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Solids Liquids and Gases Activities

October 2, 2013 By Rachel

Solids, Liquids, Gases Activites

Teaching about solids, liquids, and gases is so much fun!! It’s one of my favorite science units to teach all year! We did a couple of fun activities that were really engaging and the kids loved it!

1. Anchor Charts about Matter

One of the first things we talk about is what is matter and what is the difference between volume and mass.

Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
Then we discuss the definitions of solids, liquids, and gases and how their particles move in each substance.
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
These anchor charts are actually from the teacher next door!  
Grab these posters for free from my TPT Store.

2. Solids, Liquids, and Gases Particles Activity

To help students understand this concept a little more, we do an activity using cereal to represent the particles for solids, liquids, and gases!  We used Fruit Loops, but any type of circular cereal would work!
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
Here’s an example of a completed project!
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
Of course, we displayed them outside our classroom for everyone to see!
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
They were so proud of their work!!

3. Changing the States of Matter Activity

Then we did an activity with chocolate chips.  I wanted the students to be able to observe how solids change to a liquid and then back to a solid. Part of our unit on the states of matter also includes sources of heat, so I wanted to tie that into this lesson as well.
First, we tried to use body heat to melt the chocolate chips.
Students each got a small bag of chocolate chips and used their hands to rub each bag.
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
 It worked a little.
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
Next, I had students brainstorm other ways to melt the chocolate chips.  Of course, several said we could microwave them (which would be electricity) or put them on a stove (which would be burning).  Since we didn’t have access to either of these options, I had students continue brainstorming and finally, someone thought of using the sun’s heat!
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
We placed our bags out in the sun for about 10 minutes…which worked perfectly!!
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
 They were so amazed it was warm!  🙂
Finally, we discussed ways for our now liquid chocolate to turn back into a solid.
And everyone agreed that putting it in the freezer was the best option.
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
 The next day…we had solid chocolate again!
Solids, Liquids, & Gases Anchor Chart to help teach the states of matter. I've shared a few easy to do science experiments that will help your students to really understand the properties of matter! The Chocolate Chip experiment is our favorite!!
They got to eat their chocolate, which of course made it “The Best Day Ever!”
Don’t you love it when kids say that?!
Chocolate Chip Activity found at  Once Upon a First Grade Adventure. 

4. More Resources

For more on my Matter and Sources of Heat units, check them out in my TPT Store
States of Matter Resource
Sources of Heat Product
Sources of Heat Resource

 

  • Rachel
  • Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Science

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deb Hanson says

      October 2, 2013 at 5:15 PM

      Yes, I DO love it when something makes my students say it's the "best day ever" – it just makes me smile. Looks like more learning fun is being had in your class!

      ~Deb
      Crafting Connections

    2. Unknown says

      October 2, 2013 at 7:20 PM

      Love the chocolate experiment! What a great idea!

      Jamie
      teachingtidbit.blogspot.com

    3. Elementary Engagement says

      October 3, 2013 at 3:19 AM

      Thank you for sharing some great ways to demonstrate the properties of matter! I love the models made of cereal, and of course, you can't go wrong with anything that includes chocolate!

      Mary
      Fit to be Fourth
      Follow me on Bloglovin

    4. Jennifer Laffin says

      October 6, 2013 at 1:29 PM

      Such a very cool activity! We teach this topic in the spring and I'll have to make a note of it. Who can resist chocolate?

      Jennifer
      Mrs. Laffin's Laughings

    5. Collaboration Cuties says

      October 7, 2013 at 11:15 PM

      The cereal is a way better idea than what I tried this year for molecules…I won't even say what I tried… ;O)

      I love the chocolate idea too! Thanks for sharing your ideas!
      Amanda
      Collaboration Cuties

    6. Chelsea says

      October 8, 2013 at 3:01 AM

      The chocolate experiment is great! What a great way to get the point across and when they are done they get to eat the chocolate!! It's a win, win!!

      Chelsea
      Fifth Grade Wit and
      Whimsy

    7. Amanda Schreiber says

      October 12, 2013 at 4:14 AM

      The chocolate experiment would of course make it the "best day ever" love it! I might have talk our science teacher into this experiment so I can have some samples of the experiment 😉

      Love the idea!

      Amanda
      My Shoe String Life

    8. FabandFunin4th! says

      October 12, 2013 at 1:58 PM

      Great post! I am going to have to refer back to this when we get to our matter unit! Thanks for the great ideas!

      Bethany
      FabandFunin4th!

    9. Becca Sadler says

      August 2, 2019 at 7:04 AM

      Searching different elementary blogs for science lessons and your blog's science activities have been one of the best I've found (Summer 2019). So super thank you for your time way back when typing up your science content posts!

    10. Julie Bates says

      November 6, 2021 at 9:50 AM

      I used your chocolate chips idea to round out our homeschool co-op lesson on solids/liquids and thermal energy. The kids LOVED it. I used candy melts because that’s what I had on hand. Thanks for the awesome idea!

      • Rachel Vincent says

        November 14, 2021 at 11:59 AM

        Candy melts are a great idea! They probably melted better! So glad the kids loved it!

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