TITLE: Tasty Solution
AUTHOR: Cindy Robinson, Owasso, OK
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 7-9;
7th Grade Life Science
8th Grade Earth Science
9th Grade Physical Science
OVERVIEW: The section covering solutions in the physical
science curriculum often poses itself as a boring, hard to
memorize, useless chapter to most ninth grade students.
Although solutions, solvents, and solutes are evident in the
students everyday life, these ideas do not seem important
unless they can be brought to the students as something they
can touch, feel, see, and even taste.
PURPOSE: Science should be fun as well as thought
provoking. In order for students to learn and remember what
they learn, science class should be a hands on experience
whenever possible. The Tasty Solution Lab helps students to
identify the different parts of a solution and to determine
that exposing more surface area of a solution speeds up the
dissolving time. The purpose stated on the lab would be -
to determine the fastest way to dissolve candy.
OBJECTIVES: As a result of this activity students will:
1. Know the difference between a solvent, solute, and
solution.
2. Know that by exposing a solution to chewing and
stirring (exposing more surface area) the dissolving
time will be shorter.
3. Know that a solute dissolves by spreading out evenly
throughout a solvent.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS: 3 bite-sized pieces of soft candy for
each student (such as Hershey's Kisses)
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Students are to place one of the candy pieces in their
mouth without chewing or moving their tongues around.
2. Record the time that it takes for this candy piece to
dissolve.
3. Students are to place a second candy piece in their
mouth, this time moving their tongues, but not
chewing.
4. Record the time it takes to dissolve this candy piece.
5. Students are to place the third piece of candy in
their mouth and chew it.
6. Record the time to dissolve this third piece of candy.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
1. Students will report their results on the conclusion
section of the lab. (Moving the candy around and
chewing it decreases the time necessary for
dissolving).
2. Students will also understand why by completing the
following sentences:
The candy dissolves in the (saliva) in your mouth
to form a liquid solution. Solutions contain two
parts, a (solvent) and a (solute). The solvent is
(saliva) and the solute is the candy. The solute
(dissolves) by spreading out evenly throughout the
solvent. The candy can quickly dissolve when it
is (exposed) to chewing and stirred by moving it
around with the tongue.
3. This activity can be followed up with a worksheet of
different solutions where students try to determine
the solvent and solute of each.
4. An outside activity good to tie school and home
together would be for the students to find as many
different types of solutions in their kitchen as
possible. They can also determine if it is possible
to find out what the solute and solvent are.
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