2. CHANGES IN MATTER
Elementary Benchmark 1 "Describe common physical changes in matter - size, shape, melting, freezing (K-2), dissolving, evaporating(3-5)."
- BillNye.com: Home Demos - Changes in Matter (IV.2.E.1) New
- A student activity that demonstrates and discusses why an egg floats in salt water while sinking in fresh water. Involves weighing and comparing a given volume of fresh and salt water. Suitable for all elementary levels.
- Brain Pop - States of Matter - Changes in Matter (IV.2.E.1)
- Students can view a movie and/or take an interactive quiz on States of Matter.
- Science Bob Experiments: Rock Candy - Changes in Matter (IV.2.E.1) New
- An activity/experiment that dissolves sugar in hot water and forms edible crystals on a paper clip. Includes discussion of saturated solutions and precipitation. Requires adult supervision because of hot water.
- Stella's Action Lab - Changes in Matter (IV.2.E.1) New
- Outstanding - Students have an opportunity to experiment with various solutes and solvents. They can also see if heat or agitation will affect the experiment. Don't blow up the lab!
Benchmark 2 "Prepare mixtures and separate them into their component parts."
- Nebraska Earth Science Education Network - Changes in Matter (IV.2.E.2) New
- An eighth grade student activity for filtering "polluted" water that could be adapted or perhaps used as is for upper elementary students.
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Middle School
Benchmark 1 "Describe common physical changes in matter: evaporation, condensation, sublimation, thermal expansion, and contraction."
- Greenhouse Effect - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.1&4)
- This site contains a student activity about climate change and relates it to the greenhouse effect.
- Whelmer #21: Balloon Vacuum - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.1)
- An activity that demonstrates for the students the expansion and contraction of gases while showing them the changes in the states of matter.
Benchmark 2 "Describe common chemical changes in terms of properties of reactants and products."
- Dancing Raisins - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.2) New
- This site shows how students can create dancing raisins by adding mothballs, vinegar, and baking soda to a glass of water. There are illustrations to help students follow the activity instructions.
- Eighth Grade Science-Chemical Properties - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.2) New
- This site has information and activities about chemical properties and how chemical reactions can change one type of matter into a different substance. There are some animations and links to other areas of science.
- The Carbon Cycle - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.2) New
- Take a journey with Captain Carbon, looking at the traditional and scientific side of the carbon cycle. Processes such as photosynthesis, digestion and combustion can be explored. Students will learn that carbon recycles and that their daily lives are an integral part of the carbon cycle.
- General Chemistry Online - Water Into Wine - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.2) New
- This is an activity where students learn the secrets of magicians who can "transform" water into wine by changing it's color with phenolphthalein to induce a chemical change in the water and change the color to a deep red. The site explains what compounds are needed and the science behind it.
- Ideas for Your Classroom: Acid/Base Demonstration Skits - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.2)
- This acid/base activity covers chemistry concepts and adds a touch of Language Arts with a student skit that uses the chemistry concepts. Good activity if you like to have some student envolvement past the science concepts. The skits use familiar demonstrations in a clever and engaging way! The activities are developed by ICE (Institute for Chemical Education) at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
- Physical Science Activity Manual - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.2)
- Cooperative group activity to see who can make Alka Seltzer react the fastest. Choose "Factors Affecting Rates of Reaction" from the list.
- WonderNet - Chemical Reactions - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.2) New
- This site has several chemical reaction activities for students. Lose the Indicator Blues, A Gas Sudstation and Heat Up to some Cool Reactions are the three current choices. Each reaction activity has a list of items that are needed and step by step instructions with illustrations to make it easy to follow.
Benchmark 3 "Explain physical changes in terms of the arrangement and motion of atoms and molecules."
- Atoms: Bonding - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.3)
- This site describes the how and whys of the bonding process. The text is large and clear. Students will be aided by large color line drawings which have been included to illustrate the process being described. At the end of the text students are invited to click an "Atomic Pop Quiz" on what they have just read. After answers have been submitted to the site, the correct answers are displayed.
