Ice, Water, and Steam

Ice, Water, and Steam: Grade 4 Science Worksheet

Can water be a gas? Water is one of the few things students see every day as a solid, a liquid, and a gas: ice in a beach cooler, water from a garden hose, and steam rising from a pot. Ice keeps its shape, water takes the shape of its cup, and steam spreads out to fill a room. Students sort ice, water, and steam by their properties, then match everyday uses like watering an orange tree, steaming vegetables, and keeping drinks cold at the beach.

Key Science Vocabulary

• solid: keeps its own shape (ice)
• liquid: flows and takes the shape of its container (water)
• gas: spreads out to fill all the space (steam or water vapor)
• state of matter: the form something is in: solid, liquid, or gas
• water vapor: water as a gas

What Students Do

• Read a three-line teach box on the properties of each state of water
• Part A: compare picture cards of ice, a glass of water, and a steaming pot, then name the state from clues like “it pours and fits any cup”
• Part B: look at three real uses (watering an orange tree, cooking vegetables with steam, a beach cooler) and circle the state of water each one uses
• Answer key with red reason lines and a teacher note

Standards

Florida SC.4.P.8.2: Identify properties and common uses of water in each of its states. Builds toward NGSS 5-PS1-1 (matter is made of particles too small to be seen, such as water vapor).

Where It Fits in Grades 3 to 8

In earlier grades, students describe how water changes when it is heated or cooled. In grade 4 they name the properties and uses of each state. In grades 5 to 8 this grows into particles, the water cycle, and how energy causes changes of state.

Teaching Tip

Before the worksheet, show an ice cube, a cup of water, and a kettle. Ask which one keeps its shape. Students who can answer that one question are ready for Part A. Prints clearly in black and white and takes 8 to 10 minutes.