Engage your students with this NO PREP, real-world science WHODUNNIT investigation focused on gas behavior and temperature changes.

In this structured investigation, students examine real-world conditions, analyze data tables, evaluate temperature changes, eliminate possible causes, and construct a scientific explanation to determine what caused a balloon to shrink overnight.

"Students entered the classroom and noticed something unusual on the teacher’s desk. A balloon that had been large and fully inflated on Friday afternoon now appeared smaller and slightly wrinkled. It had not popped, and there were no visible holes or tears in the rubber." Your students must use clues and evidence to determine - which suspect created the conditions that caused the balloon to shrink over the weekend.

Rather than passively learning about gases, students actively interpret evidence, recognize patterns, and apply scientific reasoning to understand how temperature affects gas particle motion—and why cooling causes gases to contract. This activity makes science concepts meaningful while building critical thinking, collaboration, and writing skills.

✅ NO PREP, ready to use

No materials, no setup, no stress. Just print or assign digitally and go. Everything students need is included—from the reading to the final CER response.

What Students Will Learn

• How temperature affects gas behavior
• How gas particles move faster when heated and slower when cooled
• Why cooling causes gases to contract (take up less space)
• How changes in temperature affect the volume of a gas
• How particle motion explains changes in the size of a balloon
• How thermal energy influences the behavior of gases
• How environmental conditions can cause physical changes in matter
• How to use data to identify patterns between temperature and volume
• How to analyze real-world data to determine cause-and-effect relationships
• How to use Claim–Evidence–Reasoning (CER) to explain scientific phenomena

This activity combines chemistry, real-world problem solving, data analysis, and scientific writing into one structured investigation that keeps students actively engaged from start to finish.

What’s Included

• A complete student investigation with reading, data tables, and guided questions
• A structured suspect elimination process to support logical reasoning
• A collaborative group role system to increase participation and accountability
• A full teacher answer key with completed tables and CER sample responses
• Extension activities for deeper learning and real-world connections

Why Teachers Love This Resource

• Fully structured and print-and-go – no prep required
• High student engagement through real-world problem solving
• Builds critical thinking and data analysis skills
• Strengthens CER writing and scientific explanation
• Encourages meaningful collaboration and discussion
• Flexible for different classroom formats and pacing

Time Required

• 1 class period (45–60 minutes)
• Can be extended into a 2-day investigation with discussion and extension activities

Google Classroom and Distance Learning Ready

• This resource is perfect for in-class or distance learning and integrates seamlessly with Google Classroom.
• It automatically creates a copy of the reading and places it directly into your Google Drive with a single click.
• Purchase → Open → Click → Assign to your students
• The reading also includes a Microsoft Word and PDF version.
• Having all three options allows you to assign the activity without worrying about formatting issues, and ensures access for all students regardless of device or learning environment.

No prep, no formatting, no issues. Simply download, print (or upload), and you're all set.

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If you have any questions please feel free to send me an email - devon@teachwithfergy.com