Curated OER
Experimenting with Physical Changes
Fourth graders explore physical changes. They discuss that physical change is a change in size, shape, or state of matter of a substance. Students explore what change takes place when two substances can dissolve each other. They observe...
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Properties
Students study the difference between physical and chemical properties. They also discuss changes in matter, known as physical and chemical changes. They observe and discuss several demonstrations of both physical and chemical changes
Curated OER
Physical Changes and States of Matter
Fourth graders study evaporation and condensation as parts of the water cycle. First they determine the similarities and differences between a cup of water and an ice cube before measuring the volume of ice before melting it, and...
Curated OER
Ice Cream Chemical and Physical Changes
Fourth graders identify characteristics of a simple physical and chemical change. They describe objects by the properties of the materials from which they are made and that these properties can be used separate. Students describe the...
Curated OER
Discovering Physical Changes
Fourth graders determine what is meant by a physical change, and they demonstrate how they can make physical changes. They complete activities at stations that entail changes in color, size, texture, hardness, or state of matter. Using...
Curated OER
Investigating Chemical and Physical Changes
Students explore physical and chemical changes by looking at how different powders react to a variety of substances. They observe and identify the difference between physical and chemical change using a mystery powder.
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Changes
Students observe examples of physical changes that can take place between the three states of matter and develop common sense and intuition in distinguishing between chemical and physical changes. They observe diagrams on the board from...
Center for Learning in Action
Gases
Explore the properties of gases through one activity and two investigations in which super scientists observe the changes gas makes when encountering different conditions.
Curated OER
Physical Changes of Matter
Students solve a mystery using evidence gathered during a science investigation. In this physical changes lesson, students analyze a note written in marker to determine the physical changes the ink from the pen underwent. Students...
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Matter: Build a Word
Fourth graders examine matter and the periodic table of elements. In this matter lesson, 4th graders discuss atoms and their composition. Students explore the periodic table of elements and use it to spell words out of the elements.
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Physical Changes of Water
Students observe changes in water. In this instructional activity about water and its forms, students perform an experiment to determine how water changes. Students analyze what causes water to be solid, liquid, or gas. Students record...
American Chemical Society
Condensation
It's time to break the ice! If you are doing all of the lessons in the unit, children have already seen that increasing heat increases the rate of evaporation, but is the opposite true? Does decreasing temperature cause more condensation...
Curated OER
Science Jeopardy
Young scientists form teams and compete by providing questions for words and phrases related to science topics arranged in a Jeopardy quiz show game format. The categories include matter, measurement, vocabulary, and chemical or physical...
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States of Matter and Chemical/Physical Changes Stations
Students break into four groups, starting at different stations. Each station should take about 10 minutes depending on prior knowledge of the topic. They then rotate when everyone is finished to the next station and discuss answers of...
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Heat Energy
Students study how matter changes from solids to liquids or liquids to solids. In this physical science lesson, students discuss heat energy and experiment with heat by changing a candle into a liquid using a hot plate.
Curated OER
Food & Science - How Healthy is Your Diet?
Learners experiment with various foods to determine fat and starch content. They rub jam, peanut butter, bananas, and other foods in a small circle on a piece of paper, and observe the results. If there is a high fat content in the...
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson plan. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready...
Curated OER
Freestanding Structures: A Tech Museum Floor Activity
Students attempt to design the tallest structure that they can with the given materials which are wooden dowels and rubber bands. They discuss the physics of their structure and how they would improve it the next time they built a...
Curated OER
Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Students investigate and explore the three states of matter. They read and discuss the NASA article "The Engine That Does More," identify examples of each state of matter, and as a class complete a section of two worksheets. They...
Curated OER
Change It
Fourth graders expand their knowledge about how the physical properties of a substances can be changed. They are given multiple opportunities, using first-hand experiences and familiar objects in different contexts, to identify...
Curated OER
Chemical Changes
Fourth graders examine and identify chemical and physical changes in a variety of substances. They observe a vinegar and baking soda demonstration, and a water, laundry detergent, and Epsom salt mixture demonstration. They discuss the...
Curated OER
Hot and Cold Colors
Students examine how temperature effects changes in materials. In this physical science lesson, students use food coloring and cups of water of varying temperatures to observe the effects temperature has on matter. Students predict and...
American Chemical Society
Solubility Test
Make sure to consult the teacher's handbook, Inquiry in Action - Investigating Matter Through Inquiry, for two demonstrations that can be done to introduce solubility and measuring crystal mass before having the class conduct this...
Curated OER
Chemical or Physical?
Fourth graders make observations of the reactions that happens between calcium carbonate and various liquids. During the experiment the students determine if there is a chemical change, a physical reaction, or no reaction when they mix...