Science through Story

P6 class recently combined the power of science and story. The class delved into Roald Dahl’s classic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and engaged in a hands-on experiment that tested our predictions about gummy bears!
In this  task, Willy Wonka reached out to us with a challenge: he wanted to create enormous sweets and needed our assistance in determining which solutions in his factory would help achieve this. Each group was provided with four gummy bears and four different solutions: water, salt water, baking soda, and vinegar. After some spirited discussions, the children utilised their predicting skills to forecast the outcomes of immersing the gummy bears in each solution for a period of 48 hours.
To add an element of numeracy to our scientific exploration, we measured each gummy bear’s length, width, and depth (also known as thickness) before and after the experiment. By multiplying these measurements, we calculated their volumes, reinforcing the mathematical concepts we have been working on in class. We also measured their mass using a scale. All of this data was diligently recorded on charts, allowing the children to track their results effectively.
After the gummy bears had soaked for 48 hours, we were thrilled to observe some remarkable changes. The class enthusiastically discussed our findings, scrutinised the results, and made thoughtful statements about what we had discovered. Additionally, we took time to evaluate our experiment, reflecting on what we might do differently if given another opportunity to conduct it.