Exploring Air

Most 6-8 year olds will tell you something about air.

"Air is everywhere."

"Air is in your lungs."

"You can't see air."

Ask them to collect it in a plastic bag and they will. They will use different methods to collect the air: pulling the bag through the air, scooping air in, blowing air in, using the air conditioner.

They see that air takes up space.

They might tell you places they know that don't have air: space, inside glass and other solids.

Even though they see air taking up space, they don't really believe it until you show them this:

 Tissue in a cup

1.  Take a tissue and place it inside a clear plastic cup.
2. What's in the cup? A tissue and air!
3. Turn it upside down. 
4. What's in the cup? A tissue and air!
5. Carefully lower it into a clear tub of water.
6. What's in the cup now?
7. Remove from the water and feel the tissue, the outside edge and the inside edge of the cup.

Amazed, they really get that air takes up space.
They'll tell you

"the air pushes the water away!"

Then take two identical pieces of paper. Make a big deal checking that they are exactly the same. Same size. Same weight. Same!

Scrunch one of the papers into a ball. They'll tell you that you've changed the shape. Remind them everything else is the same.

Devise a fair way to test whether a flat paper or scrunched paper will hit the ground first. Discuss that the height and the way you drop needs to same.

We only changed one thing: the shape.

Some kids will still be convinced that you made the scrunched ball heavier, but examine that misconception. Talk about the pull of gravity and the upward push of air. It's a difficult concept, but they are ready for the challenge.
 

Students found this lesson engaging and it challenged misconceptions on several levels.

Based on the Primary Connections resource, Push Pull