The Baggie

Bring three resealable plastic bags to class on the day you plan to introduce your unit on matter. In one bag, place a stone. Hold up this bag for the class to see. Ask the class leading questions, such as: "Does this stone have weight? Can you see it? Does it stay the same shape?" Have your students write down the answers. Next, pour water into the next bag. Show the water to the students and ask them the same questions. For the last bag, breathe into it and close it with an air bubble. Discuss what different properties your class observed with solids, liquids and gases. Ask them to list other examples of each phase of matter.

Making Crystals

Demonstrate to the class how one phase of matter can change to another. Show them some sugar. Ask them what phase of matter the sugar is. Heat some water. While the water is still hot, point out the steam to the class. Explain that steam is water that has turned to gas. Pour sugar into the water, enough that the water will become a thick syrup. Have a student stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Ask the students to observe how the sugar made the water more solid and how the water made the sugar dissolve into liquid. Have the students tie a paper clip to a string and dangle it in the solution. Make sure the paper clip does not touch the bottom of the glass. Cover up the glass and return to your daily classroom activities. Every morning your students should observe the mixture and write down any changes they see. Within a few days, solid crystals will begin to grow on the paper clip and string.

Molecules

Explain to your primary students that all matter is made up of molecules--tiny particles we are unable to see. The movement and position of these particles depend on their phase of matter. Divide the class into three groups and name each group, "solid," "liquid" or "gas." Ask the solid group to stand in the front of the room. Tell them they are each one molecule of a solid substance and ask them how they might behave as a solid. The students should stand close together and remain still. Next, have the liquid group take the stage. They should stand farther apart and move around a bit. For the gas group to demonstrate, you may need to take the class outside. The gas particles should be far apart and moving quickly. The other students might become jealous that their classmates get to run around, so once the demonstration has been made, let all the students join in being "gas particles." Once they are properly worn out, head back inside to continue the school day.

Air and Air Pres sure Mildred L.Butler Douglass Math and Science Academy 543 N. Waller Chicago IL 60644 (312) 534-6176

Objectives: To To To To find air. observe that air takes up space. observe that air has weight. observe that air exerts pressure.

Materials Needed: 2 - 5 gallon clear aquariums water soil 8-balloons paper clear glasses sticks cans with holes straws pins Strategy: fan air 1. Have the students take the piece of paper that is on their desk and with it. Discuss and have students draw conclusions. Explain that Equipment per group: 4-sticks 2-balloons 1 container with a hole water 1 straw 1 pin

is everywhere. 2. Place a lump of soil in a container of water and have students observe. Ask students did they see anything that might indicate the presence of air in the soil? Bubbles began to come out of the soil and go up to the top of the water. Discuss. 3. Secure an aquarium or a container and fill it nearly full of water. Turn one of the glasses upside down under the water. Ask students what did they observe? You will see that it stays full of air. Put the second glass under the water with the other hand. Turn the second glass on its side as you lower it so it fills with water. Have students make hypotheses. Move the two glasses together and tilt the first glass so that bubbles of air begin to rise into the second glass. Have the students observe and draw conclusions: water in the second glass is driven out by air rising from the first glass. The first glass fills with water, which replaces the lost air. 4. Tie the end of one string tightly to the middle of a stick. Hang the

it same Slide again.

stick up by the other end.

Slide the string along the stick until

hangs exactly level. Blow up one balloon and tie the neck with a second string. Blow up the second balloon until it is about the size as the first. Tie a balloon on to each end of the stick.

the strings along the stick until the stick hangs exactly level Now prick one balloon with a pin and watch. Have students draw conclusions: when you burst one balloon, all the air comes out. The other balloon with air in weighs more than the empty one, so the goes down. 5. Now burst the other balloon and the stick will become

stick level the from pushing down

again. Have students drink some liquid and explain how easily it comes up straw. Then make a small hole in the straw about 2 inches (5 cm)

the top end and try to drink again. Ask students to explain why it took much longer: when you suck through a straw, you lower the power of the air in your mouth and in the straw. The air pushing

on the surface of your drink forces liquid up the straw.

