Fiction and non-fiction titles compiled by our developers
Annotated lists of child-friendly and teacher-friendly websites to deepen content knowledge or conduct further research.
Documents for Science Companion users to print for their classrooms.
Suggestions for organizing and managing materials.
The following is a list of recommended books that provide a wide range of reading and research resources for this unit. Collect as many as you can for your classroom science library, or provide the list to your school or local public librarian.
If you have a budget for purchasing books, consider the following titles to supplement the Solids, Liquids, and Gases Module:
Ben Morgan. (2003, Blackbirch Press)
Written for elementary-age students, these three reference books offer clear, color photographs and straightforward text. For solids, liquids, and gases, respectively, each book provides a definition and description, different examples, and an explanation of how materials change between states.
Darlene Stille; illustrated by Sheree Boyd. (2004, Picture Window Books)
Full of colorful illustrations, this book does a great job discussing the properties of all matter, and matter in its three states.
The Ontario Science Centre; photographs by Ray Boudreau. (1998, Kids Can Press)
Thirteen demonstrations help students explore the properties of the three common states of matter. A "What’s Happening?" section explains the science underlying each investigation. A section for parents and teachers extends the activities described in the book.
Kathleen Wiedner Zoehfeld; illustrated by Paul Meisel. (1998, HarperTrophy)
This beginning reader introduces children to the differences between solids, liquids, and gases with examples from everyday life.
The Leveled Readers collection is designed specifically for building strong reading skills and promoting literacy. Titles with content that support this unit include the following:
Our writers recommended these independent websites as background information and content supplements for the Solids, Liquids and Gases lessons.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revisewise/science/materials/08_act.shtml
This page has links to activities for grouping materials and classifying solids, liquids, and gases. It gives a brief explanation about the arrangement and movement of particles in solids, liquids, and gases, without mentioning atoms or molecules. Other activities touch on topics such as mixing and separating, and reversible and irreversible changes. Designed for children aged 4-11.
http://www.abpischools.org.uk/resources/solids-liquids-gases/index.asp
From this page teachers can navigate children to a series of appealing animations with simple text about states of matter, changes between states, and dissolving. It also includes additional classroom activities that would be suitable for extensions. Designed for children aged 7-11.
http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/schoolzone/materials.cfm
This site, provided by the Canada Science and Technology Museum, contains a quiz about different materials and their properties.
http://ksnn.larc.nasa.gov/k2/s_statesMatter.html
This site presents a simple video, geared towards children in grades K-2, explaining how water can be solid, liquid, or gas. It also provides activities about the three states of matter.
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=131
If the children you’re working with have used a balance scale to explore the property of weight, this online game provides a good mathematics extension. Children explore the relationships between the weights of different abstract shapes by placing them on either side of a balance scale. This version uses numbers suitable for primary classrooms.
http://www.chemheritage.org/classroom/chemach/index.html
While the reading level of this site is too advanced for most children in grades 1-3, this is a good teacher resource for learning about the scientists that created the study of chemistry, and a good place for children to find pictures of these men and women.
Below are some general tips and suggestions to assist with the management of materials for the Solids, Liquids, and Gases Unit:
ExploraGear kits contain equipment and consumables for student explorations. Scroll down to view the entire ExploraGear list.
Each module also lists easy-to-find Classroom Supplies used in the lessons. Scroll down or click the link on the right to see the Classroom Supplies list for this module.
| QUANTITY | ITEM | LESSON |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foam cube | 1, 2 |
| 1 | Foam 1/2 cube | 1 |
| 1 | Foam cylinder | 1 |
| 1 | Foam sphere | 1 |
| 2 | Magnets | 1, 2 |
| 7 | Metal bolts | 1, 2, 5 |
| 1 | package Modeling clay | 1, 5 |
| 1 | Scale | 1, 6 |
| 5 | Wood blocks, cubes | 1, 2, 5 |
| 2 | Wood blocks, cylinders | 1, 5 |
| 1 | Beaker, 100 ml | 4 |
| 1 | Funnel | 4 |
| 1 | Graduated cylinder, 100 ml | 4, 5 |
| 50 | Plastic cups, transparent, 9 oz | 4, 5, 6 |
| QUANTITY | ITEM | LESSON |
|---|---|---|
| Class set | Colored pencils, crayons, or markers | 1, 2, 4, 5 |
| 1 per group | Magnets (optional) | 1 |
| 1 per group | Rocks | 1, 2, 3 |
| Several | Rulers, cm | 1 |
| 1 | Teddy bear or other stuffed animal (optional) | 1 |
| 1 | Tray | 1 |
| 1 | Pencil, wood with eraser | 2 |
| Several | Objects made of more than one material (eyeglasses, pens, toy metal cars, etc.) | 2 |
| 1 of each material | Objects made of a single material (cardboard, paper, nylon rope, fabric, plastic, etc.) | 2 |
| 1 | Tea bag with string and paper label, or other object | 2 |
| 10 pieces | Chart paper | 3, 6 |
| Class set | Clipboards | 3 |
| 1 resealable bagful | Dirt mixed with water | 3 |
| 1 roll | Duct tape | 3 |
| A small amount | Food coloring | 3 |
| 1 roll | Paper towels | 3, 4 |
| 1 resealable bagful | Pea gravel, dried beans, or other small solids | 3 |
| 3 per group, plus 4, plus 1 per child | Plastic bags, resealable, sandwich size | 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| 1 | Poster board | 3, 4, 5 |
| Various amounts | Water | 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| 1 package | Baby wipes (optional) | 4 |
| A few | Containers, various shapes (optional) | 4 |
| 30 ml (1 oz) per group | Corn syrup, honey, or molasses | 4 |
| 30 ml (1 oz) per group | Dish soap | 4 |
| 30 ml (1 oz) per group | Milk or orange juice | 4 |
| Several sheets | Newspaper | 4 |
| 5 per group | Plates (paper, foam, or plastic), small | 4, 5 |
| 1 per group | Crackers | 5 |
| 1 piece per group | Fabric, such as scarves, rags, wash cloths, or dish towels | 5 |
| 1 piece per group | Paper | 5 |
| A few | Books or magazines with pictures of materials as solids and liquids (optional) | 6 |
| 1 | Box, small shoebox size | 6 |
| 1 | Freezer | 6 |
| 1 roll | Masking tape (optional) | 6 |
| 1 | Measuring cup (optional) | 6 |
| Several | Permanent markers | 6 |
| 1 piece per group | Plastic wrap | 6 |
| 1 per group | Rubber bands | 6 |
| 1 | Thermometer poster (optional) | 6 |