Bill Nye Video - Phases of Matter

It's time to hear what Bill Nye the Science Guy has to say about MATTER! He calls matter "Stuff"! So to have your students learn about "STUFF" in our universe, please click on the link below. This awesome video has 3 parts.

clipart by www.graphicsfactory.com

Edit: This video is no longer available at the website that was previously given.  You may be able to obtain a copy for viewing from your local library.


.......  and remember ... SCIENCE RULES!

Fun Liquids Experiment

In a earlier post, Liquids: Oil and Water Experiment, I showed how oil and water (both liquids) don't mix and will separate into 2 layers. In this activity we will try to make 3 layers of liquids.

Materials

• recycled plastic bottles
• water
• food coloring
• oil (baby oil or vegetable oil)
• mystery liquids ???

Directions

• First review that liquids are a state of matter. They keep their size but not their shape. They take the shape of their container.
• Review that oil and water will NOT mix because the oil is lighter or less dense than the water.
• Pour oil and water into a recycled plastic water bottle. 
• Observe the liquids. (The oil will rise to the top.)
• Brainstorm with the children other liquids that they could try to use to make a third liquid layer in the recycled bottle..
• Have the children predict a liquid which they think will not mix with either the oil or water.
• Have fun experimenting! 

Suggestions for Mystery Liquids: honey, molasses, shampoo, etc.

What liquids do the kids suggest? What have you used?  Please share your mystery liquids. Can you make a 4th layer?

Matter Venn Diagram

A Venn Diagram is a graphic organizer that helps compare/contrast things. 

Have students compare/contrast 2 or 3 states of matter. 

  

The students could draw a Venn Diagram in their English Language Arts or Science notebook or you could download one of the FREE Venn Diagrams from Learning Workroom's website

Click Here: www.LearningWorkroom.com

Go to Free Worksheets


If the students need help, they could use dictionaries, online encyclopedias, or science books to research matter further.

What is Air?

Air is an invisible gas!

Air is invisible so how do we know it exists?

Young children have an easier time learning about solids and liquids than gases.

Here are some ideas, demonstrations, and activities to help younger children observe and begin to understand that air is a substance that exists, an invisible gas, and matter.

• Even though children can't see air (a gas), they can feel air by folding paper and making a paper fan then waving the fan up and down or side to side to feel the air. 

• Hold up a balloon that is filled with air. Let the children feel the air as you release it.

• Have children observe as you blow up a balloon. Ask the children to explain what  is being blown into the balloon. 

• Do the above demonstration with a zip-lock bag.  

• Hold up a deflated dodge ball or basketball . Have children observe as you use a pump to fill it with air. 

• Explain to the children that the air in tires supports a car. Have they seen a flat tire? Have they seen an adult add air to a car tire? bike tire? etc?

                      

• Ask children if their hats have ever blown off on windy days. What caused this?   Explain to the students that Wind is Moving Air!

• Have the children observe leaves blowing on a windy day or trees swaying.

•  Observe air movement by viewing a turning windmill. 

• Have children observe a flag waving on a flagpole on a windy day. 
 

 

• Ask if children have felt the wind pressing on their faces as they rode their bikes.

• Ask the children if they ever saw an umbrella turn inside out an a windy, rainy day.

• Observe a wind vane.

 

• Have the children make or fly a kite. Discuss how it uses wind (moving air). 

                     

         You can find directions to make a kite here.

• Have the children blow bubbles. There is air inside the bubbles.

• Have the children make a pinwheel then take it outside on a windy day. Observe the pinwheel. 

Have fun with air!

some clipart by www.graphicsfactory.com

  

If you would like a free MATTER Word Search Puzzle to use with your students click here to go to my website: https://www.LearningWorkroom.com

Go to the Free Science Worksheets!

Matter Word Search Puzzle

Have fun with science!

Matter: Molecules in Solids and Liquids Videos

Here are 2 videos about Molecules in MATTER for the kids presently on the Gamequarium website. 

The videos are from Eureka.

Click Here: Molecules in Solids Video 

Click Here: Molecules in Liquids Video

Liquids: Oil and Water Experiment

What happens when you mix oil and water?

Oil and water are both liquids but what happens when you mix them?

Materials:

• small recycled plastic bottle
• water
• food coloring
• oil (baby oil or vegetable oil)
• glue

Directions

• Have students predict what will happen when you pour oil and water into the same container.
• Fill half the plastic recycled bottle with water and a few drops of  food coloring to achieve the shade of color desired.
• Add cooking oil to the plastic bottle.
• Observe what happens.  (The oil will rise to the top of the bottle.)
• Put the cap on the bottle tightly!
• Shake the bottle. Can you mix the oil with the water?
• Observe what happens. (The oil will rise to the top. The water and food coloring will sink to the bottom.)
• Children may want to add a toy ocean animal to the bottle before gluing on the cap to make an underwater scene. Or they can add glitter to the bottle to make it into a lava lamp!
• Glue on the cap. (The oil can really make a mess if it leaks out of the bottle!)
• Were the students' predictions correct? Can they explain why the oil and water didn't mix?
• Ask the students if they can think of other liquids that do not mix.

Explanation

The liquids separate into 2 layers. The oil floats to the top because it is lighter or less dense than the water. The water is heavier or more dense than the oil so it sinks to the bottom. There is less matter (per cubic foot) in the oil than in the water.

Does Air Take Up Space? (Experiment 2)

Does air (an invisible gas) take up space?

Materials 

• clear container
• clear plastic cup
• water 
• paper towel

Directions

• Fill the container with water.
• Crunch up the paper towel and stuff it completely into the bottom of the plastic container.
• Turn the cup upside down and push it straight down into the container of water. (Do NOT tilt the cup.)
• Lift the cup straight up out of the container.
• Observe the paper towel.
• What happened to the paper towel?  (It's amazing! It's completely dry!)
• Does air take up space? (Yes!)

So coooool. The paper towel is still dry!

Explanation

The air is trapped inside the cup and that keeps the paper towel dry.
If the cup was tilted sideways, air would escape and water would get inside the cup and wet the paper towel.

(See previous experiment.)