States of matter and change of state for JSS 1

Class: JSS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 7
Age: 12 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Intermediate Science
Curriculum Theme: Living and Non-Living Matter
Focal competence: Classifying things in the environment as living and non-living matter
Key competencies/values: Collaboration; Critical Thinking; Respect
Skills:

• Classifying things in the environment as living and non-living matter

Previous Lesson: Meaning, characteristics of matter and Examples of matter
Topic: Matter-Basic Concepts: States Of Matter And Change Of State
Subject Matter: States of matter and change of state, Differences between living and non-living mater

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Differentiate between living and non-living matter.
• Describe different states of matter and changes in state.
• List the three states of matter.

Affective Domain

• Collaborate effectively in group activities to classify matter.
• Show respect for diverse opinions during discussions.

Psychomotor Domain

• Classify matter into living and non-living matter.
• Classify familiar matter by state (solid, liquid, gas).

Social Domain

• Engage in interactive discussions with peers and the teacher.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Basic Science and Technology Textbook for JSS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Samples of matter (e.g., stone, water, air in a balloon, plant, animal picture)
• Charts/pictures showing different types of matter (e.g., table, juice, steam)
• Charts/pictures showing different classes of matter (e.g., human, tree, rock, car)
• Whiteboard and markers

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps students understand the fundamental nature of everything around them, from the air they breathe to the objects they touch. By learning about the states of matter and how they change, students develop a foundational understanding of physical science. This knowledge is essential for further studies in science and for making sense of everyday phenomena.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic idea that things around them exist in different forms and that some things are alive while others are not.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Matter-Basic Concepts: States Of Matter And Change Of State

What is Matter?

Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. It is the substance from which all physical objects are made. Matter exists all around us, in various forms and states.

Classification of Matter

Matter can be broadly classified into two main categories:

Living Matter

Living matter refers to things that are alive. They exhibit characteristics of life such as growth, movement, reproduction, respiration, and excretion. Examples include:

1. Humans
2. Animals
3. Plants
4. Microorganisms

Non-Living Matter

Non-living matter refers to things that are not alive and do not exhibit the characteristics of life. Examples include:

1. Rocks
2. Water
3. Air
4. Tables
5. Cars

Differences Between Living and Non-Living Matter

The key differences are:

1. Growth: Living things grow, non-living things do not (unless by accumulation).
2. Movement: Living things move on their own, non-living things need external force.
3. Reproduction: Living things reproduce, non-living things do not.
4. Respiration: Living things breathe, non-living things do not.
5. Feeding: Living things need food, non-living things do not.
6. Excretion: Living things excrete waste, non-living things do not.

States of Matter

Matter commonly exists in three main states:

Solid State

Solids have a definite shape and a definite volume. Their particles are tightly packed and vibrate in fixed positions. Examples:

1. Stone
2. Wood
3. Ice
4. Table

Liquid State

Liquids have a definite volume but no definite shape; they take the shape of their container. Their particles are close together but can move past each other. Examples:

1. Water
2. Milk
3. Oil
4. Juice

Gaseous State

Gases have neither a definite shape nor a definite volume; they fill their entire container. Their particles are far apart and move randomly and rapidly. Examples:

1. Air
2. Oxygen
3. Steam
4. Carbon dioxide

Change of State

Matter can change from one state to another by gaining or losing heat energy. The processes include:

1. Melting: The process by which a solid changes into a liquid when heated (e.g., ice to water).
2. Freezing: The process by which a liquid changes into a solid when cooled (e.g., water to ice).
3. Boiling/Evaporation: The process by which a liquid changes into a gas when heated (e.g., water to steam). Evaporation occurs slowly at the surface, while boiling occurs rapidly throughout the liquid.
4. Condensation: The process by which a gas changes into a liquid when cooled (e.g., steam to water droplets).
5. Sublimation: The process by which a solid changes directly into a gas without passing through the liquid state (e.g., dry ice to carbon dioxide gas).

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Observation, Group Work.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them to look around the classroom and identify different things they see. The teacher then asks them to distinguish between things that are alive and things that are not. This leads to a brief discussion on what makes something “matter.”

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify objects and participate in the discussion, distinguishing between living and non-living things.

