K.PS1.2 Conduct investigations to understand that matter can exist in different states (solid and liquid) and has properties that can be observed and tested.

Component Idea:

A. Structure and Properties of Matter

This standard compliments K.PS1.1, the idea that a sample of matter has definite describable properties, by noting that the properties of a material may change when the sample is transformed from a solid to liquid or the reverse.

Students should be making the connections that the changes to the property of the material depend on temperature. Examples may include water occurring as a solid or a liquid depending on whether it is kept cold or allowed to warm, as well as considering other materials that may look like water but not behave similarly (e.g., rubbing alcohol and water can be exposed to the same temperature but will not both become solid despite similar appearances). Students may use properties above as well as considering other properties whether objects float or sink in water, may have characteristic smells, or are attracted to magnets. 

(Temperature should be treated in a relative fashion (hotter/colder) as the use of a thermometer requires math skills beyond this grade. Discussion of gases as a phase of matter is not grade appropriate, since this is not a visible form of matter.)

Structure and Function

Students investigate how the roles of specific components of a system affect the functioning of the larger system.

Planning and carrying out controlled investigations

Students carry out investigations in groups, making decisions about suitable measurements for data collection in order to answer a question.