Activities

Activity 1: Understanding Matter
 Working with a partner, visit either Phases of Matter or Chem4kidsmatter web sites to answer the following questions. Include any drawings or diagrams that will help you understand these important concepts.
 

 


Activity 2: The Periodic Table
 Visit the Resources page to find a site about the periodic table. Answer the following questions. Please work with a partner.
 

 



 

Activity 3: The Essential Elements
 Working with your team, approximately 6 to 8 students, determine what are the essential elements which humans need to exist in a modern world. Be sure to provide a reason for why each element is important. For example, oxygen is an essential element, because all living things require oxygen to breath. Submit your team list to the Chief Scientific Consultant ( your teacher) for approval before beginning Activity 4, the element profile.

 


Activity 4 : Element Profiles

  Choose a partner to work with for the final research activity. Each pair of students will be preparing one element profile to send on the colonizing mission to GaiaII. Again visit one of the resources to find information on your essential element. Include the following information:
 

Element Name      Symbol 
  Atomic Number  
      Atomic Mass 
 
 
 
 
Element Group
    Melting Point 
     Boiling Point
        Uses for the element
       
 
Next, using the information from the element profile, prepare a graph that shows the states of matter for your element. Include melting and boiling points for your element on the graph. Show the temperatures at which your element enters the solid, liquid and gas phases.

How will you package your element for the trip to planet GaiaII? Remember that the the cargo vessel will experience a  temperature change from -200 degrees to 600 degrees C during this long journey. Will your element remain a solid, melt into a liquid, or become a gas? Or will it experience all three states of matter?

Activity 4 requirements:


 
 
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