[teachjam]

Start with the experiment of vinegar in a clear 2 liter bottle
Put 2 T of baking soda in it
Quickly put a balloon over the bottle and watch the balloon enlarge.
THE kids love it. Then get them to draw and write about it.

I also show them the experiment materials first and have them PREDICT what will happen to the balloon.

Then I show them.

Then we define which things are solids, liquids, and gases.
We then look for magazine examples.

I have them make puppets sometimes: Mr. Solid, and define his shape
and Mrs. Liquid, define it, and BABY Gas. The next day they write a story with them.

We also define molecules. Then I have them act out molecules of the solid, then the liquid, and finally gas. They LOVE this. SOlids stand
close together BACK to BACK. and move a little.

Liquids are an armlength away and move in and around each other.

Gas moves SLOWLY all over the room
Hope these ideas work.