In the fall and early winter of 2001, Ms. Peters' first grade class conducted a series of experiments on the nature of matter. Students made hypotheses, conducted experiments, and reported their results. Click on the experiment name to see the students' results.
   

Goal of Sink or Float: get familiar with different solids. Students compare the weight of different solids made of plastic, metal, and glass. Students make predictions about which objects will sink or float. Lastly, students conduct an experiment to determine which objects have enough buoyancy to float.

Students discuss the shape of objects using mathematical language to describe the objects.

 

Goal of Water Sandwich: Students work in trios to make predictions about what different liquids would do when mixed. Students mixed corn syrup, oil, and water. Students made every guess possible -- but only one is right. What predictions would you make?

Their predictions were way off (what were they?). The outcome is that water is in the middle, corn syrup on the bottom, and oil is on the top.
 

Goal of Changes of State of Matter: understand that matter comes in three states: liquid, solid, and gas, and that it's possible to change states. Students mixed a solid (Alka Seltzer) and a liquid (water) to make a gas. Students gain proficiency in the language of science.
   
Harvey Milk
Last modified: October 16, 2003
by: bcreane@muse.sfusd.edu