For a New School Year
Over the summer, I started thinking about science for the new school year. I used my Introductions to Science Stations the previous year to start off the year, but I wanted to add a little something to that.
At the beginning of the year, I want a simple, fun investigation to walk my students through an investigation, introduce variables, and write our first claim with evidence and reasoning. This is where Skittles come in! 🟢 🟡 🟠
The Great Skittles Experiment
I needed to test it out before trying it with my classes.
For the great Skittles experiment, I was trying to answer the question: Do Skittles dissolve faster in warm or cool water? I measured out some water, heated up water for one cup, and got out my Skittles. Then, I ate a Skittle, but it’s okay. 😀
I dropped them in at the same time and started stirring evenly with both hands after setting my timer.
After about 3 minutes, the Skittle in the warm water had dissolved. The Skittle in room temperature water took about 5 minutes. You can repeat with two more trials for added reliability.
It went so well when I used it with my classes that I made a product to share with you all, iLearn Science.
This is a simple experiment to do with your class for the beginning of the year, before Science Fair, or any time.
What You Will Love
✅ Teaching slides include important information, discussion questions, and activities!
✅ Teacher guides and schedules will make planning a breeze!
✅ Tools and measurement stations will ensure students know how to use lab materials.
✅ Choose the scientific method version or the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning version to introduce scientific investigations using Skittles!
✅ Notebook activities are embedded to create organized, meaningful science notebooks.
✅ Student notes are ready to print and go, saving you precious time!
What You Will Find
The Skittles investigation, along with and printables, is available in the iLearn Science pack. You’ll find:
- schedule of 10 days worth of activities
- beautiful, informative sides
- differentiated student notes booklet
- exploration stations
- Skittles investigation
- quiz in both printable and Google Forms formats
10 Days of Meaningful Science Activities
Lesson 1: What is science? discussion slides, notes, & notebook activity
Lesson 2: How do we practice safety? discussion slides, notes, & notebook activity
Lesson 3: Which tools do we use for observation? discussion slides, notes, and exploration stations
Lesson 4: Which tools do we use for measurement? discussion slides, notes, and exploration stations
Lesson 5: Which measurement system is used in science? discussion slides, notes, and notebook sorting activity
Lesson 6: How is data collected and analyzed? discussion slides, notes, and calculating averages practice
Lesson 7: What are graphs? discussion slides, notes, and reading a graph practice
Lesson 8: How do scientists investigate? discussion slides, notes, and following a procedure practice
Lesson 9: Choose either What is the scientific method? or What is C-E-R? to complete the Skittles investigation
Assessment: 10 question quiz in printable format and Google Forms
Let’s have a great year!
See iLearn Science on TpT. You (and your students) will thank you!
8 thoughts on “Skittles Experiment, Scientific Method, and C-E-R”
What a great idea! This is perfect for the end of year too 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
Stephanie
Teaching in Room 6
This will definitely be in my shopping cart. I have all 3 of your bundles and this is going to add so much to my science instruction.
Kristi
Learning’s a Hoot
Thanks for sharing! I just found your blog through Pinterest and love your ideas! Keep ’em coming
This sis a great introductory lab! My students are still talking about it!!
Really good idea. Will grab most children’s attention. As an add on, why not give each child have paper and pen, and ask them to predict what they think will happen first. Then afterwards ask them why did we get the result. Do they think other things might behave the same. They could then try things at home, (with supervision) to see things like ice cubes, stock cubes, bath cubes, and wooden bricks, to see what happens, and why. Looks like great fun to me. Thanks for your idea.
Great thinking!
This was a great idea for me.
loved the idea of introducing scientific method..