Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will understand how heat affects the properties and behavior of different materials.

Materials and Prep

Materials needed: various materials like ice, chocolate, crayons, and a candle. Safety goggles and adult supervision are required for some activities.

Prep: Set up a safe workspace with a heat source like a candle or stovetop for demonstrations.

Activities

1. Melting Race: Place ice, chocolate, and crayons in different containers. Predict which will melt fastest when placed near a heat source.

2. Bend or Break: Try bending a plastic straw at room temperature and then after dipping it in hot water. Observe the difference.

3. Candle Magic: Light a candle and observe how the wax melts. Blow it out and watch the changes as it cools.

Talking Points

• When we add heat to a material, it can change its state. For example, ice melts into water when heated. You can say, "Heat can make things change from solid to liquid, like ice turning into water."
• Some materials can change their shape when heated. For instance, when we heat a plastic straw, it becomes softer and easier to bend. You can say, "Heat can make some things bend or change shape, like a plastic straw becoming flexible."
• Heat can also affect how materials behave. When we heat a candle, the wax melts and can be molded into different shapes. You can say, "Heat can change how things behave, like wax becoming moldable."