Investigating Solids and Liquids

How do you explain the STATES OF MATTER to a kindergarten child?  Understanding about mass, density, and volume seems complicated for a 5-6 year old.  As young scientists, we began to investigate what it means to be a solid or a liquid. Through a variety of hands-on investigations with familiar objects the children discovered:

• SOLIDS have a definite shape
• LIQUIDS take the shape of their container

 

Brain Pop Jr.  helped to explain the criteria of a solid and a liquid.  ( They also explained the characteristics for the form of matter called a gas). 

We used our bodies to mimic solids and liquids. 

Everyone stood close together, in a shape to form a solid.  The children observed how they could move together as one.

To illustrate what it is like to be a liquid, we spread out, being sure not to touch one another. We took turns walking through the open spaces between the children as they stood or sat on the carpet.  It was easy for the children to see the difference in the shapes.

"Let's pretend we are a puddle."

Changing states of matter- Kindergarten style

Predicting which snowball will melt the fastest when we bring them into the classroom.

We learned that it was important WHERE we put them in the room.

• The children decided to put the smallest on top of a shelf.
• The medium sized snowball was left on a classroom table
• The largest stayed in the blue bin and was placed on top of the blower for the heater.

• \
  
  
  

"Mrs. Kilcommins, the snowball is melting.  It is going to spill on the floor."

We quickly discovered that we should put the foil container on a tray to catch any spilled water from the melted snowball.

The prediction was that the largest one near the heater would melt fastest because it was on the heat.  

What they discovered was that the smallest one was the first snowball to melt completely even though it was not near the heat.

Making a SNOWMAN IN A CUP. (creating a solid and changing it's shape)

Using a fun new dough called MAD MATTER.  Mad Matter allows children to mold it, stretch it, and roll it.  The children noticed the changes in texture as they explored.  

"It's fluffy"

"I made a bowl"

 

" Look, I can cut it."