When life hands you lemons ... experiment on them! Green chemistry gurus compare extraction methods for essential oils through a lab activity. Lab groups use traditional distillation and liquid carbon dioxide extraction methods, then...

Plasma is the most common phase of matter in our universe. Scholars explore the change of energy as molecules change phases of matter. They rotate through stations, graphing the changes in energy level.

We don't think of liquids as floating typically, but a quick look at any oil spill tells a different story. Lesson explores various densities of liquids and why this fact is important. After observing the density variation, scholars...

How does food coloring work? Classes watch a demonstration showing liquids dissolving in liquids. In groups, they then explore the ability of other liquids to dissolve in water (alcohol, mineral oil, and corn syrup) by setting up and...

Demonstrate the particle theory of matter to high school scientists with an engaging experiment that allows them to visually see the results as substances change from one state to another. The class concludes with a discussion about how...

Ahoy mate! Grab your telescope, adjust your eye patch, get your pirate hat ready and explore what sinks or floats in an engaging activity about liquids and solids. Young sailors learn about different properties and characteristics of...

Is it a solid, liquid. or gas? Cut out these graphics for a fun manipulative game that has kids sorting everyday items into their states of matter. They complete three worksheets referencing the sorting activity. 

During a unit on density, pupils ponder whether or not temperature affects this property. By carefully inserting blue cold water and yellow hot water into a room-temperature sample, they will see the answer. Make sure to have done the...

Learners will like making a liquid layer cake to investigate the relative densities of various liquids: water, oil, and corn syrup. They will also introduce a few solid materials to find out how their densities compare. Standing alone,...

Here is the first of four experiments to differentiate among unknown liquids by their behaviors and properties. Pupils observe how different liquids respond to being placed on plastic and paper, and they take notes about their...

Second of six lessons in a unit on dissolving, this one focuses on how sugar behaves in different liquids. Learners stir it into water, alcohol, and oil and make observations. This lesson plan can stand alone, but is best used as part of...

Once investigators have learned how their mystery liquids interact with water during the preceding activity, they now use their observations to identify them. This is an ideal conclusion to the mini unit on the properties of water. 

Blue-tinted water is added to unknown liquids that have been tinted yellow to find out how they interact. This is a memorable activity that is part of an investigation on the properties of liquids, which is part of a unit on the...

Your physical science class learns that there are three states of matter, and that adding or removing heat can cause it to change from one state to another. By the animations, printed information, and discussion between RJ and Zoe, they...

In a friendly, casual conversation on the beach, two animated teens discuss the periodic table. Assign this video to be viewed at home by physical science fans. After viewing, they can write definitions for key vocabulary terms and take...

Mix it up at a party as Sam and Zoe discuss heterogeneous and homogenous mixtures and solutions. Follow this film by allowing your class to put together individual snack foods to make their own mixture!

Students investigate the properties of plastic eggs filled with solids, liquids, and gases and use these observations to hypothesize whether a chicken egg is hard-boiled or raw.

Middle schoolers explore heat energy and how it is used to change the phase of matter, and discover that temperature does not increase or decrease until the phase change is complete. This extremely well-written plan is packed with great...

Middle schoolers explore and identify phases of matter and compare the particle motion in solids, liquids, and gasses.

This PowerPoint is a gem! Seventy-eight slides present an entire introduction to matter in bullet-point fashion. Viewers learn about everything from mass and inertia to phase changes and gas laws! The only glitch is that the links to...

What a great resource! This presentation is informative as is, but there are links provided to some great resources that can help learners explore the states of matter in greater depth. For example, there is a link to a website that...

Take an energetic ride through the phase changes of a water molecule in a compact activity. Young scientists learn about the phases of matter and discover the role of thermal energy in governing phase changes while watching a short...

Explore the states of matter without the mess or expensive equipment in a compact, informative activity. Scientists watch as the narrator explains the three states of matter using a glass of ice and soda in an animated video that...