References: Schug, Ken. Demonstrations given during SMILE, Summer, 1993 Barbara Pawela, Ed Gudziol, Patricia Riley, Therese Donatello, Resource books, 700 Science Experiments for Everyone, by Gerald Wendth, Chemistry for Every Kid, by Janice Van Cleave, and The Know How Book of Experiments.

Matter and Molecular Motion Susan Schwartz DeWitt Clinton Elementary School 6110 N. Fairfield Ave. Chicago IL 60659 (773) 534-2025

Objectives: This lesson is designed for Grade 4. Students will be able to: 1. Define the three states of matter and some of their properties. 2. Demonstrate that air is matter and even though gases cannot always be seen, they take up space. 3. Observe the effect of molecular motion (hot and cold). Materials Needed: Teacher Demonstrations: Introduction: chalkboard, chalk, three jars - one with a solid(s) in it, one filled with water, and one with nothing but air in it Activity 7: two large clear containers, two small baby food jars with lids, hot plate, sauce pan, food coloring, ice, tap water Activity 8: ice, two small baby food jars, two large-mouthed clear jars, warm and cold tap water, food coloring, two 6-inch squares of aluminum foil, two rubber bands, and a pencil Materials Needed for Each Student: Activity 1: plastic fruit/vegetable bag Activity 4: small-mouthed 20 ounce pop bottle, balloon Activity 5: small-mouthed 20 ounce pop bottle, bottle cap, water Materials Needed for Groups of Four Students: Activity 2: 9 ounce clear plastic cup, 6 marbles, masking tape, water Activity 3: large wide-mouthed jar or clear container, paper towels, 9 ounce clear plastic cup Activity 6: jar, water, food coloring Strategy: Introduction: Define matter as anything that takes up space and has mass. Mass is the amount of matter in something. All matter is made up of tiny particles. Discuss the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Show students three jars each containing an example of one form of matter. (Solid - blocks, liquid - water, and gas - air). Ask the students how they know whether something is a solid, liquid, or gas. List the students' responses on the board. Ask the students how they know there is air in the jar that appears empty. Activity 1: Demonstrate that air is matter and takes up space. 1.) Take an empty plastic fruit/vegetable bag. Open the top and move the bag through the air. 2.) Close the top of the bag by twisting the opening and holding it with your hand. 3.) Squeeze the bag with your other hand. 4.)

Ask the students to explain what happened. bag.)

What is in the bag?

(Air is in the

Activity 2: Observe that two pieces of matter cannot occupy the same space at the same time. 1.) Take a clear plastic cup and fill it halfway up with water. 2.) Mark the top of the water line with a piece of tape. 3.) Very carefully add 6 marbles to the water by tilting the cup and letting one marble at a time slide down the inside to the bottom of the cup. Set the cup upright, and notice the water level. What happened to the water level? Why? (The water level is higher because two pieces of matter cannot occupy the same space at the same time. The water is pushed out of the way by the marbles. The rise in the water level is equal to the volume of the marbles.) Activity 3: Demonstrate that even though gases cannot always be seen, they do take up space. 1.) Fill a large container 1/2 full of water. 2.) Wad a paper towel(s) into a ball and push it to the bottom of a 9 oz. cup. 3.) Turn the cup upside down making sure the wadded up paper remains in the bottom of the jar. 4.) Hold the cup upside down with its opening pointing down. Push the cup straight down into the large container of water. DO NOT TILT the cup as you lift it out of the water. 5.) Feel the paper and examine it. What happened? Why? (The cup is filled with paper and air. The air prevents the water from entering the cup, so the paper stays dry. Remember two pieces of matter cannot take up the same space at the same time.) Activity 4: To try to inflate a balloon inside a bottle. 1.) Hold the top of the balloon and push the bottom of the balloon inside the bottle. 2.) Stretch the top of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle. 3.) Try to inflate the balloon by blowing into it. What happened? Why? (The bottle is filled with air. Blowing into the balloon causes the air particles (molecules) inside the bottle to move together, but only slightly. The air is in the way of the balloon, preventing it from inflating. Remember two pieces of matter cannot occupy the same space at the same time.) Try putting a hole in the bottom of the bottle and then see if the balloon can be inflated inside the bottle. Try different size bottles and holes. Activity 5: Demonstrate that particles (molecules) move faster when heated. 1.) Remove the cap from a 20 oz. pop bottle and dip it in water. Place the

