Investigating the density of a honey

Investigating the density of a honey – Experiment

Type of resource: Website

Web address http://www.piatresteavespucci.it/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/esperimenti-1C-2011-2012.pdf

Language: Italian, English

Description

Experiment – investigating the density of differetn liquids. Understanding that different liquids may have different density. Observing how liquids of different density behave when they come in contact.

Scientific concept introduced

Honey, density, oil, washing up liquid, water, dye (food coloring), layers

Creative and critical thinking

Critical thinking – analyzing, comparing

Mathematical reasoning

measuring the amount of different liquids, using the kitchen measures

Scientific thinking

Asking questions, observing, predicting, experimenting, drawing conclusions

Learning how to learn

curiosity, motivation to learn and engage, reflecting on one’s own learning and knowledge

Additional

A/ Oral language development – Communicating, Scientific vocabulary
B/ Teamwork – following the rules of safety
C/ Fine motor skills – precision of movements

Investigating the density of a honey – Experiment

Overall aims

Cognitive:
Developing the ability to communicate, solve problems, identify connections and relations
Shaping the skills of finding information and interpreting data

Affective:
adopting a responsible and correct attitude towards the investigation and the preschool group

Psychomotorics:
improvement of fine motor skills and stimulation of hand-eye coordination

Vocabulary – keywords should be understood

Honey, density, oil, washing up liquid, water, dye (food coloring), layers

Expected learning outcomes (operational aims)

The child will be able to:
– conduct an experiment
– examine the density of honey and observe the behavior of liquids of different densities
– describe the experiment, draw conclusions and document (record) its course
– listen and follow instructions

STEM skills – to which the learning unit is related to

CORE STEM SKILLS

Critical thinking – analyzing, comparing
Mathematical reasoning – measuring the amount of different liquids, using the kitchen measures
Learning how to learn – curiosity, motivation to learn and engage, reflecting on one’s own learning and knowledge

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Oral language development – enriching the scientific vocabulary,
Teamwork – cooperation
Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
Following the rues of safety during an experiment
Documenting an experiment in drawing

Teaching methodologies/activity outline

Introduction:
Presenting the materials to children (oil, honey, washing liquid, water, food pigments).
Problem question: What will happen when we pour these liquids into one vessel?
Predicting – write down children’s hypothesis

Activity:
Divide children into small teams, give every team a glass (or a jar), all the materials and kitchen measuring cups. Ask the children to follow the instruction:
1. First, pour 25ml of honey into a glass.
2. Then add 25ml of washing liquid.
3. Add water previously colorized with green pigments before, and then cover it with 25ml of oil
4. Observe

Note for the teacher: The four ingredients poured into the beaker are clearly distinguishable in four superimposed layers. Bottom up:
– honey
– dish soap
– water
– oil
Documentation of the experiment: photo, drawing

Conclusion:
The substances used, although occupying the same volume, have different densities. Honey, denser than the others, has a greater mass, i.e. more matter in the same volume as the other three substances. Workshop
can be continued by learning about honey, its nutritional values, honey formation and chemical composition, or the life of bees.

Assessment of learning

Drawing documentation of the effects of the experiment, photo of the results
Observation of children’s work by the teacher.

Equipment and materials to be used in learning unit (tools, ingredients etc)

clear glasses (at least 1 per group), honey, water, washing up liquid, oil, measuring cups (at least 1 per group), spoons, food coloring, sheets with experiment instructions (1 per group), paper and crayons, personal stationery

Optional: camera and billboard to document the experiment.