Matter Mystery Bellwork Slides
Daily Science Bellwork
5-Day Progression
Matter & Change
Physical vs. Chemical Properties and Changes
Start each day with one projected question. Answer in your science notebook using the prompt frame before time expires.
1. Read Prompt
Examine the daily scenario
2. Write & Justify
State choice + evidence
3. Turn & Share
1-minute partner check
Day 1 Property Detective
Level: Super Easy
Scenario
You examine a brand-new copper penny. Which statement describes a CHEMICAL property of copper?
A It is reddish-brown with a shiny metallic luster
B It reacts with moist air over time to form green patina
C It can be easily hammered into thin flat sheets
D It conducts electrical currents exceptionally well
Notebook Frame: “Choice ___ is a chemical property because it describes copper’s ability to ______________________.”
Day 2 Identity Preserved
Level: Easy
Kitchen Lab
A chef chops onions, melts butter in a warm pan, and dissolves salt into hot broth. What makes all three actions PHYSICAL changes?
A A new gas or solid precipitate was created
B The chemical identity of each substance did not change
C The total mass of the kitchen ingredients disappeared
D None of the three actions can ever be reversed
Quick Write: Explain why liquid melted butter is still chemically the exact same substance as cold solid butter.
Day 3 Clue Collector
Level: Easy → Moderate
Reaction Observation
A student adds baking soda to vinegar in an open beaker. Rapid bubbling occurs, a gas is released, and the beaker feels noticeably colder. Which conclusion is best supported?
A It is a physical change because baking soda merely dissolved
B It is a chemical change evidenced by gas formation and temperature drop
C It is a physical change because cold temperatures prevent chemical reactions
D No change occurred because vinegar was already an acid liquid
Notebook Check: List the TWO specific observations from the prompt that serve as evidence of a chemical change.
Day 4 Bubble Battle
Level: Moderate
Flask A
Pure water boiling at 100°C produces vigorous bubbles.
Flask B
An effervescent tablet in room-temp water produces vigorous bubbles.
Which statement accurately compares the bubbles in Flask A and Flask B?
A Both are chemical changes because bubbles always indicate a new substance
B Flask A is physical (water vapor); Flask B is chemical (new CO2 gas formed)
C Flask A is chemical because heat was added; Flask B is physical dissolution
D Both are physical phase changes caused solely by changes in pressure
Concept Challenge: What gas is inside the bubbles of Flask A vs. Flask B?
Day 5 Campfire Synthesis
Level: Moderate Synthesis
Event 1
Chopping a dry log into smaller kindling sticks with an ax.
Event 2
Igniting kindling; wood turns to dark ash, smoke, and heat.
Event 3
Morning frost on nearby stones melts into drops of water.
Classify the three events in correct order (Event 1, Event 2, Event 3):
A Physical → Chemical → Physical
B Chemical → Physical → Chemical
C Physical → Physical → Chemical
D Chemical → Chemical → Physical
Defend Your Answer: Why can wood ash and smoke never be reassembled into log wood?
Teacher Key Daily Solutions (Days 1 – 3)
Project or Use for Class Review
Day 1: Correct Answer = B Copper Reacting to Form Green Patina
Why: Luster, malleability, and conductivity are physical properties (observed without changing identity). Reactivity with oxygen and moisture alters chemical identity into copper carbonate.
Day 2: Correct Answer = B Chemical Identity Does Not Change
Why: Chopping alters shape/size, melting alters state of matter (solid to liquid), and dissolving disperses molecules in water. In all three cases, no new chemical bonds or substances are created.
Day 3: Correct Answer = B Gas Released & Temperature Change
Why: Carbon dioxide gas and sodium acetate are produced in this endothermic reaction (absorbing thermal energy from surroundings, making the container feel cold).
Teacher Tip: Have students tally their score across the 5 days in their bellwork journal. Part 1 of 2
Teacher Key Daily Solutions (Days 4 – 5) & Summary
Review & Misconceptions
Day 4: Correct Answer = B Boiling is Physical; Effervescence is Chemical
Crucial Concept: Not all bubbles mean chemical change! Boiling water makes gaseous H2O bubbles (phase change). The tablet reacts with water to generate new CO2 molecules.
Day 5: Correct Answer = A Physical → Chemical → Physical
Synthesis: Event 1 = size reduction (physical). Event 2 = combustion of cellulose into ash/CO2/H2O (chemical). Event 3 = solid ice melting to liquid water (physical).
Physical Change
Same substance, different look or state
Chemical Change
Bonds break/form to create brand-new substances
5-Day Objective: Mastery of physical vs. chemical indicators and common misconception traps. Part 2 of 2
