Episode 9: Inside the Unit- Matter & Change

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m taking you inside the Matter & Change unit—one of the most important foundations for the rest of the year. This unit helps students:

• Build vocabulary they’ll use in every future Chemistry topic
• Practice classification skills through hands-on activities
• Gain lab confidence while still early in the year
• See the difference between physical vs. chemical properties and changes

I also share how I structure this unit in my own classroom, when I like to teach it in the sequence (sometimes 2nd, sometimes 3rd), and why it’s so valuable for setting expectations and giving students an early win.

Activities Featured in This Episode

• Vocabulary T-Charts – Students classify examples and develop their own definitions before we formalize the terms. (🎁 Grab my free T-Chart slides in the show notes!)
• Matter Worksheet – A quick reinforcement of key vocabulary.
• Physical & Chemical Properties/Changes Card Sort – Simple, hands-on sorting that builds confidence.
• “Goody Brittle” Lab – A tasty activity where students identify physical and chemical changes in real life.
• Matter & Change 8-Station Lab – Students rotate through lab skills while applying new vocabulary (more details in a future episode!).
• Chromatography Lab – One way I introduce separatory techniques, though I’m still looking for better resources here.

Standards Connections: 

• HS-PS1-2: Construct and revise explanations for chemical reactions using atomic and molecular structures.
• HS-PS1-3: Plan and conduct investigations to gather evidence of physical and chemical properties.

Science & Engineering Practices:

• Modeling, analyzing data, and constructing explanations.

Crosscutting Concepts:

• Patterns, cause & effect.

🎁 Free Resource:

Scientific Math Starter Kit – includes a sig fig poster, slides, and activities to boost your math unit.

T-Chart Slides: Grab the activity I use to help students develop Chemistry vocabulary on their own.

🧪 Paid Resource:

Scientific Measurement Bundle on TPT – editable slides, fill-in notes, quiz-quiz-trade cards, a sig fig cheat sheet, and 3 teacher-created videos. 🎁 Free T-Chart Slides: Grab the activity I use to help students develop Chemistry vocabulary on their own. Next time,

I’ll be sharing the ways ChatGPT has made my teaching life easier—from lesson planning to lab prep. Don’t miss it!