bottle cap upside down on the mouth of the bottle. 2.) Rub your hands together until they are very warm. 3.) Place your hands around the bottle. DO NOT SQUEEZE the bottle. Wait about 20 or 30 seconds and observe what happens. (The bottle cap should rise on one side and then fall back when excess gas escapes from inside the bottle. Your warm hands heat up the gas inside the bottle causing the particles to move faster and expand. The movement of the cap will continue until the temperature inside the bottle equals the temperature outside the bottle.) Try various size bottles and/or more hands on a bottle. Activity 6: Observe the effect of molecular motion. Put two drops of food coloring into a jar of water. What happens? Why?

(The food coloring forms colored streaks as it sinks to the bottom of the jar, because the particles (molecules and atoms) that make up matter are constantly moving. The moving water molecules are pushing and shoving the particles of food coloring. Eventually, the colored particles will be evenly spread throughout the water.) Activity 7: Observe how water temperature effects molecular motion. 1.) Fill two clear containers with room temperature water. 2.) Fill one small jar with ice water and one with heated water. Add blue food coloring to the jar of ice water and red food coloring to the jar of hot water. Stir both jars. 3.) Put the lids on both jars and place each jar on the bottom of the two clear containers. 4.) Carefully take the lids off of the two jars. What happens? Why? (The hot red water will flow to the top of the water in the clear container and the cold blue water will flow to the bottom of the other clear container. The hot water particles move faster and are farther apart than the cold water particles which move slower and are closer together. Cold water has greater density than hot water, so cold water sinks and hot water rises.) Activity 8: Observe the downward flow of cold colored water through warmer clear water and the upward flow of hot water through cold water. 1.) Place an ice cube in a small baby food jar. Fill the jar with water. 2.) Fill the large jar to within an inch of the top with warm tap water. 3.) Remove the ice from the small jar. Add and stir 6 or 7 drops of food coloring to the ice water. 4.) Cover the mouth of the small jar with aluminum foil. Secure the foil with a rubber band. 5.) With the point of a pencil, make a small hole in the foil. 6.) Quickly turn the small jar upside down and hold it so the hole is just beneath the surface of the warm water. 7.) Slowly and gently tap the bottom of the small jar with your finger. What happened? Why? (The cold colored water flows downward, because it is heavier than warm water. When the small jar is tapped, the water comes out in spurts producing smoke-

like, colored rings in the water.) Repeat steps the jar upright inside an empty large jar. Fill the What happens? Why? (The hot water flows to the it is less dense than the cold water.) Try turning their sides. What happens? Why? Performance Assessment:

1-4 with hot water.

Place

large jar with cold water. top of the large jar because both of the small jars on

Ongoing assessment throughout activities based on the students' participation and responses. References: VanCleave, Janice. Sons, Inc., 1989 Chemistry for Every Kid. New York: John Wiley and

States of Matter Barbara Pawela Objectives: Grades 3-6 The students will be able to: A. Define matter. B. Identify the states of matter. C. Tell about the properties of each state of matter. D. Demonstrate an understanding of the difference between a physical and a chemical change. Materials needed: a variety of solids a variety of liquids spray perfume 2 Tbs. powdered sulfur 2 Tbs. iron filings baking soda vinegar 1 tsp. salt Strategies: Activity I: 1. Display different solids and liquids. 2. Put a variety of small solid objects into Ziploc bags, and have a member of each group pick-up the bags for each student in the group 3. Discuss the definition of "matter". 4. Ask the students to take out, look at, and touch the objects. Ask if they can see the objects? Introduce the word "visible". 5. Together discuss the other properties.. Tell the students to try to put their pens through the desk. Ask if they could do so easily? Tell them to do the same thing with some of the other objects. Together discuss that one cannot go through solids easily. External force has to be applied. 6. Ask the students if the objects keep their shape easily? Discuss and conclude that they do if no force is applied to them. Activity II: 1. Take ice cubes between your hands. Hold your hands up and ask what is happening. 2. Together discuss the change of phase from a solid to a liquid. 3. Pass out clear plastic glasses half-filled with water. Point out the other liquids on the table. Ask what other liquids they know? 4. Tell the students to try to put their pens in the water. Discuss and conclude that objects can go through a liquid easily. 5. Have the students pour the water out of the glass into the Ziploc bag. Discuss what happened and come to the conclusion that a liquid has a definite volume, but not a definite shape. Instead it takes the shape of its container. Ziploc plastic bags clear plastic glasses 2 Erlenmeyer flasks round balloons food coloring acetate fabric 50ml acetone watch glass hot plate crucible ice clear container 4 cans 2 beakers or jars Retired

