Quarter 1 Units of Study
Unit 1~Structure and Properties of Matter
Essential Questions:
• How do atomic and molecular interactions explain the properties of matter that we see and feel?
• How can particles combine to produce a substance with different properties?
• What happens when new materials are formed? What stays the same and what changes?
Standards:
MS-PS1-1., MS-PS1-2.
Driving question 1:
How can models be used to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended
structures?
Driving question 2:
How can data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact be used
to determine whether a chemical reaction has occurred?
Essential Questions:
• How do atomic and molecular interactions explain the properties of matter that we see and feel?
• How can particles combine to produce a substance with different properties?
• What happens when new materials are formed? What stays the same and what changes?
Standards:
MS-PS1-1., MS-PS1-2.
Driving question 1:
How can models be used to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended
structures?
Driving question 2:
How can data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact be used
to determine whether a chemical reaction has occurred?
Unit 2~Interactions of Matter
Essential questions:
• How can particles combine to produce a substance with different properties?
• How does thermal energy affect particles?
• What happens when new materials are formed? What stays the same and what changes?
• How do atomic and molecular interactions explain the properties of matter we see and feel?
Standards:
MS-PS1-3, MS-PS1-4
Driving question 1:
How can student-developed models predict and describe changes in particle motion, temperature,
and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed?
Driving question 2
How can information be gathered and evaluated to show that synthetic materials come from
natural resources and affect society?
Essential questions:
• How can particles combine to produce a substance with different properties?
• How does thermal energy affect particles?
• What happens when new materials are formed? What stays the same and what changes?
• How do atomic and molecular interactions explain the properties of matter we see and feel?
Standards:
MS-PS1-3, MS-PS1-4
Driving question 1:
How can student-developed models predict and describe changes in particle motion, temperature,
and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed?
Driving question 2
How can information be gathered and evaluated to show that synthetic materials come from
natural resources and affect society?