After analyzing my students' most recent quiz, most of them did very well on states of matter (5th grade). I have three homerooms and had maybe 3 in each class who need some intervention. I'm trying to figure out the best mode of intervention (15min). They seem to not be sure of what the particles look like and some of them had trouble sorting objects by solid, liquid, and gas. Flash cards? Should I re-assess them?
Flashcards sound good. You could also create a physical model. I've done it with cereal in a tupperware and had them try to show me what the particles looked like by moving (or shaking) or not moving the container for each phase. (Good model for some solids, not for water though which should have greater volume when solid)
I use masking tape to demarcate a very large square on the floor. I then get groups of students to act out what the particles are “doing” in each state of matter in terms of their movement, distance from each other and speed of movement. I join in too, at the beginning, if students don’t feel comfortable. It looks and feels rather silly acting it out but students will remember so I don’t mind looking silly. I found an online states of matter connect 4 game that students play to reinforce knowledge.
