matter matters {and a giveaway}

Today we raced our ice off!

Along with the Common Core, our state adopted “essential standards” in SS and Science. For the most part, not much was changed. But they removed teaching gas from our matter standards…I know, how do you teach matter and then later weather changes without gas??? So, I’ll probably just keep up my same stuff!

But I did adapt a few of my matter lessons to focus solely on liquids and solids.

Yesterday I told the kids since I’d really dropped the ball on our matter study {it’s just not as fun without gas, what is?!} that we would have an ice race the following day! Woot! Well, since they had NO CLUE, they were excited today!

This was our first changing matter experiment. The only directions I gave to to be the first person to get all three pieces of ice to melt. We all wrote 10:22 on our time card {cause no one was allowed to touch the baggie til I said go} and off they went indeed. They sure came up with some interesting ways to melt little pieces of ice!

banging

smooshing

caught ya! Great idea though!

these gals stuck to friction

and she got it! No pieces left

Afterwards we discussed why I even had them do this experiment. They knew ice is solid and when it melts it’s a liquid. But after writing the method they used, we discussed what each had in common…creating heat! So in bog bold letters on the back of their index cards we wrote HEAT CAN CHANGE MATTER

I just updated my Marvelous Matter for Little Scientists unit to include this activity, as well as a Matter Menu where they will create a restaurant menu full of liquids, solids, and a combo option too. I also added a comic strip and additional Matter Changing Superhero template! Because in science, matter matters!

         

First THREE peeps to comment with their favorite science unit to teach will get a few copy! Be sure to leave your email address!