Scientific Investigation

Popcorn

Investigation

•Can you change the proportion of corn that pops by treating the kernels before you cook them.

At the end of the investigation we will be able to:

• 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.

We are learning to:

•Conduct a scientific investigation

Investigation• 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 – at the end you may ask questions for clarifications.

• Be prepared to explain the investigation in your own words.

Activity 1 – Draft question

• Design a research question

• 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?

Activity 2 – hypothesis / prediction

• 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 ….

Activity 3 – Controlled variables

• 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.

Activity 4 – Independent variables

• 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

Activity 5 - Control

• Identify the control.• The one thing that will show us normal rate of popping is if we use unsoaked popcorn kernels

The experiment

Part 2

The experiment• Today we will be setting up and

running the experiment based on the procedure you wrote up yesterday / last week.

Step 1: Organise the equipment & materials

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

• Camera person• Recorders x 7• Label maker x 7 • Pot cleaners• Timers• Safety officer• Reader

• 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

InterpretationGraph 1

• Create a graph in which the y axis show the number of kernels that popped with the x axis showing the different samples.

Plain ke

rnelWate

rJuice

Golden syrup

02468

Number of kernels that popped after 60 seconds

Number of seeds that germinated af -ter 5 days

Interpretation Result statement

•Write a simple result statement after interpreting the data and studying their observations – what happened?

Conclusion• Now write your conclusion

with a statement about whether the data supported your original hypothesis (prediction) and why you think it happened.

Final Task• Use the information you have

gathered and present a summary of the investigation on a display poster.

PresentationDisplaying your

information

Recording sheetControl Water Sugar

WaterOil Salt

waterJuice Milk Golden

Syrup

Number of popped kernelsNumber of partially popped cornUn-popped corn