What is the basic science behind fire?

[Jakob Olason]

So I'm not the best at typing English, so please bare with me.
So I have a school project to a 6. Grade class, who was never heard of atoms or how anything reacts (maybe they have, but not much) so I don't know what to type, so that it's understandable and gets the information into them. I have ideas and to first say what an atom is, but I need to help them understand how a flame or fire works.

 

[CWatters]

You need to explain what atoms and molecules are. Explain that atoms can join together to form molecules. Then you can explain that when a piece of wood burns the carbon atoms in the wood react with oxygen atoms in the air to form molecules of Carbon Dioxide and heat is given off. Same with rust - Iron atoms react with oxygen to form Iron Oxide and heat.

 

[Jakob Olason]

Thank you! I don't know why I didn't think of that...