Classroom Resources: States of Matter

26 – 50 of 58 Classroom Resources

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  Physical Properties, Physical Change, Chemical Change, Matter, Phase Changes | Elementary School

  Activity: Analyzing Root Beer Floats

  In this activity students will observe the states of matter while making a root beer float. They will also discover the differences between a solid, a liquid and a gas.

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  Freezing Point, Phase Changes, Mixtures | Elementary School

  Lab: Coffee Creamer Ice Cream

  In this lab, students will investigate how dissolving salt (sodium chloride) in water changes the freezing point of the solution. While investigating this, they will make ice cream from small coffee creamer cups.

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  Phase Changes | Middle School

  Project: Sharing Matter

  In this project, students will design a lesson and activity about the states of matter to share with elementary school students. This project embraces the spirit of the famous quote by Roman philosopher Seneca: by teaching, we learn. In order to successfully teach one of the states of matter to younger students, each group must have advanced knowledge of the subject.

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  Chemical Change, Reaction Rate, Reaction Rate, Phase Changes | Elementary School

  Demonstration: Plop & Fizz Investigation

  In the demonstration the teacher will perform a reaction between water and Alka-Seltzer in order to generate the release of carbon dioxide. Students will observe the chemical reaction, while timing the release of carbon dioxide and observe 3 states of matter. This will be repeated 3 times, each time increasing the number of tablets used.

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  Physical Properties, Density, Separating Mixtures, Matter, Culminating Project, Interdisciplinary, Phase Changes | Elementary School, Middle School

  Activity: The Castaway!

  In this activity, students use their knowledge of the properties of matter to create and/or design items needed for survival on a deserted island.

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  Chemical Change, Physical Change, Chemical Change, Scientific Method, Melting Point, Phase Changes | Middle School

  Lab: S'more Change Please

  In this lab, students will be able to demonstrate the difference between a physical and chemical change by making ooey, gooey, yet yummy S’mores!

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  Freezing Point, Phase Changes, Freezing Point Depression | Middle School, High School

  Lab: Freezing Ice Cream

  In this lab, students will investigate changing states of matter, chemical reactions, and the properties of ice and salt while creating their own ice cream.

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  Matter, Physical Properties, Observations, Phase Changes | Elementary School

  Activity: Matter Can Taste Good!

  In this activity, students will be introduced to the general differences and organization of particles in each state of matter: solid, liquid and gas. They will have the opportunity to compare the samples and then will identify each state of matter during an edible activity.

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  Conservation of Mass, Chemical Change, Interdisciplinary, Culminating Project, Phase Changes, Chemical Change | Middle School, High School

  Project: Law of Conservation of Mass Comic Strip

  In this project, students will work in groups to create a comic strip that illustrates understanding of the law of conservation of mass.

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  Polymers, Chemical Change, Conservation of Matter, Phase Changes | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: Making Slime

  In this lesson, students explore the science behind chemical reactions as well as the processes used by chemical engineering principles to develop new materials. The idea that mixing two substances can result in an explosion, the release of gas, and the formation of an entirely new substance is both fascinating and mysterious to most young students.

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  Phase Changes, Physical Change, Melting Point, Introduction, Observations | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: Let's Get Physical About Water

  In this lesson, students will learn about the phase changes of matter. During the course of two days students will perform several short experiments in order to change the state of water and they will record their observations.

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  Freezing Point, Phase Changes, Temperature, Physical Change | Middle School

  Lab: Lemon Ice

  This activity explores the interaction between salt and water (ice) as a way to further investigate their impact on the state of matter of a substance. Students will use salt and ice to create a slushy lemonade drink without the use of a freezer. They will learn through this hands-on experiment how salt and ice can rapidly cool a liquid.

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  Phase Changes, Physical Properties, Molecular Motion, Introduction, Matter | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: Introducing States of Matter

  In this lesson, students will investigate particle behavior in different forms of matter: solid, liquid and gas. Students will have an opportunity to examine a model of the particles in the different states of matter and will also participate in a kinesthetic demonstration of matter. They will also learn what makes the states of matter different from one another when changing from one form to another.

