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Home » Lesson Plans and Activities » Science

Box Science, by John Cowens

Here are some additional quick and easy science activities.

Why Baking Bread Rises
Students will understand that yeast produces gas bubbles within dough mixture which causes the bread to rise. (It may be possible to actually hear and smell the gas bubbles as the bread rises!)

Materials
• two plastic bowls
• three plastic spoons
• one cup of warm water (use warm tap water)
• one cup of flour
• two teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
• Teaspoon
• Measuring cup (1 cup capacity)

Procedure

  1. Fill the measuring cup with warm tap water and carefully pour 1/2 cup of water in each bowl.

  2. Add one teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 cup of flour to each bowl.

  3. Add 1/2 teaspoon yeast to one bowl only. Label this bowl "A." Label the other bowl "B."

  4. Place both bowls together in a warm area of the classroom such as a window sill, near a heat source, under a light, etc.

  5. Let the bowls stand for one hour or more.

  6. After one hour, observe the contents of both bowls. Which changed? How did it change?

  7. Write a description of what you observed. Compare and contrast the odor, appearance and feel of the contents of each bowl. Listen carefully to determine whether the contents of either bowl makes a bubbling sound.

Assessment

  1. Describe how both bowls of dough are different.

  2. Was there anything you observed, smelled or heard that indicated a gas was being formed?

  3. Explain how you think yeast helps bread rise?

Magnetic Attraction
Students will determine which materials a magnet will attract.

Materials
• Magnet (any type)
• Rubber bands
• Safety pins
• Thread
• Brass Paper Fasteners
• Aluminum foil
• Straight pins
• Steel wool
• Coins
• Crayons
• Staples
• Paper clips
• Paper
• Other materials in the classroom

Procedure

  1. Hypothesize which items will be attracted to the magnet.

  2. Place a magnet within 2 – 5 millimeters of one item and determine if it is attracted. Use this procedure with each object.

  3. Which objects stick to the magnet? Which do not?

  4. Make a chart showing which objects are attracted to the magnet.

Assessment

  1. What are magnets attracted to?

  2. Why are magnets not attracted to all metal objects?

  3. Was your hypothesis correct?

Herbs and Spices
Students will learn to use their senses to classify materials. They will be observing and categorizing in this exercise.

Materials
• White paper
• Spoon
• Labeled containers of several colorful herbs and spices (whole, crushed, and ground)

Procedure

  1. Observe thoroughly the contents of each container of herbs and spices.

  2. Using your sense of sight, group the spices and herbs according to appearance. How many different groups?

  3. Using your sense of smell, group the spices and herbs. How many different groups?

  4. Using your sense of touch, group the spices and herbs according to texture. How many different groups?

Assessment
Make a chart showing your descriptions. List the spices on the left side of your paper and the groups you decided on across the top of the paper. Place check marks after the spices to show which categories each belongs in.

To read John Cowens' related article "A Box Full of Science" click here.

Science