in a quick quiz

Read each objective aloud. Emphasize that by the end of the lesson, students should be able to define matter, distinguish physical vs chemical changes, and predict what happens when substances interact.

What Is Matter?

Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.
Examples:
• Solids (ice cube)
• Liquids (water)
• Gases (air)

Ask: “What is matter?” Elicit responses (anything with mass and volume). Clarify the definition and list examples (solids, liquids, gases).

Physical vs Chemical Changes

Physical Changes:
• No new substance formed
• Often reversible
• Examples: tearing, dissolving, melting

Chemical Changes:
• New substance formed
• Often irreversible
• Signs: bubbling, color change, temperature change

Explain how changes in matter fall into two categories. Use real-world examples (breaking glass vs burning paper). Walk through each characteristic.

Physical Change Demonstration

• Dissolving salt in water
• Observe: appearance, temperature, reversibility
• Record observations on Mingling Matter Lab Worksheet

Perform the dissolving demo: drop salt into water, stir, measure temperature. Ask students to note appearance, temperature, and reversibility on their worksheet.

Chemical Change Demonstration

• Mixing vinegar + baking soda
• Observe: bubbling, temperature shift, gas release
• Note irreversibility on Mingling Matter Lab Worksheet

Demonstrate the reaction: mix vinegar and baking soda in a beaker. Point out bubbling, temperature change, gas production. Have students write their observations.

Guided Lab Activity

Pair up and choose substances (e.g., sugar/water, calcium chloride/water)
Plan one physical change and one chemical change
Record procedures & observations on the worksheet

Explain the guided activity: students pair up to design one physical and one chemical change experiment using provided substances. Circulate to support and ask probing questions.

Key Takeaways

• Physical: no new substance, reversible
• Chemical: new substance, signs include bubbling, color/temperature change
• Observations help classify the change

Summarize the key differences between physical and chemical changes. Reinforce why these concepts matter in daily life and future science learning.

Quick Quiz

Please complete the Mingling Matter Quiz:

Define matter.
List two signs of a chemical change.
Classify: melting ice, rusting nail, dissolving sugar.

Distribute the quiz. Remind students to answer questions honestly based on today’s activities. Collect after 4 minutes and review a couple of responses as time allows.

Worksheet

Mingling Matter Lab Worksheet

Name: _______________________ Date: __________

Section 1: Physical Change Observation

During the salt‐and‐water demonstration, record your observations below.

Property	Observations
Appearance (before mixing)

Appearance (after mixing)

Temperature before (°C)

Temperature after (°C)

Reversible? (Y/N)

Notes on reversibility

Section 2: Chemical Change Observation

During the vinegar‐and‐baking‐soda demonstration, record your observations below.

Indicator	Observations
Bubbling (Y/N)

Color change (Y/N)

Temperature change (°C)

Gas production noted? (describe)

Irreversible? (Y/N)

Additional notes

Section 3: Guided Lab Activity – Experiment Planning

A. Physical Change Experiment

Experiment Title:
________________________________________________
Substances Used:
________________________________________________
Procedure (step-by-step):
__________________________________________________
Expected Observations:
__________________________________________________
Why is this a PHYSICAL change?
__________________________________________________

B. Chemical Change Experiment

Experiment Title:
________________________________________________
Substances Used:
________________________________________________
Procedure (step-by-step):
__________________________________________________
Expected Observations:
__________________________________________________
Why is this a CHEMICAL change?
__________________________________________________

Complete all sections and submit your worksheet before taking the Mingling Matter Quiz.