This week we learned that gases are real matter. Air is a mix of gases all around us. We cannot see air, but we can feel it and trap it. Air fills balloons, tires, and bubbles. It even filled the cup we pushed under water!
Gases have special properties. They do not have their own shape. They spread out to fill any container. They can be squeezed into small spaces, like air in a bike tire. They can also push on things, like the gas that blew up our balloon.
Air matters to all living things. People and animals breathe air to live. Plants use a gas from the air to make their food. Next quarter, we will learn all about plants and what they need!
1. What is air made of?
2. Name two things that are filled with air.
3. What do plants use from the air?
4. Describe two properties of gases from this week.
Write what each word means. Try not to look back!
Fill in each box to show what you know about air.
| Question About Air | My Answer |
|---|---|
| Can we see air? | |
| How do we know air is real? | |
| Does air take up space? | |
| What shape does air have? | |
| Who needs air to live? |
Match the event to the gas property. Write the letter on the line.
| Event | Property Letter |
|---|---|
| A balloon gets bigger as you blow into it | |
| You smell cookies from another room | |
| A bike pump squeezes air into a tire | |
| Wind pushes a sailboat across a lake |
Properties: A = Gas takes up space B = Gas spreads out C = Gas can be squeezed D = Gas can push things
1. Air is not matter because we cannot see it.
2. A gas spreads out to fill its container.
3. Baking soda and vinegar make a gas.
4. Trapped air kept our paper towel dry.
5. Gases cannot push on anything.
6. People and animals need air to live.
Challenge: Air is invisible and always escaping. Design a way to catch some air! Draw your air-catching invention and label its parts.
How does your invention catch the air?
How could someone prove there is air inside it?
1. What was your favorite thing you learned about gases?
2. Tell a family member one fact about air. Which fact did you share?
| I can... | Yes! | Almost | Not Yet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explain that air is matter | |||
| Prove that gases take up space | |||
| Name the three states of matter | |||
| Describe two properties of gases |
Next week: States of Matter Review and Testing. Great job finishing the gases unit!