Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore the physical properties of water. In this water lesson, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. There are 2 extensions for this lesson that one can access via the Internet links provided.
Curated OER
Properties of Matter
Learners describe four states of matter and their characteristics, explain thermal expansion of matter, interpret state changes in terms of kinetic theory of matter, explain relationship between temperature and volume of a gas, state...
Curated OER
Chemical Changes
Fourth graders examine and identify chemical and physical changes in a variety of substances. They observe a vinegar and baking soda demonstration, and a water, laundry detergent, and Epsom salt mixture demonstration. They discuss the...
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Putting the Ice in Hockey
Eighth grade physical science classes examine why the ice on which hockey is played is slippery. They do so by discussing phases of matter and the molecular motion in each. They read an article on a website and write out answers to...
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Temperature Changes Everything
Middle school chemists visit interactive websites in order to discover what happens to molecular motion when heat is added to matter. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the expansion of matter with the addition of heat. A lab...
American Chemical Society
From Gas to Liquid to Solid
From gas to liquid condensation to solid frost, water undergoes phase changes before students' eyes! Using ice, salt, water, and a metal can, they set up an investigation that can be used in a physical science setting, or as part of a...
American Chemical Society
Evaporation
This is one in several lessons that explore the relationship between temperature and phase changes of water. After some discussion, elementary physical scientists place wet paper toweling on a hot and a room-temperature water bag...
American Chemical Society
Condensation
It's time to break the ice! If you are doing all of the lessons in the unit, children have already seen that increasing heat increases the rate of evaporation, but is the opposite true? Does decreasing temperature cause more condensation...
American Chemical Society
Exploring Moisture on the Outside of a Cold Cup: For Dry Environments
If the area you live in is arid, or the preceding experiment in this unit didn't yield obvious results, use this one in place of it to help reveal where condensation comes from. The mini unit that this is part of a comprehensive...
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Change of Six White Substances
Students investigate chemical and physical changes in reactions. In this chemical and physical change lesson plan, students mix 6 different white substances with water, vinegar and iodine. They make hypotheses about each substance and...
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Changing State
Students examine the changing states of water. In this solid, liquid, gas lesson, students discover that water changes when heated or cooled. Students make predictions and then use the interactive whiteboard to "heat and...
Curated OER
Energy and Changes of State
Students complete a variety of labs to help them explain how energy affects the changes in states of matter. They also be required to collect and record data, graph data, and apply interpretations of that data.
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The Water Cycle
Fourth graders explore changes in water forms. In this water cycle lesson, 4th graders build a water cycle model and monitor it for 2 weeks in order to understand that water changes state as it moves through the cycle.
Curated OER
Water Supply
Fourth graders complete three activities. In this water supply lesson, 4th graders learn that water can exist in different forms and watch a demonstration of each form. Students explore the water cycle and make a water cycle using the...
Curated OER
Ice Cream in a Bag
Learners discuss the three states of matter and how they are affected by temperature. They make ice cream in a bag while observing how temperature change affects the mixture. They discuss why some specimens froze more quickly than others...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students investigate how water goes from a solid to a liquid then back again. In this experimental lesson plan students conduct their own experiment and see how water changes form.
Curated OER
Water 1: Water and Ice
Students investigate water in its solid and liquid form. In this states of matter instructional activity, students experiment to see what happens as water goes from a solid, ice, to a liquid, water, and back again. They write about and...
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Chemical Change in the Kitchen
Students examine chemical changes to food. In this chemical changes lesson plan, students make foods and observe the changes. The changes are recorded in an observation journal. Students photograph food they make at different stages in...
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Water 1: Water and Ice
Students discover the forms water can take. In this hands-on science lesson, students examine how water can change from a solid to a liquid and then back again.
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Physical Changes and States of Matter- Two
Third graders explore the concept of evaporation as they observe how the water level changes in a cup that is left out. Working in groups they observe physical changes in a group of everyday items. They record the changes in shape, size,...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students examine the relationship between water and ice. In this physics lesson, students read the book Amazing Water and participate in an experiment where they freeze water into ice cubes. Students observe the changes in the water when...
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Water Cycle Stories
Students explore the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson plan, students simulate the water cycle by placing an ice cube in a Ziploc bag and observing the changes which occur over time. Students record the mass of the Ziploc bag and...
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The Heat is On!
Fifth graders investigate evidence for changes in matter that occur during a chemical reaction.
Curated OER
Physical Changes and the Water Cycle- Three
Third graders take note of the changes in the water level in a cup of water that is left out. Using a model of the water that depicts a lake and landscape that is being heated by a heat lamp, the students observe precipitation, and...