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Activity

Candy Molecules!


Subject

Math, Science & Technology, Science (NYS P-12)

Grade Levels

Intermediate, 7th Grade, 8th Grade


Materials

  • notes on states of matter
  • Hershey Kisses
  • ice cube tray
  • clear container

Duration

40 Minute class period

Essential Question

What are the three states of matter?

Teacher Notes

You will need the notes you are going to use for the states of matter unit. This activity ties into the first lesson of the unit and should be incorporated into your own style of giving notes.

Description

This lesson was designed to introduce the topic of solids, liquids, and gases and for the students to be able to give an example of each. The students should also be able to tell you the composition of each of the 3 states of matter.

Procedure

  1. Hand out note packet/tell students to take out their notebooks (depending on how you give your class notes)

  2. Give an introduction to the new unit. Have the students write down examples of solids, liquids, and gases. Ask them to give you their examples.

  3. Now is when you should begin your notes, the following is a way to show the students what the composition of each of the states of matter are:

    4. How to Demonstrate a Solid:
    • Have an ice cube tray ready with a Hershey kiss in each slot.
    • After an explanation of a solid, walk around and show the students (while shaking the tray a little) how the kisses are not moving inside the slots, but that they are all vibrating just like the molecules in a solid. The students should have already been told that the molecules in a solid are compacted and vibrate.
    • After you think the students understand, move on to giving notes on a liquid

    How to Demonstrate a Liquid:
    • Have a small clear container full of Hershey Kisses
    • After telling students that liquid molecules move, but still maintain its shape, show them using your clear container of kisses how molecules of a liquid move.
      Walk around the room and show the students the container, slowly move the container forwards and backwards so that the kisses are moving around in the shape of the container, if you have filled the container enough, the kisses should still stay together to demonstrate the fact that the molecules are still together in a liquid but can move freely in a container.

    How to Demonstrate a Gas:
    • Begin the notes on properties of a gas
    • Once the students know that gases move freely around the room, take individual kisses and start throwing them at students to demonstrate how gases work. The students that catch the kisses will be allowed to eat them.

    **You can either throw a kiss to every student, or walk around and give the students who did not get one during the demonstration a Hershey kiss.**

  4. You can now continue on with your notes, or give the students a worksheet that has the concepts of the states of matter and their properties on it.


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