Silly Substance Teaches States Of Matter

SACHEM, NY - From Sachem Central School District: States of matter were the topic of discussion during a recent hands-on science activity in Emily Cole’s fifth-grade class at Waverly Avenue Elementary School in the Sachem Central School District.

As the experiment began, students carefully proceeded through each step of the scientific method, including creating a hypothesis, identifying the procedure for the experiment, conducting the experiment and then recording data. The purpose of the experiment was to determine which state of matter the substance they created would be in. Mixing cornstarch, water and food coloring, the students created a substance called Oobleck that they then observed to determine the state of matter to be recorded in their conclusion.

After carefully observing the Oobleck, students determined that the substance could be found in either a solid or a liquid state. The Oobleck remained a solid when left in the bowl and transformed into a liquid once it was removed. At a later date, students will do further research on Oobleck and other substances that can be found in multiple states.

Photo courtesy of the Sachem Central School District