South Carolina ETV

South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Solids, Liquids and Gases (Grades 4-5 )

Master Teacher

Judy Wienges

Overview

This lesson is designed to introduce students to the states of matter and how the states can be determined by the physical properties of shape and volume. Through the video, students will be exposed to a comparison of the states of matter based on shape and volume.

SC Math/Science Standards Met

Science Achievement Standards
Process Skills: A, E and G
Area III—Matter and Energy
Strand 1: C

SC Reading/English Language Arts
Standards Met
Area IV—Writing: G and H

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

define terms used to classify the states of matter based on shape and volume
identify the states of matter by means of the physical properties of shape and volume

Materials

1 or more deep containers filled with water deeper than the height of the 10-oz. plastic cup
water with food coloring (Food coloring is added so the presence and the level of the water will be more visible.)
matches (Be sure to notify the proper per-sons of your use of matches during science class. The smell of burning matches al-ways causes concern among faculty and staff.)
2 identical and empty one-liter bottles

Per group:

1/2 plastic egg
white film canister
Tic-Tac box without top
1 kernel of candy corn
10-oz. clear plastic cup (Note: Do not use these cups with Activity 3 because they will collapse.)
1 empty plastic drink bottle with cap
1 aluminum roll pan
1 two-inch-square piece of aluminum foil
1 small piece of newspaper (3 cm. x 3 cm.)
1 permanent marker (mark can be removed with rubbing alcohol)
jelly glass

Per student:

pencil
Activities 1-5

Vocabulary

matter
mass
volume
physical property
solid
liquid
gas
definite
indefinite
occupy
shape
container
identify

ITV Series

Mr. B's Basement, Tape #1, Lesson #1, "Solids, Liquids and Gases"

Previewing Activities

Place of the lesson in unit sequence: Students will have prior experience making qualitative observations and possess an understanding of the meaning of matter.

1. Present a large object to the class. Ask students to use qualitative observations to determine the physical properties of the object. (Students may need to be guided in their responses so volume and shape will be included.) Have a student write the properties on the board as they are given.

Focus for Viewing

To give students a specific responsibility while viewing, select, from the list on the board, volume and shape as the two physical properties that will be dealt with in the video to pro-vide the characteristics of the three states of matter.

Review the words "volume" and "shape" with students before beginning the video. Instruct them to listen closely when Mr. B gives the properties of each state of matter as the properties are related to volume and shape.

Inform students that the video will be stopped after the properties of each state have been given. Once the properties of the state have been discussed, then students will perform a hands-on activity that supports a specific state of matter. Pass out copies of Activities 1, 2, and 3 to students.

Viewing Activities

Activity 1—Solids: Start the video from the beginning. Stop the video after you hear, "Now that is what we mean by definite shape and definite volume."

Remember to ask the questions on the activity sheet at the appropriate time and provide the students with the time needed to answer the questions before proceeding to the next video segment.

Ask, "What physical properties were used to identify the pencil as a solid?" (A definite shape and a definite volume.)

Have students complete Activity 1. Ask, "Did the candy corn change shape when it was placed in the Tic-Tac box, egg, or film canister?" (No.)

Ask, "What is the meaning of the word `volume'?" (Volume refers to the amount of space an object occupies.)

Ask, "Did the candy corn change volume when it was placed in the Tic-Tac box, egg, or film canister? (No.) "How do you know the volume did not change?" (There was no change in the candy corn, so the volume remained the same.)

Ask, "What physical properties are used to identify the candy corn as a solid?" (A definite shape and a definite volume.) "What is the meaning of the word `definite'?" (Definite refers to an object that has a specific shape.)

Activity 2—Liquids: Begin the video. Stop after you hear, "The shape changed but the volume remained the same."

Ask, "What physical properties were used to identify water as a liquid?" (A definite volume and an indefinite shape.)

Pour colored water in the Tic-Tac box as the students answer your question.

Have students complete Activity 2. Ask, "Is there as much water in the box the second time as there was the first time? (Yes.) "Does this mean the volume of water did not change when it was poured into the different containers?

Ask, "What physical property of a gas is dif-ferent from that of a liquid? (The property relating to volume. Liquids have a definite volume but gases have an indefinite volume.)

While students are answering the question, pour colored water into the roll pans so they will be three-fourths full.

Have students complete the first three sections of Part 3 of Activity 3. Ask, "What happened when the glass was pushed down over the boat?" (The boat sank to the bottom of the pan.) "Why do you think this happened?" (Because the air filled up the glass and pushed the water out from under the glass and into the pan.)

Have students complete Part 3 of Activity 3. (Note: Demonstrate what is requested to the students. The boat just needs sides and a bottom large enough to hold the small piece of newspaper as it floats on the water.) Ask, "What happened to the boat and burning paper when the glass was put over them? (The paper stopped burning and then water began to bubble up into the glass.) "Why do you think this happened? (As the paper burns, it uses some of the oxygen, which is part of the air in the glass. Carbon dioxide and water are pro-duced as by-products of the burning. The carbon dioxide dissolves in the water and the water produced is added to the water in the pan. After burning the paper there is nothing occupying the space where the oxygen was located, so the air pressure on the outside pushes the water from the pan into the space where the oxygen was once located.)

Post-Viewing Activities

1. Review the physical properties of the three states of matter. Provide each student with a copy of the Venn Diagram (labeled Activity 4).

If students do not know how to complete a Venn Diagram, guide them through the process. (Activity 4 answer sheet)

The information to label the diagram is located at the bottom of the activity page.

Action Plan

1. Have students take home Activity 5. The students are to interview four adults and record examples of the states of matter they use in their jobs.

Extensions

1. Art: Students are to draw pictures of the examples of the states of matter, which are recorded on Activity 5. Activity 5 is to accompany the pictures when turned into the teacher. If a student prefers, he/she may cut pictures out of magazines or use a combination of drawings and pictures.

2. English: Students are to write a "story" explaining the states of matter to a younger child.