This activity can be completed with the answer sheet on page 15 in the Properties of Matter unit in the LearnEd Notebooks program.

Here’s a lab that you can easily incorporate with any properties of matter unit. As students learn that matter has physical and chemical properties, they will also learn how to identify these properties. In this investigation, students will carry out tests on six unknown substances in order to identify them based on their properties (baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, salt, sugar, and powdered sugar). How do physical characteristics provide clues to tell them apart? How does observing a chemical reaction help differentiate them from one another? Can your students correctly identify each substance based on the information provided in the activity? Check out our free printable for teacher preparation notes and full lab guidelines!