Texas TEKS5th GradeScience

§112.7.b.6.DIllustrate how matter is made up of particles

Matter and energy · b.6: Matter and energy. The student knows that matter has measurable physical properties that determine how matter is identified, classified, changed, and used. The student is expected to:

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What this standard means: TEKS §112.7.6.D asks fifth graders to illustrate how matter is made of tiny particles too small to see. This intervention opens by having students draw or describe what they think is inside a blown-up balloon, then checks that thinking against evidence: air pushing out a balloon's sides, popcorn smell traveling between rooms, and sugar's sweetness staying in water even after the sugar seems to vanish. Multiple-choice questions ask students to correct the claim that an empty-looking balloon has nothing inside it and to identify which example proves matter can be present without being visible. With repetition, students learn to infer that unseen matter is there because of what it does, not because they can see it.

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What you get, and who it’s for

Everything below is measured from the actual lesson and the actual file. Nothing here is an estimate.

Time to run
About 25 minutes. 10 min lesson, then 15 min of practice.
In the download
8 printable pages: the full lesson, the worked examples, the visual models, and 12 practice questions with space to work. A teacher answer key is included at the end, so the student pages come first and it is still ready to hand out. The lesson’s worked examples do show their solutions, because that is how they teach.
Question set
The download carries all 12 questions. The page shows 3 of them as a sample.
Question format
Every question is multiple choice. Students show their work on the page.
Dates
Published August 6, 2026. Not revised since.

The sample intervention

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§112.7.b.6.D

Tiny Pieces of Matter: Guided Notes

Illustrate how matter is made of tiny particles that are too small to see.

Before you read: in your notes space, draw or describe what YOU think is inside a blown-up balloon. Then read the passages and examples below to learn how matter is made of tiny particles that are too small to see. As you read, check whether your drawing matches the big idea, and use the notes spaces to record key ideas.

Matter is all around you. Some matter is easy to see, like a basketball or a balloon. Some matter is hard to see, because its pieces are so tiny. These tiny pieces are too small for your eyes to see, but they are still there.
Can you see it? It is still matter.

Both groups are matter. Being too small to see does not mean something is gone.

Think about a balloon. Before you fill it, it looks empty. It is not really empty. Air is inside it, and air is matter. When air goes into the balloon, it pushes the sides out. That shows something is there, even when you cannot see it. Look back at your drawing — does it show something inside the balloon?
Three clues that matter is made of tiny pieces
What you noticeWhat it tells us
BalloonIt puffs up and pushes the sides outAir is in there and takes up space
Popcorn smellYou smell it from another roomTiny pieces travel through the air
Sugar in waterIt vanishes but the water tastes sweetIt is still there, just spread out

You cannot see the pieces in any of these clues. You can only see what they do.

Tiny particles of matter
solidBasketball (you can see it)
gasAir in a balloon (too small to see)
mixtureSugar in water (still there)

All three are matter. The particles are packed close, spread far apart, or mixed in - but they are always there.

Worked exampleA balloon looks empty, but air inside it takes up space.
Worked examplePopcorn smell can travel from one room to another room.

Practice questions

  1. 1

    Which statement best matches the big idea of this lesson?

    • Only large objects are matter.
    • Matter is made of tiny particles that are too small to see.
    • Matter disappears when we cannot see it.
    • Only water is matter.
  2. 2

    A student says, 'A balloon looks empty, so there is nothing inside.' What is wrong with that idea?

    • The balloon is filled with water.
    • The balloon only has color inside it.
    • The balloon is truly empty.
    • Air is inside the balloon, even though we cannot see it.
  3. 3

    Which example shows matter that is hard to see because it is made of tiny pieces?

    • A book on a shelf
    • A desk in the classroom
    • A basketball sitting on the floor
    • Popcorn smell coming from another room

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