Water: Weird and Wonderful

Have you ever wondered why water is so special? What is that makes it necessary for life? How do its properties compare to other chemicals? In the Science Unlocked Accelerate level curriculum kit Water: Weird and Wonderful, students will discover what water can do and find out how molecular structure determines its unique properties.

Students can make a splash with activities like pouring water down a string, writing a message using chemistry, and using a crayon to control the shape of water. Water: Weird and Wonderful comes with a full-color Student Workbook and is perfectly paired with a detailed Teacher Guide. It is a phenomenon-based approach, designed to fully engage students in the many properties of water. Through a series of experiments, students will gain an understanding of what water is like at the molecular level and how the attractions between atoms affect what water can do. This Accelerate level kit will provide over 9 hours of learning, introducing your student to many foundational chemistry concepts.

The student will engage in these exciting activities:

1. Do a series of experiments to observe water's unique abilities
2. Explore adhesion by "writing" with a capillary tube and filter paper
3. Use the power of adhesion and cohesion to pour water down a string
4. Make a paper clip "float" on the surface of water
5. Repel water on a watch glass with a wax coating
6. Compare the floating and sinking of different states of water to states of oil
7. Use dishwashing liquid to make water and oil mix and learn about solutions

• What is water like at the particle level?
• What properties of water make it important to living things?
• How can heavy things stay on the surface of water?
• Why does water climb up glass tubes?
• How does water form drops?

Our Water: Weird and Wonderful kit is a part of the Science Unlocked Accelerate series and is recommended for grades 3-7.

Interested in learning more? Check out our Student Workbook Sample and Teacher Guide Sample!  

More Information

• Safety Information (SDS)

This kit contains:

• 4 Cups
• 1 Copper Coin
• 1 Crayon
• 1 Dishwashing Liquid
• 1 Filter Paper
• 1 Food Coloring
• 10 Capillary Tubes
• 2 Paperclips
• 2 Pepper Packets
• 1 Pipet
• 2 Salt Packets
• 1 String
• 1 Vegetable Oil
• 1 Watch Glass
• 5 wooden Splints

On hand, you will want to have:

• Scissors
• Water 

• Learning outcome: Discover what water can do, and find out how molecular structure determines its unique properties.
• NGSS science standards alignment
• 5-PS1-1: Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen.
• 5-PS1-3: Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties.
• MS-PS1-1: Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.