Saint Andrews Discovery : (FIRST YEAR) Solids, Liquids, Gases, AND Chemical Reactions (for fun!)

For our last, full week of Discovery, we discussed three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. We used the example of ice (solid), water (liquid), and water vapor (gas). We discussed that solids have a specific shape and size. The children named many examples of solids in the world around them. Then we discussed that liquids have a specific volume (the space they take up) but not a specific shape - because they take the shape of whatever is holding them. We talked about water, juice, milk, gasoline, blood, and other examples of liquids. We talked about gases and that was a more complicated topic. I explained that gases doesn't have a defined shape OR volume but fill the space they have like air, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and helium.

To demonstrate the presence of a gas (despite not being able to see the actual gas), I blew up a balloon and explained that there is carbon dioxide in the balloon, stretching the fabric of the balloon and making it big! I also did a demonstration creating a chemical reaction (where two substance mix and create a change, in this case - a gas is formed) when I mixed vinegar (our liquid) and baking soda (our solid, powdery but still a solid) to create carbon dioxide (our gas) in a balloon. The kids loved seeing this demonstration!!