Activity- Dancing Raisins
This is a great experiment that children can engage with themselves meaning it is child-centred and they are leading the learning. I would arrange the children in pairs (I chose pairs as too many people in a group for an experiment like this can mean not everyone gets a job and gets to fully take part). Each group will get 2 jars, one with water and one with 7-up and a handful of raisins. They will drop some raisins into the jar of water, observe what happens and record it. They will then drop some raisins into the jar with 7-up, observe and records. They will notice the difference between what happens in the jar with water and the jar with 7-up. Afterwards there will be a discussion as to why the raisins move up and down in the 7-up and why they sink to the bottom and stay there in the water. Children might suggest the raisins were heavier in the water so the experiment could be repeated but having weighted each set of raisins first. This will show that even having the same weight of raisins still causes the ones in the 7-up to move up and down. This is a great experiment for the children to carry out themselves and provides lots of opportunity for discussion and investigation.
rum 4- How would you use this activity in your classroom