6.

Put about a liter of water in a clear container. Squirt 4 to 6 drops blue or green food coloring into the water. Observe what happens. Discuss "fluidity".

Activity III: 1. Ask the students what is in front of their nose? Tell them to take an index card or piece of paper and fan themselves. Discuss and conclude that the breeze is made by moving air. Have the students blow up their balloons and then let the balloons deflate. Ask if they could see the air or the substance that was blown into the balloon. Introduce the terms "gas" and "invisible". 2. Spray some perfume. Let it disperse throughout the room. 3. While the perfume is dispersing, take the Erlenmeyer flask, in which the water should be boiling for at least a minute, off the heating unit and immediately place the balloon opening over the flask's mouth. 4. Let the water balloon cool (the balloon will be sucked inside out into the flask). If the flask is carefully heated again the balloon will expand and come out of the flask. Discuss what was happening. 5. Discuss the aroma in the room. Ask how the aroma was dispersed. Activity IV: 1. Give each group a can containing ice. Let water condense on the outside of the cans and then ask if the cans are leaking. Discuss from where did the water come. Together continue discussing the change of phase from a gas to a liquid. 2. State that matter can undergo other types of changes besides the change of phase. Have the students tear their paper. Have them mold the clay into different shapes. Discuss the fact that, though a change has occurred, the basic material is the same substance. 3. Cut an apple into pieces. Again point out that cutting an apple was a physical change and the substance of the apple was the same. Place some of the apple pieces into the crucible. Add a little water and place the crucible on the hot plate to cook. Leave some of the raw apple pieces exposed to the air. 4. Put 1/2 tsp. salt into 50ml water. Stir until the salt dissolves. Take about 10 ml of solution and put on a watch glass. Place on a hot plate. 5. Take 1 tsp. powdered sulfur and mix it with about 1/2 tsp. iron filings. Mix the sulfur and iron. Place a magnet over the mixture. The iron filings will be pulled out by a magnet. Discuss and conclude that the mixing had been a physical change. 6. Check on the apples and on the evaporating salt solution. The apple should have cooked some. Discuss how the apple has changed. Conclude that the apple is different from the raw apple and will not change back. Look at the watch glass after the water has evaporated. Look at the residue and discuss what happened. 7. Burn part of the paper. Discuss and conclude that the paper has undergone a chemical change. The actual substance has changed to something else, and burned paper cannot be returned to the original substance. 8. Heat the 1 tsp. powdered sulfur mixed with 1/2 tsp. iron filings. Observe what happens. A gas is given off. A new substance has formed. Allow it

9.

10.

to cool. Test for magnetic attraction. Discuss and conclude that a chemical change occurred. Cut a small piece of acetate fabric. Ask what kind of change this was. Put the piece of fabric into 50 ml acetone in a beaker or similar jar. The fabric will dissolve. Together discuss that this is a chemical change. Repeat the process dissolving styrofoam in the acetone. Give each group a candle. Light the candles. Observe and discuss what is happening. Conclude that the burning candle is an example of both a physical and chemical change. Some of the wax melts into a liquid and later cools down and solidifies back into its original substance. Some of the melted wax was heated enough to change into a gas which burned.

Performance Assessment: Part of the assessment are the students' responses during the discussions. The final part of the assessment is as follows: You have been hired by a sea-bordering, desert country to provide drinking water from sea water. You are to purchase materials and design a process to provide fresh water. Explain what equipment and materials you would use. Draw a diagram and explain your procedure.