Hands-On Heating and Cooling of Matter Activities for Kids

Many hands-on activities related to heating and cooling of matter are very exciting. But it’s easy for the science to get lost in the fun. But with a little planning it is possible to have fun and learn the science too. In this post, I’ll show you a three hands-on activities that have students learning how substances change when heated or cooled.



Adult supervision is recommended for all activities. Parents and teachers should evaluate each activity for the age, ability, and needs of their children. By participating, you assume responsibility for any risks associated with the activity

Melting Crayons

Time: 15 minutes

Materials:

• Crayons
• Aluminum Foil
• Hair Dryer

Steps:

1. Create a bowl using aluminum foil.
2. Remove paper off crayons.
3. Break apart crayons into small pieces.
4. Place crayon pieces in the aluminum foil container.
5. Hold a hair dryer (on low) over the crayons until they melt.
6. After the crayons have melted leave the melted crayons to solidify again.

Concepts

• Adding heat causes crayons to melt and turn into a liquid.
• When cooled the crayons solidify and turn back into a solid.

What students Observe

• After several minutes the crayons will melt.
• After several hours of cooling the crayons will solidify again.

Concepts

• Heating causes the crayons to melt and turn into a liquid.
• Cooling cause the crayons to solidify and turn back into a solid.

Keeping the science in the forefront:

• As students are completing this activity ask them:
• What is happening to the crayons?
• What is causing that to happen?
• What would happen if we took the hair dryer away?
  

Racing Ice Cubes

Time: 10 minutes

Materials:

• Ice cubes
• Cardboard
• Something to put under the cardboard to make a slight incline.
• Stopwatch or timer

Steps:

1. Build a ramp using the cardboard. (We used sticky notes to make a slight incline).
2. Place the ice cube on the ramp.
3. Time how long it takes for the ice cube to slide down or off the ramp.
4. Place an ice cube on your arm.
5. Time how long it takes for the ice cube to slide down or off your arm.
   

FAQ

How long does it take for the melted crayons to harden again?

It can take several hours. I recommend you let them sit out overnight and the next day they should be solid again. And since they are still crayons you can give them to students to use!

What can I use if I don't have enough metal spoons for the class?

Definitely ask your students families or coworkers if they will let you borrow some. You can also check the cafeteria. Even if they serve plastic spoons to the students they may still have some metal spoons laying around.

What if some students ice melts faster than others?

That’s okay! Sometimes people can be doing the same investigation and get slightly different results. You can use this as a great discussion with students.