Potion Commotion printable pdf download

Activity 5

Potion Commotion

Materials

In this activity, kids produce chemical reactions with lots of colorful ﬁ zzing and

swirling effects. They discover that not all liquids mix together, that some are

• activity sheet for each kid

denser than others, and that gases are even lighter than liquids.

• data sheet (1 per kid; see p. 43)

• vegetable oil

(1 bottle per work area)

• white vinegar

(1 bottle per work area)

• water (1 bottle per work area)

Prepare Ahead

Lead the Activity

• baking soda

(1 bowl per work area)

Introduce Ruff’s challenge. (5 minutes) Hand out the

• Try the activity yourself, so you can anticipate where

• plastic spoons

activity sheets and tell kids that today they’ll be doing

kids may get stuck or need guidance.

• box of effervescent tablets

a chemistry activity that involves predicting, testing,

(like Alka Seltzer®)

• Photocopy the reproducible data

observing, and recording results. They’ll write their

• bowls for baking soda and

sheet on p. 43; one copy per kid.

effervescent tablets

observations on a data sheet.

(1 each per work area)

• Note that the activity calls for baking

• boxes of food coloring

soda, not baking powder.

Set up the experiment and pour the liquids.

(1 per work area)

(10 minutes) Have kids follow step 2 of the activity

• On the day of the activity, set up

• clear plastic cups (4 per kid)

sheet. Emphasize that the mixtures must line up with

• pencils (1 per kid)

work areas. Each kid should have

the labels on the data sheet. Setting up an

• paper towels (1 roll per work area)

four cups, a data sheet, and a pencil. Each work area

• chart paper and marker

experiment properly is part of being a scientist.

should have a bottle of oil, a bottle of vinegar, a bottle

of water, a bowl (and spoon) with baking soda, a bowl

National Science

Pause, observe, and discuss. (10 minutes) Once kids

Education Standa r ds

with effervescent tablets broken into quarters, a box

have added oil, water, and vinegar, ask them:

of food coloring, and a roll of paper towels for

Grades K–4

Science as Inquiry: abilities necessary to

potential spills.

• What do you notice about the liquids? (They’ve

do scientiﬁ c inquiry; understanding

separated into layers.)

about scientiﬁ c inquiry

Physical Science: properties of objects

• Which liquid is on top? (Oil.) Explain that some liquids

and materials

don’t mix, like oil and water, or oil and vinegar.

Grades 5–8

• Explain that liquids can have different densities,

Science as Inquiry: abilities necessary to

do scientiﬁ c inquiry

which means some are heavier than others. Which

Physical Science: properties and

liquid is the lightest, or least dense? How do you

changes of properties in matter

know? (The oil is lightest, because it ﬂ oats on top).

Potion Commotion

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