Benchmark 4 "Describe common energy transformations in everyday situations."
- Energy Conversions - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.4)
- This site contains general information about energy conversions. It gives examples of the most important forms of energy and gives some examples of objects that convert one form of energy into another (e.g. electric power plant, automobile engine).
- Greenhouse Effect - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.1&4)
- This site contains a student activity about climate change and relates it to the greenhouse effect.
- Renewable Resources in the U.S. Electricity Supply - Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.4)
- This would be a good site for student reports on renewable resources used for electricity production. This site provides general information.
- IPPEX: Interactive: Energy and Magnetism -Changes in Matter (IV.2.MS.4)
- This interactive student activity introduces the basic concepts of electricity and magnetism. Shockwave must be installed on the browser. It can be downloaded from the Macromedia Web site.
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High School
- Benchmark 1 "Explain chemical changes in terms of breaking of bonds and the rearrangement of atoms to form new substances."
- Atoms, Molecules and Chemical Reactions - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.1)
- This site gives a good understanding of the three states of matter with vocabulary referring to atoms and molecules, and gives information on chemical reactions. Also includes an interactive quiz at the end. A download is required for some interaction.
- Chem 4 Kids - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.1)
- Excellent site for beginning students and review of chemistry (reactions, states of matter, elements, units, etc...). There is a quiz and a few other student interactions.
- Chem Web Online Introduction to Chemistry - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.1)
- There are a variety of activities for the students to do as well as some labs that teachers can set up for the students to do.
- Physical & Chemical Properties - Physical Science Activity Manual -Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.1)
- The first section of this hands-on activity enables students to distinguish between chemical & physical properties. The concept extension enables students to identify chemical and physical changes.
Benchmark 2 "Explain why mass is conserved in physical and chemical changes."
- Conservation - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.2)
- This site describes what conservation of energy is all about, in detail, and it has links to other helpful sites.
- Benchmark 3 "Contrast nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, and natural radioactivity."
- Nuclear Fusion - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.3)
- This site goes into detail about nuclear fusion, and it explains it very well.
- Nuclear Reactions - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.3)
- This describes and shows you the equations necessary for nuclear reactions, including fusion,fission, and chain reactions.
- Nuclear Energy - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.2) New
- Describes fission and fusion with a link to an animation. A VRML plug-in is needed to view the animation.
- Benchmark 4 "Describe energy transformations involved in physical, chemical, and nuclear changes, and contrast their relative magnitudes."
- A Quick Virtual Nuclear Power Plant Tour - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.4)
- This would be a good site for students who are doing a report or need more information about nuclear power plants. There is information comparing nuclear power plants to other types of power plants as far as producing electricity and production of waste.
- Energy - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.4)
- This is an interactive site with a lot of information about kinetic and potential energy and how, together, they can form other types of energy. It includes a game and self quiz.
- Energy Hotlist - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.4)
- Excellent site for students needing information for reports and/or supplemental/review information on solar power and uses of solar power.
- Energy Word Guess Game - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.4) New
- Guess vocabulary used with the study of energy.
- Recycling - Physical Science Activity Manual - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.4)
- In this hands-on experience students will collect trash for a day, estimate the volume of trash collected and separate into non-recyclable & recyclable products. Students will identify plastics. Extension includes to decompose or not to decompose.
- Renewable Resources in the U.S. Electricity Supply - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.4)
- This would be a good site for student reports on renewable resources used for electricity production. This site provides general information.
Benchmark 5 "Explain changes in matter and energy involving heat transfer."
- Greenhouse Effect - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.5)
- Science project to show the greenhouse effect - energy transformation from sun to water.
- Heat and Temperature - Changes in Matter (IV.2.HS.5) New
- Discusses heat transfer with animations on the motion of gas molecules, relation to kinetic energy and more links.