edu-tastic

I found a webquest called Changing Matter that deals with the a few grade science objectives. Students are, at this point, supposed to understand that matter can take different forms, to recognize the different characteristics of each form of matter, and to understand how matter can change forms. The webquest is an interactive model of particles in each form of matter. It first shows how increasing temperature causes vibrations between the particles in a solid ice cube, then how they move apart from each other as they melt into a liquid, and how eventually the particles turn into vapors. This process is illustrated with water, a thermometer, and a chart. When the process is finished, the webquest poses extra questions, but never answers them. They are intended, I guess, to promote discussion and further learning. It would have been more effective if it had offered explanations to these question, links to other sources, or at least incorporated the research into some activity. Overall, I think it’s a good model of changing matter. It’s easy to understand and the explanations are helpful for a younger student. The fact that it is just a website application makes it easily accessible for most classrooms. In a classroom, the webquest could be a supplement to a lesson about changing matter. It seems like it should only be used with younger grades; there is no real activity, it is only a model that kind of replaces the activity. It is also more practical and safe than actually using a Bunsen burner in an elementary school, especially with younger grades.

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