What's the Matter?

What's the Matter? – The Material World - Science Show

• What are the properties of a material? How many states of matter are there? This show will get your students excited about solids, liquids and gases. It introduces the periodic table in a fun way and demonstrates how elements can come together to make different materials. We discuss how materials can change with mixing and temperature and enjoy explosive experiments!
• 45 minute science show. Developed for Years 4-8.
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If you seen Science in a Van's 'What's the Matter?' science show, here's some discussion starters for after the show ...

• Why did Emily call the periodic table the 'Cupboard of the Universe'?
• Do you think Emily really has super powers? lol
• The formula for water is H20 - two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom coming together to make a molecule. Why do you think Emily referred to the formula as a 'recipe'?
• When Emily mixed vinegar and baking soda together we saw a reaction. We observed the glove expanding full of a gas called carbon dioxide. The glove got bigger but Emily didn't 'sneak in' any extra material.... hmmmm ... did it have more 'stuff'? (hint ... gases take up more room than solids and liquids).
• Can you remember the 'States of Matter' handshake? Hmmm, our hand is still the same but the space it takes up and the speed of it's movement changes throughout the handshake. How does this relate to the States of Matter?
• Alan nearly poured a cup of blue water over your teacher's head! What happened to the water?
• Can you think of other super absorbing polymers? (eg: the stuff in babies nappies, instant snow).
• Here's a close up video of the super absorbing polymer from the show.
• Do you remember the can crushing experiment? Did we take anything out of the can? Or did everything just come closer together? Watch the 'Can Crush' experiment again close up!
• Did you like the Ph tester demo? We love it too - ++check us out++ (during lockdown) in our garage having fun with it!
• Remember - question, have a think (prediction/guess), test it out, make observations (use your senses, what's are we experiencing?) and then onto explanations (why did this happen?) .... and then you can start the cycle again as you'll probably have more questions :)

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Science in a Van's 'What’s the Matter?' science show

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Use the timestamps below to watch the Science in a Van team recap the concepts used in the show

1:56 Overview of 'What's the Matter' science show

2:36 How the Five senses help us recognise the 'properties' of a material

3:36 The Three States of Matter

4:00 Atoms and Molecules

5:15 Simple demo (with lentils) to visualise solids, liquids and gases

7:19 Another idea for an activity to help your students/family visualise solids, liquids and gases and start to understand it's to do with energy and the space and energy between the atoms and molecules.

8:15 Other States of Matter

9:50 The Periodic Table (the cupboard of the universe)!

11:50 Extending the classic vinegar and baking soda experiment

14:14 Brainstorm the different ways materials can change

15:33 Extra content - vacuum jar experiment