You cannot see air, but it is real matter! When you blow up a balloon, you trap gas inside. The gas spreads out and pushes on the balloon. That is why the balloon gets big and round.
Liquids and solids act differently. You can pour a liquid from cup to cup. It flows and changes shape. You cannot pour a block! Solids keep their shape. That is why you can stack blocks into a tower.
Today you will visit three stations. At each station, you will watch matter in action. You will see how each state behaves.
1. What is trapped inside a balloon when you blow it up?
2. Why can you stack blocks but not water?
3. How do you know air is real matter?
Ask a grown-up to help blow up balloons. Keep balloons away from your mouth when not blowing. Pour liquids over a tray or sink. Wipe up spills right away.
Station 1 — Gas: Blow up a balloon. Watch it grow. Let a little air out on your hand. Feel the gas escape!
Station 2 — Liquid: Pour water between two different cups. Watch the water change shape each time.
Station 3 — Solid: Stack blocks or boxes into a tower. Notice how each one keeps its shape.
Write or draw what you observed at each station.
| Station | What I did | What I observed |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Balloon (gas) | ||
| 2. Pouring (liquid) | ||
| 3. Stacking (solid) |
Gather these items if you can. Write the state of each one.
| Item | Solid, liquid, or gas? | How do you know? |
|---|---|---|
| Crayon | ||
| Water in a cup | ||
| Air in a balloon | ||
| Coin | ||
| Honey |
Draw your balloon, your pouring cups, and your block tower.
1. What happened when you let air out of the balloon?
2. How did the water change when you poured it into a new cup?
Draw a silly machine that uses all three states of matter. Maybe it pours a liquid, blows a gas, and drops a solid! Label each state.
Write today's date in your journal. Write one sentence about each station. Circle the station that was the most fun.
At bath time, find all three states of matter. The tub is solid. The water is liquid. The bubbles hold gas!