50 ideas to teach students about States of Matter

Ben Newsome CF Author

Help students understand States of Matter with these student project ideas for your classroom.

Below are 50 lesson ideas that will help form a vibrant teaching sequence that kids will love!

DIY Solids, Liquids, Gases Chart
Students can create a large chart with different sections for solids, liquids, and gases, adding examples to each section and characteristics that define each state. This project allows them to apply their understanding of the properties of each state of matter.
Ice Melting Experiment
This experiment involves observing and documenting the transformation of water from a solid state to a liquid state. Students can use a timer to record how long it takes for ice to melt at room temperature, outdoors, and in a warm water bath.
Water Evaporation
Investigation Students can put a small amount of water in a shallow dish and mark the water level. They then observe and record changes over several days to understand the process of evaporation.
Balloon Expansion
Students can learn about gases by inflating balloons and placing them in different temperatures. They can observe how the balloon expands or contracts, thus understanding the properties of gases.
Sublimation Demonstration
Teachers can demonstrate sublimation using dry ice. Students can see the dry ice turn directly from a solid to a gas, skipping the liquid state.
The Magic of Oobleck
Mix cornflour with water to make a non-Newtonian fluid that acts like a solid when you punch it but flows like a liquid when you pour it.
DIY Lava Lamp
Students can make a homemade lava lamp using vegetable oil, water, food colouring, and an effervescent tablet to learn about liquid density and chemical reactions.
Marshmallow Molecules
Using marshmallows and toothpicks, students can create models of molecules, seeing how atoms bond together in different states of matter.
Evaporation Art
Students can create artwork with washable markers on filter paper. Then, by dripping water on the paper, they can see how water can move and take the colours with it through evaporation.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Balloon Experiment
In this experiment, students mix baking soda and vinegar to produce carbon dioxide, inflating a balloon and demonstrating gas production.
Ice Cube Challenge
This challenge requires students to think about the quickest way to melt an ice cube without using any form of heat.
States of Matter Skit
Students can create a skit or a role-play showing the transformation of matter from one state to another.
Animated States of Matter
Using animation software, students can create short animations explaining the states of matter.
Making Butter
Students can make butter from cream to understand the process of a liquid turning into a solid.
Matter Hunt
In this activity, students look for items around the school or home and categorize them as solid, liquid, or gas.
Matter in Cooking
Students can explore the role of different states of matter in cooking and baking, seeing how heat changes matter. Be sure to follow school safety procedures on heat.
Melting Chocolate Experiment
Students can conduct an experiment to see how different types of chocolate melt at different temperatures.
Podcast on States of Matter
Students can create a podcast episode, explaining the states of matter in their own words and discussing their favourite experiments.
States of Matter Collage
Students can cut out pictures from magazines and make a collage of different states of matter.
Popcorn Science
By popping corn, students can see how heat causes water to turn into steam, leading to the popcorn 'pop.' Be sure to follow school safety procedures on heat.
Matter Charades
Students can play a game of charades, acting out different processes that involve changing states of matter, like evaporating, melting, freezing, etc.
Comparing Solids and Liquids
Students can be given various objects and tasked with identifying which are solids and which are liquids based on their properties.
Simulation Software
Teachers can use simulation software like PhET Interactive Simulations to help students visualize the particles in different states of matter.
Matter Sorting Game
This is a game where students sort different objects into categories of solid, liquid, or gas.
Temperature and States of Matter
Students can explore the relationship between temperature and states of matter, learning about the concepts of boiling point and freezing point.
States of Matter Jigsaw Puzzles
Students can create jigsaw puzzles where each piece has a state of matter fact or image. The puzzles can then be traded and solved amongst peers.
Liquid Race
Students can race different liquids down a slope to see which one is the most viscous.
Research on Unusual States of Matter
Students can research and create presentations on less-known states of matter, like plasma and Bose-Einstein condensates.
Lego Models of Matter
Using Lego blocks, students can build models representing the particle arrangement in solids, liquids, and gases.
Matter Mystery Boxes
Fill boxes with different states of matter, and students must guess what's inside based on their observations.
Physical Changes vs Chemical Changes
Students can learn about physical and chemical changes, conducting experiments that illustrate the difference.
Making Slime
Students can make slime to explore non-Newtonian fluids, which have properties of both solids and liquids.
States of Matter
Flipbook Students can create a flipbook showing the transition of matter from one state to another.
Layered Liquids
Students can create a layered liquid tower to explore the concept of density.
Exploring Matter with Magnets
Students can investigate how different states of matter react to magnets.
Condensation Investigation
Students can learn about condensation by placing a cold can of drink in a warm room and observing the process.
Modelling States of Matter with Clay
Students can use clay to model how particles look in different states of matter.
Learning about States of Matter through STEM Professionals
Invite a local scientist or engineer to discuss how they use the concepts of states of matter in their work.
States of Matter Quiz
A fun and engaging way to revise the topic is by conducting a quiz based on states of matter using Kahoot or similar.
Absorption Experiment
Using sponges and other materials, students can explore the process of absorption.
Research on Matter in Space
Students can research how the states of matter exist or behave differently in space.
Exploring Matter through Music
Compose a song or a rap about the states of matter.
States of Matter Mobile
Students can create a hanging mobile that shows the three states of matter and the processes of change between them.
Dissolving Solids in Liquids
Students can investigate how different solids dissolve in water and the factors that affect the rate of dissolving.
Matter Movement Game
A fun physical game that mimics musical chairs, where students act as particles in different states of matter and move around in ways that reflect those states.
States of Matter Display Board
Students can design a display board explaining the states of matter, including definitions, diagrams, and examples.
Matter Experiments Logbook
Students can maintain a logbook documenting all the experiments they've done related to states of matter, including observations and conclusions.
Freezing Point Depression Experiment
Students can explore the concept of freezing point depression, such as make ice-cream.
Industrial uses of states of matter
Research the different uses of states of matters in industry
Artistic uses of states of matter
How have artists used different states of matter over the years?

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Happy teaching,

Ben Newsome CF FRSA

Categories: : Chemistry

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