Investigating Properties of Matter: States, Light, and Temperature

Crash Course Kids

This educational video introduces students to the physical properties of matter, drawing an analogy between human character traits and scientific properties. Hosted by Sabrina from Crash Course Kids, the video breaks down how scientists describe and classify matter beyond just its state (solid, liquid, gas). It specifically explores how temperature affects matter through freezing, melting, and boiling points, and how matter interacts with light through reflectivity and transparency. The content is structured around a central "Big Question" and uses a comparative investigation between water and wood to make abstract concepts concrete. Students learn specific scientific vocabulary including reflectivity, transparency, and phase change points. The video demonstrates how different materials react differently to the same conditions (room temperature, sunlight), teaching the core scientific skill of observation and comparison. Ideally suited for upper elementary classrooms, this video serves as an excellent anchor for units on physical science and matter. It provides clear, visual definitions of complex terms and models a scientific investigation that can be easily replicated in the classroom. Teachers can use this resource to help students transition from using everyday language to describe objects (e.g., "shiny", "clear") to using precise scientific terminology (e.g., "high reflectivity", "transparent").