Next Generation Science Standards for Grade Two include understanding the Structure and Properties of Matter. This unit satisfies the following standards:
2-PS1.1. Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
Students will be classifying and describing a variety of solids, liquids and gases throughout the five activities included in this unit. Most specifically, the final activity serves as an informal assessment of their understanding of the properties of the three states of matter.
2-PS1-2. Analyze data obtained by testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.
Students will be conducting an experiment using liquids and gathering data to determine the properties of those particular examples. They will determine if the viscosity of each is helpful for its use and function, for example, shampoo. They will be running a series of trials with sets of materials and determining their similarities and why they might have the particular properties.
2-PS1-4. Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.
Students will be melting solid crayons to liquid wax and cooling it back to a solid. They will see that heating and cooling in this case can be reversed – crayons will return to solid form after cooling.