Center for Learning in Action
Gases
Explore the properties of gases through one activity and two investigations in which super scientists observe the changes gas makes when encountering different conditions.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
Cornell University
Polymers: Making Silly Putty
Putty is proof that learning can be fun! Share the wonderful world of polymers with your class through an experiment. Young scientists create their own silly putty, then examine its properties.
Center for Learning in Action
Introducing Physical and Chemical Changes
Young scientists investigate chemical and physical changes to the states of matter—gas, liquid, and solid—as well as solutions and suspensions with a variety of demonstrations, grand conversation, and an interactive quiz to check for...
Curated OER
Mystery Eggs
Students investigate the properties of plastic eggs filled with solids, liquids, and gases and use these observations to hypothesize whether a chicken egg is hard-boiled or raw.
Curated OER
A New Phase In Town
Middle schoolers explore heat energy and how it is used to change the phase of matter, and discover that temperature does not increase or decrease until the phase change is complete. This extremely well-written plan is packed with great...
American Chemical Society
Curious Crystals
Crystals are more than meets the eye! Can learners tell them apart simply by observation? As they examine five samples with a magnifier, they find that appearance alone is not enough. This serves as an introduction to a mini unit on...
Curated OER
Oobleck/Slime War
Young scholars compare slime recipes. In this properties of matter lesson, students make Oobleck and glurch and compare the properties of each and examine the solid and liquid properties of them.
Curated OER
What Does It Matter?
Students match definitions with vocabulary words and learn basic facts about matter. Then, they see how to determine the physical characteristics of matter. They determine the mass, volume, and density of objects using appropriate tools...
Curated OER
What Does It Matter?
Students define matter, the chemical properties of matter, and the physical properties of matter. They name physical and chemical properties of matter (by classifying using a Tree Map). Students determine the mass, volume, and density of...
Curated OER
It's The States of Matter
Students investigate the properties of solids, liquids and gases. In this states of matter lesson plan, students observe dry ice and its characteristics. They calculate the density of dry ice and observe the sublimation of the dry ice...
Curated OER
Introduction to Materials: Properties of Materials
Pupils explore the properties of matter. In this properties of materials lesson plan, students examine wood, metal, rubber, Styrofoam, and plastic. Pupils identify the attributes of each of the materials.
Curated OER
Phases of Matter
Students are introduced to the basic states of matter: solids, liquids and gases. Through experimentation, students determine that liquids and solids have definite volume, that gases do not have definite volume, and that solids have a...
Curated OER
States of Matter
Fourth graders define the term matter. They compare properties of solids, liquids, and gases. They describe how matter changes from one state to another. They classify objects as either solid, liquid, or gas.
Curated OER
Classification
Students explore the observable properties of matter and utilize them in classification. They use a binary classification system to divide objects, then justify their scheme.
Curated OER
Science- Unit on Matter- Liquids-
Second graders discover that everything is made of matter. they determine the properties of liquids and that like solids, liquids can be grouped or classified according to properties or qualities. they assess that solids have a definite...
Curated OER
Carbon: Structure Matters
Young scholars read the Who We Are Section on Calfee Designs Webpage and discuss carbon usage. They work in pairs to look up the minerals diamond and graphite then create a chart on the properties of each mineral then compare how they...
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
As a Matter of Fact
Students rotate through various hands-on experiment stations to explore the concept and properties of different types of matter. They compare some properties of solids, liquids and gases and describe how matter changes from one state to...
Curated OER
Matter
First graders study and define matter. They observe and identify states of matter along with common attributes and study how matter can change form or change its state depending on temperature.
Curated OER
Changes In Matter, "The Big Chill"
Third graders investigate why ice cream does not go through any chemical changes when it is exposed to physical changes. They describe the three states of matter in either written or verbal form. Then students experiment with ice cream...
Center for Learning in Action
Water—Changing States (Part 1)
Here is part one of a two-part lesson in which scholars investigate the changing states of water—liquid, solid, and gas. With grand conversation and up to three demonstrations, learners make predictions about what they think will happen...
Center for Learning in Action
Water – Changing States (Part 2)
Here is part two of a two-part lesson in which scholars investigate the changing states of water—liquid, solid, and gas—and how energy from heat changes its molecules. With grand conversation, two demonstrations, and one hands-on...
Teach Engineering
Antimatter Matters
Use science fiction movies to teach pupils about antimatter and alternate universes. Individuals learn about the portrayal of antimatter and alternate universes in movies such as Star Trek and Angels & Demons. They consider three...