Instructions
Read each section carefully and complete the fun activities to learn all about matter and mixtures!
Part 1: The Three States of Matter
Everything around us is made of matter! Matter comes in three main states:
- Solid: Has a fixed shape that doesn't change easily (like a brick or a book).
- Liquid: Takes the shape of its container (like water in a glass or milk in a carton).
- Gas: Spreads out to fill all the space it is in (like the air in a balloon or steam from a kettle).
Activity: Look at the list of items below. Can you sort them into the correct columns in the table?
Items: Rock, Milk, Air, Book, Juice, Steam
| Solid | Liquid | Gas |
|---|---|---|
Part 2: Mixing It Up!
A mixture is what you get when you combine two or more things together. In many mixtures, you can still see the different parts!
- Solid + Solid Mixture: Mixing two or more solids. (Example: A bowl of colorful beads and buttons).
- Solid + Liquid Mixture: Mixing a solid into a liquid. (Example: Stirring sand into a glass of water).
Activity: Read about each mixture. Is it a "Solid + Solid" mixture or a "Solid + Liquid" mixture? Write your answer on the line.
- Sand mixed with water:
- A pile of pebbles and shells on the beach:
- Salt stirred into a glass of water:
- A bag of mixed-up LEGOs and toy cars:
Part 3: How to Separate Mixtures
We can use different actions to separate mixtures back into their original parts.
Activity: Draw a line to match the mixture with the best way to separate it.
| Mixture | Separation Method |
|---|---|
| 1. Sand mixed in water | A. Hand-picking (using your hands) |
| 2. Large rocks mixed with small pebbles | B. Filtering (using a paper filter) |
| 3. A box of mixed-up crayons and markers | C. Sieving (using a screen with holes) |
Part 4: Science Challenge!
Activity 1: Draw and Label
In the box below, draw a picture of a glass with sand and water mixed together. Draw arrows to label the solid (the sand) and the liquid (the water).
Activity 2: Fill in the Blanks
Use the words from the word bank to complete each sentence.
- An ice cube is a .
- If you pour milk into a bowl, it is a .
- The air we breathe is a .
- When you put cereal and milk together, you create a .
- You can use a sieve to sand from pebbles.
Answer Key
Part 1: The Three States of Matter
| Solid | Liquid | Gas |
|---|---|---|
| Rock | Milk | Air |
| Book | Juice | Steam |
Part 2: Mixing It Up!
- Sand mixed with water: Solid + Liquid
- A pile of pebbles and shells on the beach: Solid + Solid
- Salt stirred into a glass of water: Solid + Liquid
- A bag of mixed-up LEGOs and toy cars: Solid + Solid
Part 3: How to Separate Mixtures
- 1. Sand mixed in water → B. Filtering (using a paper filter)
- 2. Large rocks mixed with small pebbles → C. Sieving (using a screen with holes)
- 3. A box of mixed-up crayons and markers → A. Hand-picking (using your hands)
Part 4: Science Challenge!
Activity 1: Draw and Label
The student's drawing should show a glass containing water and particles of sand. An arrow pointing to the sand should be labeled "solid" and an arrow pointing to the water should be labeled "liquid".
Activity 2: Fill in the Blanks
- An ice cube is a solid.
- If you pour milk into a bowl, it is a liquid.
- The air we breathe is a gas.
- When you put cereal and milk together, you create a mixture.
- You can use a sieve to separate sand from pebbles.