After the First Great Lesson (or sometimes before), Montessori classroom teachers will do experiments with their students that illustrate the principles and concepts of the Big Bang. Some science experiments are meant to be impressionistic by aiding students’ imagination when they listen to the story. One of those impressionistic lessons is based on the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. During the experiment, students light a candle and observe the changes. For example, solid wax melts into a liquid, and some liquid wax becomes smoke as a gas. While it is a little simplistic, it shows the different states of matter while being an effective journaling and meditative task.

Most people are familiar with the three states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. However, two more states of matter are not referenced as much: plasma and Bose-Einstein Condensates (BEC). Plasmas are superheated gases that lose electrons. BECs are supercooled solids that clump together and start to lose their individual identities as atoms form a blob-like substance. These additional states of matter can be included in the game if your students grasp the original three states of matter well. They can be mentioned at the end of the game if your students are not as solid (pun intended) with the concepts yet.

In this tag-based game, the students will transition from one state of matter to another. Many students will love that there are no “outs,” and the gameplay is continuous. By the game’s end, students will clearly understand why states of matter transform from one to another.

Materials: 

·      An ample open space (such as a gym or field)

·      Hula Hoops

·      A long rope or jump rope

·      Several red and blue jerseys

Minimum Amount of Students Needed: We will need at least eight students for this game to work correctly. However, the game can accommodate many more and is especially fun with a full-sized class of 20+ students.

Age: All Ages