Chocolate science reversible change

Chocolate Science – reversible change

Type of resource: Website

Web address https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/chocolate-science-reversible-change-food-science/

Language: English

Description

Investigating the science of reversible change. It explores melting and freezing chocolate.

Scientific concept introduced

Exploring physical change: Reversible Change.

Creative and critical thinking

Critical Thinking:

Analysis

Inference

Creative Thinking:

Imagining

Mathematical reasoning

Counting

Sequencing

Scientific thinking

Questioning

Observation

Prediction

Testing

Analysising

Drawing conclusions

Learning how to learn

Self-efficacy in learning

Engagement in learning

Learning collaboratively

Additional

Following instructions

Cooking skill of stirring

Oral language – describing substances appearance in different states

Pre-reading skills eg sequencing

Safety in the kitchen

Chocolate Science – reversible change

Overall aims

To enable pupils to explore the effects of heating and cooling on chocolate

To develop pupils’ skills in following instructions

To develop pupils’ skills in observing and predicting

To develop pupils’ skills in counting

Vocabulary – keywords should be understood

Chocolate, change, turn back, bowl, saucepan, heat, melt, cool, freeze, liquid, hard, lumpy, ingredients

Expected learning outcomes (operational aims)

The child will be enabled to:

– follow instructions for melting chocolate

– count items including chocolate chips, mold cups

– practice the skill of stirring

– observe and describe chocolate as a liquid and solid

STEM skills – to which the learning unit is related to

CORE STEM SKILLS

Asking questions

Observing and making predictions

Testing

Analyzing the results of heating/cooling

Drawing conclusions

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Hand-eye coordination

Fine-motor skills

Writing

Reading

Oral Language

Following rules of safety

Group work

Teaching methodologies/activity outline

Teacher Note: Reversible change is a physical change in which a substance can be converted back to its original state without creating new material. In cooking, we can see reversible change in melting and freezing.

Introduction

Begin by asking pupils what they understand by ‘reversible’? Use the example of a coat or jacket which is reversible – it can be turned inside out/outside in – either way.

Ask pupils to describe the chocolate using various senses, for example:

Sample questions: What colour is the chocolate? How does it smell? How does it fell? How does it taste? How does it sound when you take a bite of a chocolate chip.

Activity

1. Ask pupils to place the chocolate chips in a bowl, counting them.

2. Carefully place the bowl with chocolate chips on top of a saucepan with cold water. Slowly heat the water.

3. Ask pupils to carefully stir the chocolate chips, observing and noting how its appearance changes as they stir. Ask pupils to continue to stir until all the chocolate has melted. Again, encourage pupils to use their senses to describe the chocolate now in liquid form.

Sample questions: What does the chocolate look like now? / How is it different/the same as the chocolate chips? What has happened to the chocolate? / Why did the chocolate melt?

4. When the chocolate has melted, remove from heat and ask pupils to help spooning the melted chocolate into the mold – pupils filling a mold each. Leave to cool and then refrigerate. After the chocolate has had time to freeze, discuss the following:

Sample questions: Does the chocolate in the mold look like the chocolate chips? How is it different/the same? / Does the chocolate feel hard like the chocolate chips? / What has happened by melting and then freezing the chocolate?

5. Explain that if we had the exact right mold, the chocolate could be turned back into chocolate chips again. This is a ‘reversible change’ – when we make a change that can be undone. Ask pupils to think of what mold they would like to use for melting and freezing chocolate.

6. Explain irreversible change – Ask pupils in pairs to chat about what ingredients are used to make a cake.

Sample questions: What ingredients do I use to make a cake?/ Once I make a cake, can I turn the cake back into all the ingredients I used? This is an example of irreversible change.