Properties of Water Station Lab - New TEKS 8.6C

Keep your middle school students engaged, curious, and learning with this modular, student-led activity on the properties of water, aligned with TEKS 2021 standard 8.6C.
This ready-to-use resource saves you hours of prep time while empowering students to take ownership of their learning through hands-on, interactive exploration.

In this station lab, students will describe the properties of cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension in water and relate these properties to real-world phenomena such as the formation of droplets, capillary action in plants, and insects walking on water.
Perfect for in-class or virtual learning, this differentiated activity brings chemistry concepts to life and promotes inquiry-based learning.

Differentiated, Modular, and Student-Led

Each station lab includes nine differentiated activities that give students a personalized learning experience.
In this student-centered model, the teacher facilitates rather than directs learning, guiding students as they explore water’s unique properties independently or in small groups.

The nine modular stations include all signage, reading passages, resources, and task cards students need for success.
The Explore It! station may require a few common materials already available in your classroom.

Ready for In-Class or Virtual Learning

Designed for maximum flexibility, this lab works seamlessly in-person or online.
All materials are fully compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making it easy to assign, guide, and assess student learning in any environment.

The Stations

Input Stations – Learn and Explore

Students encounter new ideas about the properties of water through a variety of multimodal, interactive learning experiences.

• Explore It! – Hands-on activity or demonstration connecting abstract concepts to real-world applications. In the digital version, students manipulate images and text in PowerPoint or Google Slides.

• Watch It! – Students view a short video and answer comprehension questions about cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension.

• Read It! – Students read a short passage about water’s properties and answer vocabulary and comprehension questions. Differentiated texts in English and Spanish are included for all reading levels.

• Research It! – Students explore facts, visuals, and graphs related to water’s unique properties and complete guided analysis questions.

Output Stations – Apply and Demonstrate Understanding

Students apply and demonstrate their learning through creative, visual, and written activities that promote deeper understanding and retention.

• Organize It! – Sort and classify examples using printable manipulatives or digital drag-and-drop tools.

• Illustrate It! – Draw or model cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension to visually reinforce learning.

• Write It! – Respond to short-answer prompts using academic vocabulary and evidence-based reasoning.

• Assess It! – Apply knowledge through task cards and written responses that use key vocabulary in context.

Bonus Station – Challenge It!

Perfect for early finishers and advanced learners, this enrichment station includes crosswords, mini-projects, and interactive games that push students to apply their knowledge in creative, higher-level ways.

Why Teachers Love This Resource

• Comprehensive and ready to use – minimal prep required

• Differentiated and student-centered – supports all learners

• Flexible – ideal for traditional, hybrid, or virtual classrooms

• Engaging and multimodal – combines hands-on, visual, and digital learning

• Compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides – easy to integrate anywhere

This is a finished product; it will be updated with corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.