Solids, Liquids, & Gases Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Make particle motion and state changes come to life with this engaging, ready-to-teach unit on solids, liquids, and gases.
This fully editable, multiday resource includes presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments—everything you need to teach states of matter with confidence and minimal prep time.

With differentiated, student-led learning, this lesson encourages hands-on exploration and critical thinking, giving your students a deeper understanding of how energy impacts matter—while giving you time to focus on student success.

Essential Question

• What changes occur in particle motion, temperature, and the state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed?

Why Teachers Love This Kesler Science Complete Lesson

• Differentiated materials for all learners

• Multimodal learning to keep students engaged and motivated

• Maximum flexibility – printable, digital, or hybrid formats

• Editable PowerPoints to adapt to your classroom needs

• Spanish translations for vocabulary, reading passages, and interactive notebook pages

Built on the **research-based 5E Instructional Model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate—**this lesson promotes active, inquiry-based learning that helps middle school students connect science to the world around them.

What’s Included in Each 5E Stage

Engage

Kick off the lesson with curiosity and connection:

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards in English and Spanish

• Teacher guide with discussion prompts, class activity ideas, and notes on common misconceptions

Explore

Students take the lead in a student-centered, differentiated station lab that accommodates every learning style.
With nine interactive stations, students investigate how thermal energy affects particle motion, temperature, and state in solids, liquids, and gases through hands-on and digital exploration.

Input Stations allow students to build understanding through multimodal learning:

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment that connects abstract concepts to real-world applications

• Read It! – Short reading passage with comprehension questions (English and Spanish versions included)

• Research It! – Guided online activity with structured questions and interactive visuals

• Watch It! – Short, engaging video paired with reflection and discussion questions

Output Stations give students opportunities to demonstrate understanding in multiple ways:

• Organize It! – Classify examples using printable or digital card sorts

• Write It! – Respond to open-ended prompts using academic vocabulary and complete sentences

• Illustrate It! – Draw models of particle motion and phase changes for visual reinforcement

• Assess It! – Apply knowledge through vocabulary-based assessment and critical-thinking questions

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
This station provides extension activities for early finishers or advanced learners, including mini-projects, games, and puzzles that extend and reinforce understanding.

Explain

Help students connect and articulate their understanding of the states of matter with guided instruction and differentiated supports:

• Editable PowerPoints in both standard and interactive formats

• Interactive Notebook Templates in printable and digital versions (English and Spanish)

• Note-taking templates to help students organize information and key vocabulary

Elaborate

Encourage deeper understanding and creativity with student-choice projects that allow learners to explore solids, liquids, and gases in real-world contexts.
Projects can be completed in class or as enrichment assignments for extended learning.

Evaluate

Reinforce learning and assess mastery with:

• STAAR 2.0–style assessment questions available in both standard and modified formats

• Review worksheets for test practice, discussion, or homework assignments

Perfect for In-Class or Virtual Learning

This lesson is designed for maximum flexibility—perfect for traditional, blended, or online classrooms.
Both the station lab and interactive notebook activities are fully compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making it easy to engage your students no matter where they learn.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.