Take a Material Through a State Change Circuit

What can we use if we don't have small cups, a shallow dish, or stickers?

Use clean yogurt cups or small plastic containers for the Solid and Liquid spots, a soap dish or saucer for the Gas station, and write labels with the marker if you don't have stickers so you can still place the ice cube, warm tap water, and shallow dish as the instructions say.

The ice isn't melting or the water in the shallow dish isn't evaporating—what should we try?

If the ice in the Solid cup isn't melting, move it closer to the sunny windowsill or a warm surface and for slow evaporation place the shallow dish where the low fan can blow gently or put it in a sunnier spot and stir warm tap water with the spoon to increase evaporation surface area.

How can I adapt this activity for a toddler, a school-age child, or an older kid?

For toddlers have an adult do the ice and pouring steps and use big labeled stickers, for school-age kids let them spoon water between cups and watch melting, and for older kids add timing, temperature notes, or repeat the circuit with different fan positions before sharing results on DIY.org.

How can we make the water state-change circuit more interesting or personal?

Try sprinkling a little salt on the ice in the Solid cup to speed melting, use a thermometer when you move melted ice into the Liquid cup, photograph the shallow dish while it evaporates and the plate catching condensation so you can create a time-lapse to share on DIY.org.