Experimental Design: Candy and Soda

Attached is a lesson plan aimed at teaching students the basics of scientific observations and planning an experiment. In this lesson, students are required to make predictions, record observations, and draw conclusions based on their observations. They also draw comparisons from between their groups results and another groups results, which introduces the concept of repeated trials and can help them further draw conclusions about specific candies and their reactions to Diet Coke. The experiment also introduces the student to the idea of variables in science, which are key when they begin learning the scientific method and create experiments of their own. The experiment also encourages questioning, why does this candy react this way? Does the fact that something is fruity or chocolaty make a difference? What makes the Diet Coke geyser like that? These are all questions that students may be inspired to explore on their own and discuss with their classmates. This may also lead to further experimentation: what happens if we change this aspect of the experiment? Could we have a mentos set off a chain reaction? How would you construct that? The whole point of this lesson is to introduce how to create a scientific experiment and to induce scientific curiosity. Attached is the lesson plan, observation sheets, conclusion sheets and a PowerPoint that introduces the concepts and can guide the experiment and class discussion.

Experimental Design: Candy and Soda

Topic: Science VA SOL: 2.1 a, c, g, k The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in which a) observations and predictions are made and questions are formed; c) observations are repeated to ensure accuracy; g) conditions that influence a change are identified and inferences are made; k) observations and data are communicated; Materials: several 2L Diet Coke bottles, enough small bottles of diet coke there is one for each child, Mentos, Skittles, M&Ms, sour patch kids, observation paper (attached), clipboards, paper towels, pencils, class conclusion chart, conclusion sheet (attached) Essential Questions: How do we test out differences in objects? How can we test out questions we have with an experiment? Key Terms: variable: is something in an experiment that changes prediction: what you think might happen experiment: a way to test a question you have observation: what you see, smell, hear and feel conclusion: bring it all together: evaluate your predictions, think about what you learned and what it means data: the results of the experiment Engage (5 minutes): Take students outside and show them the soda and a mentos. Ask them what they think will happen if we drop the mentos in. Then drop the mentos and watch the reaction. Ask students if they think that would happen again? Do the experiment again and ask students what they think we just did. Explore (10 minutes): Separate students into multi-level groups of four and give them several things: four small bottles of Diet Coke (the little half bottles), one fruit Mentos, one Sour Patch Kid, one Skittle, on M&M. Have them

write down what they think will happen with each candy on their observation paper. Each student will take turns dropping their item (one of the candies) into the soda and writing the reactions of each candy on the observation paper. Explain (10 minutes): Return to the classroom and discuss what happened. Explain that the various candies were called variables. Define the term variable (something that changes). Tell the students that they just did an experiment (define the term). Explain how they made predictions and observations on their observation papers. Now collect the data (define) and put it on a class chart. Extend (15 minutes): Ask the students what they think about the data? Is it all the same? If it is different, what do you think made you have a different reaction? Discuss with the students: what makes this an experiment? Did we ask a question? Did we use variables? Was the data the same in each groups experiment? What about the variables are the same? What are different? Have them discuss as a group and then discuss as a class the answers to these questions. Evaluate (10 minutes): Have students write out a brief conclusion. Explain what a conclusion is and then have them discuss with a shoulder partner for two minutes what they think their conclusion is. Were their predictions correct? Why do you think this reacted bigger than that? Did we do an experiment? After giving them time to discuss, have students fill out the conclusion sheet. Collect the sheet and check each one to see if the students are understanding and to inform whether or not a lesson on drawing conclusions is needed.

Observations:
Prediction: What do I think is going to happen with each candy? The Mentos:

The Skittle:

The M&M:

The Sour Patch Kid:

Observation: What happened with each candy? The Mentos:

The Skittle:

The M&M:

The Sour Patch Kid:

Conclusions:
Describe what you think happened with the experiment and why each candy reacted the way it did. Use the questions below to help you write your conclusion. You should write at least three sentences. 1. Were your predictions correct? 2. Why do you think the four things reacted the way they did? 3. Were the results the same in each group? Why/why not? 4. Did you think we did an experiment? Why? Why not? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________