Investigation
•Can you change the
proportion of corn that
pops by treating the
kernels before you cook
them.
• Answer the question to our investigation.
• Create a research question and hypothesis
based on their prior research.
• Plan and conduct an investigation.
• Make observations, record results and graph.
• Make a results statement and
conclusion.
•Conduct a
• Today we will plan and prepare a scientific investigation to
investigate what happens when you soak the kernels in
different liquids (water, oil, juice, golden syrup etc
beforehand.
• Will this affect the proportion / amount of corn that pops
in a certain time?
• The investigation will be a cameo so that groups can plan
their own investigation to determine what ratio of vinegar
& baking soda (chemical change ) will cause the bullet
(cork) to travel the longest distance.
• Students will work in groups
• Work together in your small group and record
the method in your sheet.
• Read through the sheet –
• Be prepared to explain the investigation in
your own words.
• Design a
• Write up what you want
to find out.
• What happens when we
soak the kernels in
different liquids (water,
oil, orange juice, milk
and golden syrup
beforehand.
• Will this affect the
amount of corn that
pops in a certain time?
• From your research
question comes the
hypothesis.
• Now in your group
come up with your
hypothesis (prediction)
Examples
• All kernels will pop at
the same rate.
or
• The thicker the liquid
the less seeds will pop.
or
• The water soaked seeds
will pop at a better rate
than any of the other.
or ….
• Look at the “equipment
and materials”
• What are the controlled
/ dependent variables?
(What will be the
same?)
Controlled variables:
• Same number of
kernels
• Same volume of liquid
• Same time soaked –
dried afterwards.
• Same pot, amount of
oil, time of heating up,
cooking time.
• What is the one thing
that will be different?
The liquid the kernels are
soaked in
• Water
• Salt water
• Sugar water
• Oil
• Golden Syrup
• Orange juice
• Milk
• Identify the control.
• The one thing that will show us
normal rate of popping is
if we use unsoaked popcorn
kernels
• Today we will be setting up and running the
experiment based on the procedure you
wrote up yesterday / last week.
We need:
• 7 x plastic cups for soaking
• 100ml water, saltwater,
sugar water, milk, oil, juice
• 1 x pot
• Hot plate
• Measuring cup
• Absorbent paper
• Plate
• Oil
Behaviour and safety:
• Work area
• Handling of hot items
• Wash hands after each
session.
Jobs
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Camera person
Recorders x 7
Label maker x 7
Pot cleaners
Timers
Safety officer
Reader
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Camera
Recording sheet, ruler
Paper strips and vivid’s
SL, scour, gloves, water
Timer , stopwatch
Book
• Draw a recording sheet to record
observations.
• Have a pencil, ruler and digital camera ready
• Lay the ruler on a clean blank paper.
• Count the numbers of kernels that have
popped and record.
Controlled variables
• Volume of liquid –
100ml
• 20 kernels
• Soak for 2min
• Volume of oil – 30ml
• 45 sec heating up
• 30 sec of cooking
• Remove immediately –
open
Observation
Part 3
Interpret the data
• Create a graph in which the y axis show the
that popped with the x
axis showing the different samples.
Sugar…
Milk
Juice
Salt water
Water
Oil
Plain kernel
10
8
6
4
2
0
Golden…
Number of kernels that popped
after 60 seconds
Number of
seeds that
germinated
after 5 days
• Write a simple
after interpreting
the data and studying their
observations – what
happened?
• Now write your
with a
about whether the data
supported your original hypothesis
(prediction) and why you think it
happened.
• Use the information you have gathered and
present a summary of the investigation on a
display poster.
Presentation
Displaying your information
Recording sheet
Control Water
Number of
popped
kernels
Number of
partially
popped
corn
Un-popped
corn
Sugar
Water
Oil
Salt
water
Juice
Milk
Golden
Syrup