Physical Changes

Earlier this week, we looked at physical changes. I modeled a physical change by ripping, tearing, cutting, and crumbling paper. We read and then determined that a physical change is when 1 or more properties change, but it does not change into a new type of matter. We came up with some examples: melting, evaporating, condensation, freezing (which are all affected by temperature), cutting, tearing, ripping, crushing, and twisting.

The investigation we did was we put a piece of ice into a bag (actually we did this three times) and then placed 1 bag into hot water, cold water, and then room temperature water. Students recorded the temperature of each water and then observed. Students determined that the hot water caused the ice cube to melt the fastest. They are becoming quite the little scientists!!

Chemical Changes

Today we looked at chemical changes and how they are affected by temperature. I modeled 2 chemical changes first: a candle being burned that gave off heat and light and then a chemical reaction that caused gas bubbles. We then did a little reading and learned that chemical changes are when a new type of matter is formed and you cannot change it back to its original matter. Some examples we listed were: burning, cooking, baking, eating, rusting, rotting/molding. There is evidence that lets us know that a chemical change has taken place--gives off heat and light, a change in color, a new smell, and a formation of a solid (like the yummy cake we made). Students did GREAT!!! They were able to tell me what a chemical change was and some examples. For the end, we made a chocolate cake. Baking the cake and eating the cake were both a chemical change.

For our experiment that we did today, we put fizzy tablets into water and observed the chemical change. Students got a real kick out wearing the glasses! Some told me that they really felt like scientists today!!

How does temperature affect physical change?

Wednesday we did an investigation where we were looking at temperature and how it can affect a physical change. We put ice cubes in a sandwich bag with a thermometer. Students took the initial temperature, and then 5-10-15. We were observing the ice cube melting (the physical change) and seeing that heat caused it.

Matter Matters!!

We are starting to wrap up our matter unit and I wanted to share what we have done so far. Our students have been working so hard and I could not be more proud!

Here are some of the charts we have made:

Nature of Science

Hello all!!I wanted to post some charts from our Nature of Science benchmarks. We did these in the beginning of the year....but these benchmarks will be embedded in all of our lessons this year!

Matter!

Here are a few journal entries from matter so far! 

How does the temperature differ with the 3 states I matter?

We have been working on matter recently and have learned what properties we can use to compare solids, liquids, and gases. We can use color, texture, shape, solubility, temperature, volume, and mass. Today we focused on temperature.

We tested the temperature of water vapor (gas) together and found that it was the highest temperature. On their own, they found the temperature of water (liquid) and ice (solid). They determine the the ice had the coolest temperature and the water was in the middle. They are doing great. We are really working on they "why's" and "how's" of science.