Everything around you is made of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space. Your book is matter. Water is matter. Even the air you breathe is matter!
Matter comes in three main states. A solid keeps its own shape. A rock is a solid. A liquid flows and takes the shape of its container. Milk is a liquid. A gas spreads out to fill all the space it can. The air in a balloon is a gas.
You can sort matter by its state. Look at an ice cube. It is hard and keeps its shape, so it is a solid. Pour some juice. It flows, so it is a liquid. Blow up a balloon. The air spreads out inside, so it is a gas.
This week you will hunt for solids, liquids, and gases. They are everywhere!
1. What is matter?
2. Which state of matter keeps its own shape?
3. What does a liquid do when you pour it into a cup?
4. How is a gas different from a solid?
Write what each word means in your own words.
Write "solid," "liquid," or "gas" next to each household item.
| Item | State of matter |
|---|---|
| Wooden spoon | |
| Orange juice | |
| Air in a soccer ball | |
| Ice cube | |
| Shampoo | |
| Steam from a kettle |
Write T for true or F for false in each circle.
Draw a solid, a liquid, and a gas. Label each one.
| Question | Solid | Liquid | Gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keeps its own shape? | |||
| Can you pour it? | |||
| Spreads out to fill space? |
1. Everything around you is made of ______________ .
2. A ______________ keeps its own shape.
3. A ______________ flows and takes the shape of its container.
4. A ______________ spreads out to fill all the space it can.
5. Matter is anything that takes up ______________ .
6. When you pour juice into a cup, it takes the cup's ______________ .
Walk around your home with a grown-up. Find two solids, two liquids, and one gas. Write them in the table below.
| State | Item 1 | Item 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Solid | ||
| Liquid | ||
| Gas | (just one is fine!) |
You will blow up balloons to trap a gas. You will pour liquids and stack solids. Find some balloons before Wednesday!
| I learned... | Circle one |
|---|---|
| What matter is | YES / NOT YET |
| The three states of matter | YES / NOT YET |
| How to sort items by state | YES / NOT YET |