What your child will discover
Help the child understand that matter has mass and occupies space. Matter includes solids, liquids, gases, living bodies, air, water, rocks, food, and manufactured objects.
Lesson 245 of 300
What Is Matter?
Understand matter as anything with mass that occupies space and learn that matter consists of atoms and molecules with observable and measurable properties.
4–5 yearsScience, Technology & MediaAdult guided
Science, Technology & Media · KnowledgeForKids.com
Listen together · adult controls the audio
The spoken lesson
"Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Rocks, water, air, plants, animals, and our bodies are matter. Mass describes the amount of matter, and volume describes the space it occupies. Matter is made of atoms, and atoms can join into molecules. These particles are much too small to see with ordinary eyes, so scientists use models to represent them. Light, sound, ideas, and time are not matter, although they can affect matter. Materials have properties such as texture, hardness, flexibility, density, and transparency. Matter has mass, occupies space, and is made of extremely small particles." DESIGN REQUIREMENTS: Use real matter and clearly labelled conceptual non-matter examples. Avoid misleading coloured-particle realism, tiny loose materials, unsafe balloons, or matter defined only as visible objects.
Words to notice together
MATTERMASSVOLUMEOCCUPIES SPACEATOMMOLECULEMATERIALPROPERTY
Make it real
Pause, point, name what you notice, and connect the idea to something familiar in your child's day. Repetition, a calm voice, shared attention and dependable care matter more than finishing quickly.