Summary

In this activity, students will use buttons to model investigating observable properties of matter. Students will use their knowledge of physical properties to create and separate mixtures of assorted buttons into the following categories: color, size (small, medium, and large) and number of holes.

Grade Level

Elementary School

Objectives

By the end of this activity, students should be able to

• Describe the meaning of matter.
• Identify a mixture.
• Use examples of physical properties to describe matter.
• Organize quantitative results in a bar graph.

Chemistry Topics

This activity supports students’ understanding of

• Matter
• Mixtures
• Physical properties

Time

Teacher Preparation: 1 hour

Lesson: 1-2 class periods of 45 minutes each

Materials

• Assorted buttons - ½ cup (about 30-50 buttons) for each group of 4 (Can be purchased at stores such as: Oriental Trading, Amazon, Michaels, and Wal-Mart)
• Empty egg carton to keep the buttons separated (optional)

Safety

• Students are not to use their sense of taste or put anything in their mouths.
• Small buttons could be a choking hazard.
• When students complete the lab, instruct them to place their buttons back in the container.
• Students should wash their hands thoroughly before leaving the lab.

Teacher Notes

• This lesson is intended for the lower end of elementary - grades K-2.
• In this activity, students will model identifying and classify matter based on a variety of observable physical properties by sorting buttons. Students will focus on the characteristics of color, size (small, medium, and large) and number of holes.
• Make sure to discuss and clarify the term physical properties (characteristics that can be observed with the senses or measured with appropriate tools). Everything in the universe is made of matter. Fortunately, matter has many different characteristics or physical properties which make it useful for our needs.
• Explain that scientists learn more about materials and objects (matter) by observing, describing, and identifying their properties. They use those properties to sort and classify different kinds matter and determine how each might be useful for our needs. Inform students that they will begin the study of matter by observing like a scientist.
• Explain that one thing scientists observe is a mixture of different types of matter. A mixture is a combination of two or more substances that can be separated from one another.
• Engage students by instructing them to look around the room and outside the window. Students should identify things they can see, touch, or smell—matter! List a collection of their responses on a chart or the board. Guide the discussion and encourage students to describe items by their physical properties:
  • Have you ever wondered what makes up everything around you? For years, scientists have wondered and asked questions about the same thing.
  • All the materials and objects around us are made of different kinds of substances. A word for all the stuff that makes up substances and different materials is matter.
  • All matter weighs something and takes up some amount of space.
• In preparation for the activity, put students in groups of 4.
• Prepare buttons by placing them in the cups for the younger grades.
• Assign each group a “Material Manager” to collect the cup of buttons.
• If time permits, allow each group to sort their own collection in a different way based on other properties.
• Here is an example of a great anchor chart.

Facilitation Questions:

1. What physical properties of the buttons allowed them to be separated from each other?
2. Is the combination of the buttons a mixture? How do you know?