Sap to Syrup: States of Matter and Heat

Explore what form of energy transforms maple sap into maple syrup, then maple candy!
Video Introduction: Sap in the Sugar Maple Tree
Book: Sugaring Time by Kathryn Lasky
Resources to explain the process: Word Playhouse
Maple Sugar Tree Identification sheet: Ohio Thoughts Blog

Recording sheets about Heat and the States of Matter: click here 
- Students label the states of matter for each stage of the maple syrup process. Then, they identify heat as being the form of energy that changes maple sap into syrup, then maple candy.
- Maple Taffy Experiment with snow, students record the results of the experiment.
- Checklist if students go on a maple sugaring field trip

Recipe for maple candy: All Recipes
Recipe for Maple Taffy for the Freezing Experiment - The Kitchn

Season: End of February / Beginning of March

Bubble Gum Exploration

Cross-curricular learning with bubble gum:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MNYQ30GsdJD1oSyImNqL73bFqz-HYGfS/view?usp=sharing

Math:
Graphing - Who can blow a bubble?
3D Solids - Comparing gum shapes
Measuring - Pre-chewed vs. chewed (stretched) vs. blowed bubble on wax paper
Mean, Median, Mode and Range (optional) - Using data for measuring
Area/Perimeter - Gum wrapper design (and real gum wrappers - optional)

Science:
States of Matter - Investigating the process of bubble blowing / physical changes of gum chewed and placed in ice water

English Language Arts:
Writing - How-to blow a bubble / Recipe for new flavor / Math word problem

Social Studies:
Economics - Cost of their gum
History - Inventor Research

Design:
Logo & Packaging - Design for their new flavor of gum

Supercooling Water

Matter: Can water remain a liquid below its normal freezing point 0°C (32°F), then crystallize on command (solid)?! Click here for the scientific explanation behind supercooling and snap freezing! Weather: Learn about supercooled water droplets in clouds here and how this experiment relates to freezing rain!



Turn this experiment into a delicious treat! Check out Grant Thompson's video tutorial: Self Freezing Soda!

FOAM Math

This math experiment comes from Growing in 5th Grade! Kids compare the suds created by different dish soaps. They add 1/2 cup water and 2 drops of soap to a water bottle and shake! Then, they measure the height of the suds! Which soap created the most suds?! Is this a physical or chemical change?!

Science - Go With The Flow! (laminar flow)
Visit Exploratorium to explore water patterns (turbulence) created by shaking dish soap, water, and a drop of food coloring!

Lava in a Cup

First, add 3 inches of water to a cup. Next, pour 1/3 cup oil on top. Then, squirt 1 drop of food coloring. What happened?! The food coloring drop will sit on top of the oil. Grab a salt shaker and start sprinkling to get a reaction! Magically, "lava" will drizzle down and fill the cup! Watch closely and blobs will appear and shoot up to the top of the glass (salt dissolves and heads back to the surface). For the scientific explanation, check out Exploratorium Salt Volcano! For more blob activity pour a tsp of salt in (Science Bob).

Root Beer Float Science

Investigate the 3 states of matter with a tasty treat! Click here for the printable.
(Kids draw the ice cream, root beer, and foam in the mug. Then, they label: solid, liquid, or gas)

Speed Boat Chemical Reaction!

Create a chemical reaction to make a boat go from ZOOM! Similar to Bag Bomb, this experiment explores the three states of matter. Kids mix baking soda and vinegar to create CO2 to make their soda bottle boat zoom!

materials: 
empty soda bottle
toilet paper
baking soda
vinegar
marbles (or another object to weigh the boat down)
thumbtack or x-acto blade
a large tub of water

1. First, put marbles in the bottle and test it in water. You want the boat to be submerged.
2. Take the boat out of water. Make a hole in the bottle cap for air to seep out (using x-acto or tack). The hole should be submerged in water (when you place the bottle in the water).
Same instructions as Bag Bomb:
3. Pull off a strip of toilet paper (three sheets connected) and pour baking soda on the strip.
4. Fold and form a pocket to hold the baking soda (or roll it)
5. Add vinegar (1/4 of the soda bottle)
6. Drop the baking soda pocket in the bottle
7. Fast: Put cap on and quickly place in water!

