Matter Matters

What’s the matter? Solid, liquid, or gaseous? Shape up your knowledge with a mobile that really matters.

1. Discover solids, liquids, and gases. Everything is matter, in either a solid, liquid, or gaseous state. All matter occupies space, has mass, and consists of atoms.

2. Find examples. List things you know that are examples of the three states of matter: metal, rocks, and ice are solids; raindrops, honey, and milk are liquids; steam, hot air, and compressed air are gases.

3. Make a mobile. Create models of the three states of matter with colored Crayola Model Magic®. Firmly press a paperclip into the top of each. Air-dry overnight.

4. With Crayola Scissors, cut a cardboard roll into one long and three short sections. Cut construction paper to cover the rolls. Attach it with Crayola School Glue. Air-dry the rolls.

5. Label the three short sections—solid, liquid, gaseous—with a Crayola Washable Marker. Label the longer roll, too. Tie your models to the correct short cardboard rolls with string or yarn. Tie the three sections to the longer section. Hang your mobile for others to see how much you know about physics!

Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project.

Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough With Small Parts— WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—

• Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
• Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
• Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
• If the arts & crafts project involves making small objects, follow the small parts/choking hazards standards: WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years."
• The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
• Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
• Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient. Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic, and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Small Parts— WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.

Recycled Cardboard Tubes—Use paper towel tubes, gift-wrap tubes, or long cardboard tubes that can be cut to any length. Health professionals caution against using recycled toilet paper tubes for arts & crafts projects because of the potential fecal contamination.

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.

String-Like Materials—Includes string, raffia, lacing, yarn, ribbon, and other similar material. Children 3 years and younger should not be given any string-like material that is longer than 12 inches. Close adult supervision is essential whenever children use string-like material. When crafts are to be worn around the necks of children 8 years and younger, attach the ends of the “string-like material” with clear adhesive tape, which allows easy release of the bond if the craft becomes entangled or caught on equipment. For children older than 8 years, the ends of the “string-like material” may be tied and knotted.

Totem To Tell a Story

Birthday Surprise Window

Inuit Snow Goggles

Crafts

crayola supplies

• Markers
• Model Magic®
• No-Run School Glue
• Pointed Tip Scissors

household supplies

• paper clips
• string
• recycled gift wrap or paper towel roll

"Science concepts seem so much more real when my daughter makes hands-on projects like this."
Felicity R., home-school mom of 8-year-old.

"We are always looking for new ideas for science projects. This is really original!"
Luke M., dad of three kids ages 7 to 11.

Solids have hard surfaces and differ in how their molecules are arranged. Liquids are smooth and wet, flow, and take the shape of their container. Gases move, don’t stick together, and have no shape. Atoms are so small that there are more atoms in one grain of sand than there are grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth! Atoms combine to form molecules. There’s more to matter than meets the eye!