TITLE: Matter and Heat
AUTHOR: DEBORAH HERNDON, IXL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,
ARKANSAS CITY, KS
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: GRADES 1-3
OVERVIEW: Young students have a difficult time conceptualizing
many science concepts. They have a need to actively participate in
learning, and even then may not comprehend why an event occurs.
One such concept is the motion of molecules and the relationship of
heat to states of matter.
PURPOSE: To involve students in demonstrating the relationship
between molecules and states of matter.
OBJECTIVES: As a result of this activity, the students will:
1. Predict that heating a substance will cause it to expand (get big),
and cooling it will cause it to contract (shrink).
2. Demonstrate an understanding of solids, liquids, and gases by
their activity level as they act like molecules.
3. List examples of solids, liquids, and gases in their world.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
An additional adult or two is very helpful for the small group
experiment. Another management technique could be to allow
students to make mosaic pictures of their own while the teacher
works with one small group at a time.
1. "Mosaic" picture made from paper punches, microscopes (30X), and
various items to observe such as cloth, workbooks, leaves, etc.
2. Materials for the experiment as listed.
3. String for a circle.
4. No materials needed.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Introduction
-Discuss the concept that everything is made up of molecules. Show
them a "mosaic picture" made up ahead of time from paper punches.
This is a simplified exaggeration of something being made up of
little things.
-Encourage them to look at several items with hand-held
microscopes (30x). Cloth, colors on covers of workbooks, and leaves
are good for viewing small parts that are invisible to the eye.
Emphasize that they are still not seeing molecules, which are even
tinier than each dot they see on the book cover.
2. Small group experiment
Materials needed (for each group)- small flask or bottle, two bowls,
balloon, ice, hot water(from a coffee pot is best, but you need to
supervise this as it will burn)
Procedure-
-Put the balloon on the bottle. Have students establish that the
bottle has air in it and that the air molecules inside cannot get out
of the bottle when the balloon is on it.
-Ask students if they think the balloon will change if we put the
bottle in hot water. Encourage idea exchange.
-Get 3 cups of hot water. Put it in a bowl and put the bottle in the
bowl also. Let each student feel the bottle as it warms up. Have
them observe the balloon.
-Ask students if they think the balloon will change if we move the
bottle to cold water. Encourage idea exchange.
-Get 2 cups of cold water and 4-6 ice cubes to put in the other bowl.
Put the bottle in the bowl, and again let the students feel the bottle
as it cools off. Have them observe the balloon.
-Let the students move the bottle back and forth as time allows, and
encourage predicting what will happen when they do.
-Ask for possible explanations and accept them all as something to
consider.
3. Whole class activity
-Put a string circle on the floor, in the middle of an open area (This
should be large enough for all students to stand in without
crowding.)
-Have the whole class stand up and explain that they are now going
to "become" molecules. Explain that warm molecules are very active
and spread out away from other molecules. Have them spread out and
"bounce." Explain that molecules which bounce all over are a gas.
-Ask if they've ever seen children "huddle" on the playground on a
very cold day. Molecules do the same thing. They slow down and
move closer together when they are cold. Ask the students to come
into the circle and to huddle close together. They should then
"freeze". When molecules get cold enough they freeze, although that
does not mean they are totally without motion, even as the children
will not be totally without motion. Ask if they can think of an
example of something "frozen" (ice). Explain that this is a solid.
-Molecules are sometimes in between. We call this state liquid.
They spread out a little bit, but they stay inside their container.
Have the students bounce slightly and push apart but stay inside the
circle. Ask for an example of a liquid (water).
-Have them get back in their huddle, very still and "cold." Then have
them "warm up" gradually, staying in the circle. Then have them
warm up more, and explain that they can now float up over the string
because they are a "gas." Ask what would happen if they were even
"hotter" (they would spread out even more).
-Now you are ready for some exercise. Using the cues Hot, Warm,
Cold, etc, or Solid, Liquid, Gas, have them show by their actions
what the molecules would do in that state.
4. Discussion
-Now discuss the experiment from earlier in the lesson. Ask for
ideas on what the molecules were doing inside the balloon.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER
This provides a good basis of understanding for further studies of
matter. Part/whole relationships in many areas can be related back
to this. Students could be asked to begin a chart of solids, liquids,
and gases using words or pictures.
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