FIZZ bombs

Explore the three states of matter by creating fizz bombs! Fizz bombs (aka bath bombs) are solid. You drop them in a bowl of water (liquid) and produce a bubbly, fizzing reaction (gas)! I, personally, wouldn't take a bath with one, but it makes a fantastic science experiment. The recipe comes from the Fitness Guru (click here for more detailed instructions).

materials:
1 cup citric acid
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup light canola oil
1/2 cup cornstarch
food coloring (optional)

1. mix dry ingredients
2. mix oil and food coloring in separate container
3. add wet to dry ingredients
4. find a mold to shape them (the fitness guru suggests plastic eggs)

Once dry, drop them in water - solid, liquid, gas!

Keep It Cool!

This experiment comes from Zoom! Kids are divided up into groups. Each group gets two ice cubes and two paper or plastic bowls to hold the cubes. They create a cube container for one of their ice cubes. The other cube will be exposed to the sunlight with no protection.

Cube Container: Kids use their creativity and construct some type of container that will keep their ice cube from melting in the hot sun. Who's cube will last the longest?! Compare the ice cubes that had no protection to the cubes that were placed in cube containers. Is there a difference?

materials:

2 bowls (for each cube to sit in)

1 shoebox

wax paper

foil

newspaper

masking tape

rubberbands

free choice - kids come up with a material they think will work!

Also, check out Popsicle Preservation!

Rocket Pinwheel

Explore Newton's Third Law of Motion by constructing a rocket pinwheel! Checkout this video from Monkey See Monkey Do here for complete instructions and the explanation behind this experiment!

materials: balloon, pencil, bendy straw, tape, and needle

Wind Powered Balloon Squid

Explore the power of air and wind energy by constructing a balloon squid to play with in the pool! Estimate the distance you think your squid can swim. Then, measure the actual distance he travelled. Build more than one and have a balloon squid race! Click here for how to instructions from Monkey See Monkey Do!

materials: balloon, snap top from water bottle, ribbon, sharpie

Click here to learn how to make an air powered balloon boat!

Matter Race

Give each child a sandwich baggie with an ice cube in it. Kids race to melt the ice cube in the bag, transforming their solid into a liquid. Once they have a liquid, the teacher adds a piece of an alka seltzer tablet to their bag - presto: gas (their bag will expand and the contents in their bag will fizz and bubble)! Math - Estimate how long they think it will take them to melt their cube.

Above is a recording sheet for students to use as they are melting their ice cube. Click here to download! Click here for a checklist to assess your students. Also, check out Bag Bomb!

Artful Science

Fun art projects aren't just for preschoolers! The activities featured below all relate to the common core. Plus, kids can take their science experiment home to hang on the fridge!

1. Explore force, energy, and motion with artful physics!

Featured Above:

Inclined Plane Painting (Ramps) - BIA SFClubhouse

Marbles in Motion (Gravity, Energy, Inclined Plane) - Harris County Public Library 

Snap Art (Force, Potential vs. Kinetic Energy) - Capital B

2. Learn about solids, liquids, and gases with artful matter! 

Featured Above (From left to right):

Liquids to Solids 
1. Color Changing Glue Art - School at St. George Place
2. Plastic Milk - Science Bob
3. Colored Glue Drawings - Art with Mrs. Smith

Solids to Liquids

1. Paint with watercolor and watch a solid transform into a liquid!

2. Ice Cube Painting - CertaPro

Air, It's There!

1. Straw Blowing Art - Robert Burridge and Kaplan (pictured)

2. Bubble Prints - Family Fun

Liquids and Solids

1. Magic Salt Painting - Spoonful

Liquid Bliss

Paper Towel Fusion (not pictured) - Sprout 'n' Wings

More Artful Science
Play with precipitation: Water Cycle Rain Art - Terra Savvy
Explore Magnetism with Magnetic Art - BIA SFClubhouse

Magnetism

Featured Above:
1. Electromagnet and many more experiments with magnetism - Steve Spangler
2. Magnetism and Matter - Learning Ideas K-8 (magnet tested with a solid, liquid, and gas)
3. Magnetic Needle (Compass) - Arvind Gupta. Also, check out other magnetism experiments by Arvind Gupta here! 
4. Magnetic Money - Primer
5. Hanging Compass - LooLeDo (featured above) and Education
6. Magnetic Skeleton - Arvind Gupta
7. Magnetic Cereal - Steve Spangler

More! :
8. Basic Floating Compass - how stuff works and Steve Spangler
9. Magnetism Workbox - lots of cool experiments for kids from Karmamatopoeia
10. Magnetic Thinking Putty
11. Paint with magnets - from BIA SFClubhouse

Balloon Science

1. Balloon Gobbler - will a bigger balloon steal air away from a smaller one? - All for Kids (Jameson's Lab - definitely a site to bookmark!)
2. Balloon Rocket Race - who has the fastest balloon? - E is for Explore

3. Balloon Surfing - catch a wave on air! How many people can stand and balance on balloons without making them pop! - ABC.Net

4. Bottle Balloon - can you blow up a balloon in a bottle? It's harder than it looks! - Weird Science Kids

5. Thermal Energy and Balloons - hot air takes up more space - Andy Brain

other balloon experiments:

Balloon Balance

Balloon Car

Balloon Greenhouse

Balloon Skewer

Balloon Water Conductivity

Balloon Fizz Inflator

Pop Rocks, Soda, and a Balloon!

