Making Glue from milk

Type of resource: Video

Web address https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju20QrGB55c&feature=youtu.be

Language: English

Description

Investigating how to make glue from milk.

Scientific concept introduced

Chemical reactions: chemical change.

Creative and critical thinking

Critical Thinking:

Analysis

Inductive reasoning

Creative Thinking:

Making

Mathematical reasoning

Measuring non-standard units

Sequencing

Scientific thinking

Observing

Questioning

Prediciting

Testing

Analysising

Recording

Drawing conclusions

Learning how to learn

Turn taking in groups

Self-efficacy in learning

Fun in learning

Additional

Oral language – listening and following instructions

Literacy – vocabulary development

Cooking skill of mixing and stirring

Collaborative skills of sharing and turn taking

Pre-reading skills – sequencing

Hand-eye coordination

Safety in the kitchen

Making Glue from milk

Overall aims

To enable pupils to explore the chemical reaction between different materials

To develop pupils’ skills in listening and following instructions

To develop pupils’ cooking skill of mixing and stirring

To develop pupils’ skills in observing and predicting

To develop pupils’ skills in sharing and turn-taking

To develop pupils’ skills in measuring

To develop pupils’ skills in recording

Vocabulary – keywords should be understood

Milk, dairy, vinegar, baking soda, curds, whey, glue, mix, stir, ingredients, mixture, lumpy

Expected learning outcomes (operational aims)

The child will be enabled to:

– follow instructions for making glue

– explore how water, vinegar, milk and baking soda react with one another

– separate milk into curds and whey

– practice the skill of stirring

– make observations about how ingredients react and change

– work together in small groups

– graphically record their results

STEM skills – to which the learning unit is related to

CORE STEM SKILLS

Asking questions

Observing and making predictions

Testing

Analyzing the results involved in the process of making glue

Recording

Making

Measuring

Drawing conclusions

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Hand-eye coordination

Fine-motor skills

Writing

Reading

Oral Language

Cooking skills of stirring and mixing

Following rules of safety

Group work

Drawing

Teaching methodologies/activity outline

Teacher Note: Mixing milk and vinegar produces a chemical reaction that forms casein which is essentially a natural plastic. When a small amount of baking soda is added to the curd, the baking soda (base) and vinegar (acid) make an acid-base chemical reaction to produce carbon dioxide, water, and sodium acetate. The carbon dioxide bubbles escape but the sodium acetate solution combines with the casein curds to form a sticky glue.

Introduction

Inform pupils that they’re going to be making glue from milk today. Discuss ideas of ways in which they can use glue.

Ask pupils what ‘dairy’ food is – elicit that dairy is milk or food made from milk. Ask pupils in groups to list (draw) as many dairy foods they can think of and discuss as a class e.g. milk, cheese, yogurt, cream, ice-cream, butter. cottage cheese.

Activity

Ask pupils to work in groups to make their glue. Remind pupils to take turns in stirring and adding in the ingredients.

Ingredients

– 1 tbsp. white vinegar

– 1 ½ cups milk

– 1 tbsp. baking soda

– 1 tbsp. water

Instructions

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan over a low to medium heat but don’t boil it.

2. Add in the vinegar and stir well.

3. Continue to heat till curds begin to form. The milk will begin to separate into solid curds and watery whey.

4. Stir until the milk is well-separated.

5. Use a strainer or coffee filter to strain the mixture, draining the whey and keeping the curd, which is in the strainer/filter.

6. Add the curds back into the saucepan and add the water. Stir to mix and then add the baking soda.

7. Heat the mixture till it bubbles a little.

8. Stir until all the curds are well mixed with the water and baking soda.

Sample Question: What do you think would happen if you added more water/baking soda?

The thickness of the glue depends on the amount of water, so it can be either a sticky paste (little water) or a thin glue (with water). If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more water. If the glue is too lumpy, add more baking soda.

9. Leave to cool.

10. Now you’re ready to use your glue.

Unrefrigerated glue will ‘spoil’ after 24 to 48 hours. Dispose of the glue when it develops a spoiled milk smell.

Conclusion

Ask children draw a simple labelled diagram with arrows, to show the stages in the process of making glue from milk and the results. Then they can use their glue for arts and crafts.