Learning Point: Matter concept introduction

Step 2: Meaning and Characteristics of Matter

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher engages students in an interactive discussion to define matter as anything that has mass and occupies space. The teacher explains that matter has characteristics like mass, volume, and can exist in different forms. The teacher provides examples like a book, water, and air.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, ask questions, and contribute examples of matter.

Learning Point: Meaning of matter

Step 3: Living and Non-Living Matter

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Classification/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses charts/pictures or actual samples to show living and non-living things. The teacher explains the key differences between living (e.g., growth, movement, reproduction) and non-living matter, guiding students to classify them.

Pupils’ Activity: Students observe the samples/charts, identify living and non-living things, and state their differences.

Learning Point: Living and non-living matter

Step 4: Introduction to States of Matter

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the three states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) using samples like a stone (solid), water (liquid), and air in a balloon (gas). The teacher briefly explains that these are the forms matter can take.

Pupils’ Activity: Students observe the demonstrations and listen to the introduction of the states of matter.

Learning Point: Three states of matter

Step 5: Characteristics of Each State

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Discussion/Group Work

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher divides students into groups and provides each group with a solid, a liquid, and a representation of a gas (e.g., an empty bottle for air). Students brainstorm in groups to describe the characteristics of each state (shape, volume). The teacher facilitates a class discussion to consolidate their findings.

Pupils’ Activity: Students discuss in groups, observe samples, and describe characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases. They share their findings with the class.

Learning Point: Characteristics of states

Step 6: Change of State

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains how matter can change from one state to another by gaining or losing heat, using examples like melting ice, boiling water, and condensation on a cold surface. The teacher introduces terms like melting, freezing, boiling, condensation, and sublimation.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen to the explanations and ask questions for clarification.

Learning Point: Processes of change of state

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is matter?
2. Give two differences between living and non-living matter.
3. List the three states of matter.
4. Give one example of a solid, a liquid, and a gas.
5. What is the process called when a liquid turns into a gas?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Matter concepts assessed

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on matter, its classification, states, and changes of state into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Board notes copied

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarizes the lesson by reiterating that everything around us is matter, existing as living or non-living, and in solid, liquid, or gaseous states, which can change with heat. The teacher encourages students to observe matter in their daily lives.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen attentively and reflect on the lesson’s main points.

Learning Point: Lesson summary reinforced

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. List five living things and five non-living things you see at home.
2. Describe the characteristics of a solid and a liquid.
3. Explain the terms “melting” and “condensation” with an example for each.
4. Draw and label a simple diagram showing water changing from liquid to gas and back to liquid.

Lesson Keywords

• Matter – Anything that has mass and occupies space.
• Living Matter – Things that are alive and show characteristics of life.
• Non-Living Matter – Things that are not alive.
• Solid – State of matter with definite shape and volume.
• Liquid – State of matter with definite volume but no definite shape.
• Gas – State of matter with no definite shape or volume.
• Melting – Solid to liquid.
• Freezing – Liquid to solid.
• Boiling – Liquid to gas (rapidly).
• Evaporation – Liquid to gas (slowly at surface).
• Condensation – Gas to liquid.
• Sublimation – Solid directly to gas.

Differentiation

For weaker learners, provide simplified charts with clear pictures and fewer examples. Pair them with stronger learners during group activities. For faster learners, challenge them to research and present on a fourth state of matter (plasma) or identify more complex examples of changes of state in everyday life.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for:

• “States of Matter for Kids JSS 1”
• “Living and Non-Living Things Science”
• “Changes of State of Matter Explained”

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, gather diverse samples of matter (e.g., a stone, a glass of water, a balloon, a small plant, a toy car) and prepare charts illustrating living/non-living things and the three states of matter. Begin by engaging students with familiar objects to introduce the concept of matter. Guide the interactive discussion on the meaning and characteristics of matter, ensuring all students participate. During the classification activity, encourage collaboration and critical thinking within groups. For states of matter, use practical demonstrations to make the concepts tangible. Clearly explain the processes of change of state with simple, relatable examples. Allow students sufficient time to copy the Board Summary notes accurately. Emphasize safety when handling any materials in the classroom. Regularly check for understanding through questions and observations of student engagement.