Solids and Liquids

Last month, we began our first CA FOSS science unit of the year: Solids and Liquids.  The goal of this unit is for students to...

• Develop curiosity and interest in the objects that make up their world.
• Investigate materials constructively during free exploration and in a guided discovery mode.
• Recognize differences between solids, liquids, and gases.
• Explore a number of liquids.
• Observe and describe the properties of solids and liquids.
• Sort materials according to properties.
• Observe and describe what happens when solids are mixed with water.
• Observe and describe what happens when other liquids are mixed with water.
• Observe and describe what happens when materials are mixed, cooled, and heated.
• Use information gathered to conduct an investigation on an unknown material and make new observations when discrepancies exist between descriptions.
• Record observations and data with pictures, numbers, and words.

Descriptions of goals taken from http://www.fossweb.com/CA/modulesK-2/SolidsandLiquids/index.html

You can support your child's learning at home by pointing out various solids and liquids around the house.  Cooking provides many wonderful opportunities for students to see different forms of matter and how they interact.

Here are some of the objects that students used to explore the different properties of solids.

 Here are the various liquids students used to make discoveries about liquids and their properties.

Here are some of the properties of solids that were discussed.

We are continuing our investigations.  Check back in a few weeks to see the results of an investigation in which we examine a mystery material and decide if it is a solid or a liquid!