3 States of Matter

Each year in the first week of school I begin building an atmosphere of fun and learning with a candy themed science unit. We learn the process of thinking like a scientist as well as getting a tiny introduction to the states of matter.

The next activity we will do is a science investigation that teaches the states of matter using the 5E science model. In this model students are engaged in an investigation that gets them thinking about the world around them.

The students will first be asked some questions to make them think...

After some class discussion and open ended questioning, the kiddos will take part in a science investigation using everyday household items. The students will be given a procedure card and will work through the investigation in their groups. 

Next, students will write about what they believe happened followed by more class discussion. After the kids explain their thoughts, I will go back through the experiment and explicitly use matter vocabulary to explain the science behind the chemical reaction that caused gas to fill the balloon. Still one more time, we will go through it again and create definitions that explain each of the 3 types of matter. The hands on investigation and then explicit use of vocabulary will help children build knowledge and understanding of what they experienced. 

After this the kids will show what they learned by completing a foldable. But wait, here's the fun part... The foldable turns into the lab coat of a kid scientist! 

If you are interested in this fun and engaging way to investigate and master the 3 states of matter, you can check it out on tpt.