Dry Ice Investigations (grade 6-8)

The intriguing behavior of dry ice sets the stage for exciting and memorable learning experiences. Students choose questions they are interested in, then plan and conduct their own investigations. Intense student curiosity about dry ice makes it an ideal topic on which to focus student-led, open-ended inquiry. Students also gain knowledge about chemistry, phase change, the particulate theory of matter, and the history of science. The importance of providing such "full inquiry" experiences in the science curriculum is strongly emphasized in the National Science Education Standards.