How to inflate a balloon with yeast

How to inflate a balloon with yeast? Investigating the properties of yeast

Type of resource: video You Tube

Web address Adres internetowy – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqnvNdU-wyE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lxl-SQh9kk

Language: Polish, English

Description

Experiments – using yeast to inflate a balloon. Testing how yeast works in different environment, mixed with differetn substances.

Scientific concept introduced

Yeast, unicellular fungi, sugar fermentation, carbon dioxide, temperature

Creative and critical thinking

Creative thinking: designing new experiments

Mathematical reasoning

measuring substances, comparing, classifying, measuring time

Scientific thinking

formulating problems, predicting, verifying hypotheses, observing chemical reactions, drawing conclusions

Learning how to learn

motivation to learn, emotional involvement, positive self-image as a learner

Additional

A/ Oral language development – Communicating, Wzbogacanie słownictwa;

B/ Teamwork;

C/ Hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills – precision in movement.

How to inflate a balloon with yeast? Investigating the properties of yeast

Overall aims

• Understanding the nutritional properties of yeast
• Defining the concept of sugar fermentation by experimenting with yeast – using yeast for baking bread
• Developing the ability to observe and draw conclusions

Vocabulary – keywords should be understood

Yeast, unicellular fungi, sugar fermentation, carbon dioxide, temperature

Expected learning outcomes (operational aims)

The child:
• describes the fermentation process.
• observes the course of the experiment
• experiments with yeast in different situations

STEM skills – to which the learning unit is related to

CORE STEM SKILLS

Scientific thinking:
formulating problems, predicting, verifying hypotheses, observing chemical reactions, drawing conclusions

Mathematical reasoning:
measuring substances, comparing, classifying

Learning to learn:
motivation to learn, emotional involvement, positive self-image as a learner

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Communicating;
Teamwork
Hand-eye coordination, Fine motor skills – precision in movement

Teaching methodologies/activity outline

1. Creating a problem situation
Ask the children to investigate the yeast with senses: watch it, smell it, taste it. Discuss: What is yeast used for? What is yeast? (you can prepare 2 different kinds of bread for comparing the taste: yeast bread and bread without yeast). Compare the taste and describe it.

2. Problem question: What to do to inflate the balloon using yeast?

3. Formulating hypotheses: note the children’s predictions

4. Verification of hypotheses
Conducting the experiment: children work in small teams.
Ask the children to prepare two bottles of different sizes. Pour a little warm water into each one, add yeast (about 0.5 grams), a teaspoon of sugar. Shake the bottles clogging the opening. Put one balloon on both bottles and observe – What do you think will happen? Children can use the stopwatch to measure the time.

5. Drawing conclusions – introducing the concepts: fermentation, yeast.

6. Additional activities related to children’s questions about the conditions that will allow the balloon to be inflated and further experimenting

• Will the balloons be filled if we mix yeast with salt and flour instead of sugar?

• Will the balloons be filled if we use cold water? How much time is needed for that?

• How much yeast do we need to fill a balloon using bottles of different sizes?

• How long will the balloon need to inflate if we place it on a small bottle and a large one?

You can bake yeast bread with your children.