Learn the States of Matter Through Observation

Whether your backyard is a winter wonderland or deceptively sunny and green, chances are there’s a chill in the air. You’ve noticed the change in seasons, and no doubt your little one has as well. As your student’s Learning Coach, now is the perfect time to peak their curiosity and encourage their questions about seasons and states of matter through winter science experiments. To help you get started, we’ve provided answers to some common questions from elementary school students, along with ideas for both indoor and outdoor activities, to help them learn more about matter and, in particular, how the three states of matter (i.e., solid, liquid, and gas) change in winter weather. Don’t live in a snowy area? No worries! Families can adapt most activities for drier regions or enjoy a virtual field trip where kids can get their first taste of snow.

What Are the Reasons for the Seasons?

The Earth rotates around the sun once a year. Seasons exist because the Earth rotates on an axis (tilt) during its yearly orbit around the sun. This tilt affects the amount of sunshine each hemisphere receives, which in turn affects the temperature of those areas and, therefore, the seasons. Remember, not all regions have four distinct seasons. It’s summer all year at the equator, but it’s more like never-ending winter towards the poles.

Learn About States of Matter Through Winter Weather

The Earth rotates around the sun once a year. Seasons exist because the Earth rotates on an axis (tilt) during its yearly orbit around the sun. This tilt affects the amount of sunshine each hemisphere receives, which in turn affects the temperature of those areas and, therefore, the seasons. Remember, not all regions have four distinct seasons. It’s summer all year at the equator, but it’s more like never-ending winter towards the poles.

Where do rain and snow come from?

Snow and rain are produced as part of the water cycle: liquid water on the ground evaporates into water vapor (gas), cools and condenses to form clouds, and then falls back to earth as precipitation. Rain and snow (liquid and solid) are two of the most common forms of precipitation.

Air temperature determines what kind of precipitation falls. Rain falls when water droplets from a cloud mix and become too heavy for the cloud to hold. Snow occurs in clouds, like rain. When cloud water vapor droplets freeze, they become ice crystals. These ice crystals then bind together to produce snowflakes. If conditions are cold enough, snow will reach the ground. If, however, the air near the ground warms, the snow will turn to rain before it reaches the ground.

Water Cycle Learning Activity

Help your student understand the water cycle.

Step 1: Draw a water cycle on a quart- or gallon-size plastic bag (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation). Include clouds, the sun, and a body of water.
Step 2: Add three drops of blue food coloring to 1/4 cup of water and pour into the plastic bag.
Step 3: Tape the bag to a sunny window.
Step 4: Ask your student to make predictions about what they think will happen to the water over time.
Step 5: Check the bag after one hour. Have your student record any changes they see.
Step 6: Continue observing the bag every few hours and again the next day. The side of the bag will ultimately form water droplets. Some will condense toward the top of the bag, while others will fall like rain (precipitation).

In this exercise, water evaporates in the sun and condenses in the bag. Droplets representing precipitation (rain) fall to the bottom of the bag. This is what happens with creeks, streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. First, water evaporates in the heat of the sun. The water condenses into cloud-like droplets. When droplets get too heavy, they fall in the form of rain or snow.

What happens to my snowman when it melts?

Just like elementary students have questions like “what causes the seasons?” it’s only natural for kids to want to know what happened to the project they spent so much time building and giving a face.

So, how do you explain why their favorite new friend is melting and what will happen to it next? This is a perfect time to review the water cycle mentioned in the first section of this page. Remind your student that their snowman is made of snow, a form of solid water. Snow, like rain, is a form of precipitation that falls from clouds. Unlike rain, however, snow reaches the ground in a solid state. This icy and airy substance can then be collected and reshaped to create a snowman. In order for the snowman to stick around, it must remain frozen or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. When the sun shines and warms the Earth to above 32 degrees, snow begins to melt and become liquid (water). Some of the water will evaporate into the air, while some will create runoff and seep into the ground so it can help the plants grow.

What is fog, and where does it come from?

Fog is a cloud that forms on the Earth’s surface and is a mix of two states of matter rather than just one. It occurs when groundwater evaporates into water vapor, but the vapor condenses into tiny droplets of liquid water that remain suspended in the air as a gas.

Although there are many different types of fog, one that is quite common during the winter season is radiation fog. The cooling of the land at night by thermal radiation makes the air less able to hold water, which lets condensation and fog form.

Fog Learning Activity

Step 1: Start by soaking a jar in hot water for about a minute.
Step 2: Pour out all of the water in the jar leaving an inch of water at the bottom.
Step 3: Put four ice cubes in a strainer and place it on top of the jar.
Step 4: Have your student make predictions about what they expect to happen and why.
Step 5: Observe and record the results. When the cold air from the ice cubes meets the warm, humid air in the bottle, the water condenses into fog.

What makes fog go away?

Fog often appears in the early, darker hours of the morning and clears up with the warmth of daylight. Of course, like the other parts of the water cycle, the fog never actually disappears. Instead, it evaporates and becomes an invisible gas before entering the next part of the water cycle.

Looking for more ways to keep your student excited about science at home? Make time in your schedule to complete a few of these entertaining STEM activities together.