Matter - Particle Pictures

Lesson Adapted from "Mailbox Books"
Grade 2-3; Oct-Nov 2007 Edition
Debbie Ann Troha, Wrights Mill Road Elementary, Auburn, AL - Theresa Bales, Kimball Elementary School, Kimball, WV

The concept of the three states of matter comes fairly easy for most third graders. By the time we are ready to discuss the particles of matter, the concept becomes difficult. First of all, what is a particle and how can you describe it?

I came across this lesson in one of my "Mailbox Books" last year and tested it out for myself. It quickly became one of my favorite lessons used to cumulate the unit on Matter. It's called "Particle Pictures" and requires very little materials (11" x 14" light colored construction paper, markers or crayons, glue, and O-shaped Cereal - may I suggest Cheerios so you can clip a Box Top?).

After discussing the main states of matter and their characteristics, distribute materials and have each student label their paper as shown with "solid," "liquid," and "gas." Next, direct them to draw the outline of a picture to represent each state of matter. Then have them glue O-shaped cereal in each outline, placing the cereal pieces in the solid shape close together, in the liquid a little farther apart, and in the gas very far apart.

It gets a little glue crazy, but I really believe it helps in understanding the particles of matter.

Let me know if you choose to do this lesson and how it goes!