Gretchen Brinza
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Matter and its Interactions!

Matter surrounds us.  It can take on many forms and change between one phase to the next.  In this unit, second graders will be using the practices of scientists and engineers to discover more about matter!

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Considering Mixing Solids and Liquids...

5/29/2015

 
To close out our unit on matter, second graders will be investigating what happens when you mix solids and liquids together.  They'll be considering the properties of the solids and liquids before and after they are mixed in order to optimize a product they will be making...PLAY-DOH!

Students are first comparing high-quality play-doh to low-quality play-doh, recognizing the properties that make them such.  Our high-quality play-doh is store bought, while the low-quality play-doh is homemade. They'll be creating tests and gathering data to determine which mixture they design is most like the high-quality play-doh!  As engineers, they will be improving the process to make play-doh.  

Our snowmen have...

5/29/2015

 
Picture
MELTED!

Second graders are learning about physical changes to matter.  Matter can change size, shape, or form, and these changes are known as physical changes.  We can change the shape of clay by molding it differently.  We can cut paper into funky sized pieces!  We can even use a saw and chop down a tree.  All of these are examples of physical changes, where matter changed size, shape, or form.  Our melting snowmen showed an example of physical change, too, changing from a solid to a liquid.


Gathering Evidence for Physical Change!

5/20/2015

 
Second graders are gathering evidence to show that matter can indeed change, just like their objects changed when the pieces where rearranged.  But can the pieces stay the same and just look different?

By building "snowmen" made of ice, second graders will make observations throughout the day to see how matter can change.  In this case, the water used to make the snowmen will undergo a physical change.  Each "snowball" began as liquid water in a balloon.  Put in the freezer, the water changed to ice.  Now out of the freezer, what will happen to them?  Only time will tell!

New Objects from the Same Pieces!

5/16/2015

 
Picture
Second graders are gathering more evidence to support the idea that different objects can be made from the same pieces.  This type of work is supporting the foundation of chemistry, specifically chemical reactions.  All matter can undergo changes, and sometimes, the changes can be reversed (physical change) and sometimes, they cannot (chemical change).  Next week we'll be see how physical changes work!


    Mrs. Brinza

    Q:  What would a polar bear telephone operator say?

    A:  Have an ice day!

    Haha!  

    Changes in Matter Games




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