Second graders learn the three states of matter — solids keep their shape, liquids flow and fill a container, and gases spread out — and how heating and cooling can change matter from one state to another.
Students will be able to…
Ice, water, and steam are all made of the same thing — water! — yet they act so differently. What are the three states of matter, and how does one become another?
Project each item and have children choose the state of matter. The tool explains solids, liquids, gases, and melting.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Ice, water, and steam are all water — so why do they act so differently?
Students investigate.
Students explain.
Students elaborate.
Students conclude.
Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (Grade 2 / Elementary Science).
Classify materials by their observable properties, including state.
Construct an argument that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed.
Analyze data on materials.
Developing and using models.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have families freeze water into ice and then melt it back, watching matter change between solid and liquid states. A printable states-of-matter sheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.