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Salinity & The Water Cycle – Overview

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Grade Level: Elementary | Middle | High School

GRADES K - 4

Properties of Objects and Materials

Liquid Rainbow Students use analytical thinking by devising schemes to stack solutions of different densities

Physical science content standard: "Objects have many observable properties, including size, weight, shape, color, temperature, and the ability to react with other substances. Those properties can be measured using tools, such as rulers, balances, and thermometers."

Physical science content standard: "Materials can exist in different states – solid, liquid, and gas. Some common materials, such as water, can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling."

Water Cycle - Now You See It, Now You Don't. Students learn about the relationship between temperature, evaporation and condensation.
Evaporation Investigation. Students learn how water can "disappear" or evaporate into the air.

GRADES 5 - 8

Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter

Physical science content standard: A substance has characteristic properties, such as density, boiling point, and solubility – all are independent of the sample amount. A mixture of substances often can be separated into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic properties."

Potato Float. Students understand how the same object can both sink and float, depending on its density relative to a fluid
Can Sea Water Freeze? Students freeze liquids of varying salinity & learn how it relates to the buoyancy of sea ice and icebergs
Properties of Fresh & Sea Water. Students conduct experiments on the boiling point, freezing point, and heat capacity of fresh water and sea water.

Transfer of Energy

Physical science content standard: "Heat moves in predictable ways, flowing from warmer objects to cooler ones, until both reach the same temperature."

Density: Sea Water Mixing & Sinking Students use T-S diagrams to understand the importance of seawater density studies.

GRADES 9 - 12

Structure of Atoms

Physical science content standard: "Matter is made of minute particles called atoms, and atoms are composed of even smaller components. These components have measurable properties, such as mass and electrical charge."

Electrolysis of Salt Water. Students conduct an experiment to see that water can be split into its constituent ions through the process of electrolysis

Structure and Properties of Matter

Physical science content standard: "Bonds between atoms are created when electrons are paired up by being transferred or shared. Atoms may be bonded together into molecules or crystalline solids. A compound is formed when two or more kinds of atoms bind together chemically."

The Nature of Salt. Students research the structure of salt to understand the difference between molecular compounds and ionic compounds

Questions or comments? Contact Annette deCharon, Senior Science Educator and Aquarius EPO Manager.

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Last Updated: 16 May 2013