Co-op Science: Air is a Substance

After our last lesson on Solids, Liquids, and Gasses, we went a bit more in depth into Gas - specifically air.  It is such an abstract concept for young kids so it is important to explore it a bit more before moving on.  Again, these lessons are for kids K-2nd grade.

Air is a Substance Co-op Class

Book

Air is All Around You by Franklyn Branley

Air Takes Up Space

Stuff a paper towel in the bottom of a class and submerge in water.  Bring back up and the paper towel is dry!  Why?  Because the air in the glass is already taking up space and there is no room for water!  If you repeat the experiment and tilt the glass - the air is able to escape in the form of bubbles, and there is room for water to enter the glass.  Then of course the paper towel is wet!  They all enjoyed repeating this experiment themselves!

Insert balloon into "empty" water bottle.  Try to blow it up and it won't!  Why?  The water bottle is already full of air!  There is no room to add more air to the balloon inside the water bottle!  We then poked a hole in the bottom of the bottle; allowing air to escape.  Then of course there was room to inflate the balloon since as it filled up with air, the air already in the bottle could escape out the hole in the bottom.

Air Has Weight

1 deflated and 1 inflated balloon on my homemade scale proves that the air inside the balloon has weight.  The kids were shocked to see this as they had insisted that the air around them doesn't feel heavy like a solid or liquid does!

Journals

Of course, the kids journaled what they observed during the demonstrations.

Thanks for reading!

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