Yeast Air Balloon
Balloon Spinner Toy

Balloons and Static Electricity

Screaming Balloon
Water Balloon in a Bottle
Water Balloon Skydiving

Citrus Reaction: Natural Soda

Pour 2/3 of a glass of orange juice. Add 1 tsp of baking soda. Orange juice will bubble and fizz right before your eyes! Try this experiment out on other juices. The acid in OJ creates a citrus reaction with baking soda, releasing CO2. Apparently this mixture is good for your skin too. ;) I tasted it and it had a very unique flavor, not as good as sugary Sunkist! Visit Sunkist for more orange experiments! Visit Zoom for instructions on how to make Lemon Juice Rockets!

Play-Doh Math and Science

Have fun with play-doh while learning math and science!

States of Matter
First, make a hypothesis and a prediction, will the volume or weight of play-doh change after it is played with? Ask kids what state of matter does play-doh belong to? Is it a solid, liquid, or gas? If play-doh is smushed, is that an example of a chemical or physical change in matter? Explanation - Changing the shape and form is an example of a physical change in matter. Play-doh can take on many forms and return back to its original form.

Geometry
1. Take play-doh out of the canister and keep it in its cylinder shape. Now, find the radius of your circular base. Then, measure the height of your cylinder.
2. Figure out the volume! 
3. Have fun with your play-doh, mush, smash, roll, and bend it for at least 10 minutes.
4. After playing with it, return it back to its original state by putting it back into its container.
5. Once it's a cylinder again, take its measurements and find the volume. What happened? Is the volume still the same?

Experiment with finding the volume of various 3D play-doh solids (cubes, rectangular prisms, etc.). Visit UEN or Science Buddies for instructions.

Weight for younger kids
Weigh play-doh before and after playing with it. Did the weight of the play-doh change? Weigh the play-doh in a variety of shapes and irregular forms. Does shape make a difference in weight? 

More Math Activities
1. Measure the length and width of play-doh straight out of the canister. Create play-doh shapes and sculptures and measure. Compare your measurements to the dough straight from the canister. See who can make the longest piece of play-doh using only one canister of dough. Combine your play-doh snake and measure!
2. Use play-doh on ten frames. Kids pinch off pieces and roll pieces into balls to represent numbers on a ten frame. 

More Play-Doh Science: 
1. Make an electrical circuit with play-doh, while learning about insulators and conductors! 
2. Visit Andy Brain for a play-doh buoyancy activity!

Popsicle Preservation

Can you keep a popsicle preserved from the sun's radiant energy? Kids test out a variety of insulators to see what type of material will preserve a popsicle the best, preventing the transformation of solar energy to thermal energy! Kids work in teams using aluminum foil, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, paper towels, newspaper, as well as a variety of other items to construct insulators. Then, they put their protected popsicles out in the sun. Along with the insulated popsicles, put one uninsulated, unwrapped popsicle outside as well. Who's popsicle can withstand the heat? As soon as the uninsulated popsicle melts, check your protected popsicles. Then, record your findings.

Air Submarine

Can you keep a piece of paper dry if submerged in water? The power of air can! Crumple a piece of paper into a ball, wedge it tight inside of a cup, turn the cup upside down, and submerge it straight down into a pool of water. Lift the cup straight up, the paper remains dry! This is a great experiment to teach kids about air pressure and also when introducing gas as one of the states of matter. Even though we can't see air, it's there! 

Magic Rising Water

Demonstrate air pressure with this magical tabletop experiment from Steve Spangler. Pour 9 oz. of water (food coloring optional) into a shallow dish. Place a candle in the center of the dish and light it. Put a glass over the candle and watch water rise right before your eyes! What's happening? The flame heated up the air trapped in the glass, causing the flame to go out. Once the flame goes out, everything cools down. The cool air (gas) acts as a "vacuum," causing the water to rise! Once you lift the glass up, the water falls back into place. Besides air, talk to students about thermal energy. Is the glass an insulator or a conductor of heat?