This resource accompanies our Rethink 5th Grade Science course. It includes ideas for use, ways to support exceptional children, ways to extend learning, digital resources and tools, tips for supporting English Language Learners and students with visual and hearing impairments. There are also ideas for offline learning. 

In this activity, students mix ingredients to create a chemical change and a new product.

In this lesson, students investigate the chemical and physical changes that occur in matter by participating in activities involving dry ice and root beer. Students will first explore release of carbon dioxide from carbonated beverages. Students will then view several teacher-led experiments with dry ice to demonstrate the sublimation process, including the production of root beer. In the final part of the lesson, students will create their own root beer, using multiple recipes, and compare and contrast their products. Associated resources include student worksheets, root beer recipes, and supplemental reading texts.

With this activity, students will complete various experiments to observe both physical and chemical changes.

In this activity, students observe what happens to iodine when it is applied to ripe and unripe apples. Students will infer that as fruit ripens, the starch which is present in unripe fruit changes to something else (sugar).

Both suggested learning activities in this lesson will help students understand the relationship between the weight of reactants and the weight of the products involved in chemical reactions. In the first activity students will combine borax and glue, and in the second activity they will combine vinegar and cream.

Students will learn about the relationship between chemical and physical energy in order to understand experimental design and the use of variables.

In this lesson, students will rotate through a series of stations and complete simple experiments and demonstrations to explore the differences between physical and chemical changes.

In this lab activity, students will investigate the characteristics of a chemical change. Students will also provide a definition of what constitutes a physical change through observation of several examples. Students will develop (through discussion) and use the criteria for identifying a chemical change. Several examples of a chemical change will also be observed for students to compare to physical changes. The students will use the five characteristics of chemical change to determine/judge whether or not baking soda, citric acid and water creates a chemical change. Students will write down observations of the reaction and use the five characteristics to explain why it is in fact a chemical reaction (The five characteristics will be listed for use).

These activities give students the opportunity to compare a physical and chemical change that both involve a change in color. As assessment, students will design an experiment to produce a specific color when combining lemon juice and baking soda.

In these activities, students will work with simple materials (legos, ice, and water) to demonstrate the law of conservation of mass. Physical change should also be discussed as part of the lesson.

In this activity, students use diapers to investigate physical change. They observe what happens when water is added to the absorbent crystals found in the diaper. Students then design and carry out an additional investigation and complete a detailed write-up of the investigation.

In this lesson, students learn about physical and chemical changes during digestion through a variety of activities.

In this lesson, students explore the science involved in the making of items used in colonial life: bread, butter, soap, candles, wool, etc. Students will also evaluate evidence that indicates a physical change has occurred.

In this activity, students combine chemicals in a calorimeter and use a small thermometer to determine if the reaction mixture gets cold or hot.

In this lesson, students will sprinkle coarse salt on a piece of ice and make observations as it melts. They will also make homemade ice cream. They will then use their observations to discuss heat energy and chemical reactions.