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  Chemical Change, Phase Changes, Combustion, Observations | Elementary School, Middle School

  Demonstration: The Jumping Flame

  In this demonstration, students will observe that the vapor of an extinguished candle flame is ignitable.

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  Gas Laws, Sublimation, Ideal Gas, Volume, Temperature, Pressure, Density, Phase Changes, Interdisciplinary, Density, Physical Change, Mole Concept, Dimensional Analysis, Measurements | High School

  Demonstration: Ideal Gas Law using Carbon Dioxide

  In this demonstration, students observe dry ice sublime while the CO2 gas fills a balloon. They then calculate the moles and volume of CO2 produced.

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  Phase Changes, Physical Properties, Melting Point, Observations, Scientific Method | Elementary School

  Lab: Ice Cube Race

  In this lab, students will investigate what factors can influence the change in state of matter from a solid to a liquid. They will have the opportunity to make a hypothesis and participate in the design and completion of an experiment.

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  Isomers, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Geometry, Molecular Structure, Intermolecular Forces, Boiling Point, Melting Point, Phase Changes, Isomers, Molecular Structure , Distillation, Separating Mixtures, Physical Properties | High School

  Lesson Plan: Structural Isomers

  In this activity, students will use models to explore structural isomers, and create explanations for the impact of structure on intermolecular forces (London dispersion) and physical properties (boiling point).

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  Heating Curve, Phase Changes, Intermolecular Forces, Freezing Point, Melting Point, Boiling Point, Heat of Fusion, Heat of Vaporization , Molecular Motion, Temperature, Heat, Specific Heat | High School, Middle School

  Activity: Simulation Activity: Heating Curve of Water

  In this simulation, students will investigate qualitatively and quantitatively what happens as water changes states.

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  Physical Change, Intermolecular Forces, Heating Curve, Phase Changes, Graphing, Heat, Exothermic & Endothermic, Temperature, Freezing Point, Melting Point | High School

  Lab: Heating & Cooling Curve

  In this lab, students will create a phase change graph by adding and removing heat to observe and record data during actual phase changes.

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  Freezing Point, Melting Point, Phase Changes, Acids & Bases, Physical Change | Middle School

  Lesson Plan: Stearic Acid

  In this lesson, students investigate how stearic acid undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid and back from liquid to solid. Temperature readings will be collected at one-minute intervals once the acid melts, the heat escapes, and the acid cools. Students are introduced to the idea that energy loss does not always result in a continuous temperature drop.

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  Mixtures, Separating Mixtures, Solubility, Physical Change, Phase Changes | Middle School

  Lab: A Solution to Your Mix-up

  In this lab, students will perform a step by step process of mixing and separating substances based on their states and solubility in order to solve a problem.

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  Intermolecular Forces, Mixtures, Intermolecular Forces, Colligative Properties, Freezing Point Depression, Solubility, Polarity, Phase Changes, Freezing Point, Density, Mixtures, Physical Properties | High School

  Lesson Plan: Fuel Line Antifreeze

  In this lesson students will explore the role of a gasoline additive, fuel line antifreeze (generally methanol or 2‑propanol), in reducing the potential of water to block fuel lines in freezing weather. Students will prepare test tube models of water-contaminated fuel tanks and explore the effect of adding different types of fuel line antifreeze. This lesson can be used to bolster concepts about miscibility, density, intermolecular forces, phase changes (freezing), and colligative properties (freezing point depression).

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  Freezing Point, Solubility, Solute & Solvent, Phase Changes, Freezing Point Depression, Freezing Point, Physical Change, Physical Properties | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: Salting Roads in Winter

  In this lesson, students investigate how the freezing point of water changes when salt is added.

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  Freezing Point, Density, Freezing, Phase Changes, Melting Point, Molecular Motion, Physical Change, Physical Properties | Elementary School

  Lesson Plan: Pothole Science

  In this lesson, students investigate how the density and therefore the volume, of water changes when it freezes.

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  Phase Changes, Sublimation, Physical Change, Density, Observations, Temperature | Middle School

  Lesson Plan: Dry Ice

  In this lesson, students will investigate how dry ice undergoes a phase change from solid to gas, skipping the liquid phase under normal temperature and pressure.