- cups (solid)
- raisins (solid)
- water (liquid)
- clear soda (liquid and gas)
First, our students predicted what would happen when we put raisins into two different cups - one filled with water, and the other filled with clear soda.
Then, we performed the experiment! We poured water into one glass and clear soda into another. Then we put about a 1/3 cup of raisins into both glasses and observed what happened! In the glass with water, the raisins sank to the bottom of the glass. In the soda, however, after the raisins sank to the bottom of the glass, they began "dancing!" One by one, raisins came up to the surface of the soda and then sank.
We then recorded our observations.
After our observations were recorded, we gathered on the carpet to discuss what happened. We drew a detailed, labeled picture to help organize our thinking. Here is what happened with the dancing raisins:
In the soda, there were bubbles of carbon dioxide, which is a gas. The raisins that were in the soda were lifted to the surface by these bubbles, and then dropped down to the bottom of the glass after the bubbles popped.
We had a lot of fun practicing our science words - like "observe," liquid," and "solid." We can't wait to see what else we learn this year!
