Science- Freeze Experiment

Now that we've established what melting means in science it's time for freezing.  Our poem of the week was "Apples"

Apples

Apples, apples what a treat.

Sweet and tart and good to eat.

Apples green and apples red

Hang from branches over head.

And when they ripen

Down they drop

So we can taste our apple crop.

Before I told them what we were doing, I asked them to design an experiment for our class.  I asked this question to get them going.  If melting means we give a lot of heat to a solid, what would taking the heat away mean?  After a few times repeating that and some agonizing wait time one of my babes shouted out Freezing!  (They won the smarty pants award for the day)  We talked about times in our lives when we freeze things. 

*Science Tip*

I learned in my science training coop with UT that it is important to explain you are taking heat away to freeze.  You cannot give something cold.  You can give something heat or take that heat away. 

Next, I asked them what kind of liquid we could use in our experiment that would go along with our poem of the week.  Apple Juice!  We listed materials we would need on the board.  Then I told them I just happened to have all the materials ready to go.  They were so excited! 

We used some little plastic cups, Popsicle sticks, and apple juice.  The kids labeled their cups with a sharpie. 

We started Friday morning with this activity so they would have plenty of time to freeze.  We used the freezer in the Life Skills classroom and made some extras for those kiddos as a thank you. 
Here's the before pictures:

Next, we talked about how this was another experiment they could do at home.  You can try any liquid you like.  They brainstormed other liquids they might try.  We also looked around the classroom for other liquids we might find.  We found Dr.Pepper, water, and coffee.  (I wanted to make a salt water solution to connect to the ocean, but I didn't have any salt!)

Speaking of not having materials...shout out to L.H. and J.H's mom for saving the lesson.  I asked her to go to  the store and pick up some juice because I totally forgot to bring it to school!  What would I do without my amazing parents?????

While my kids were at PE I picked up their Popsicles.  They were waiting at their desk for them when they walked in the classroom.  You would have thought it was Christmas morning.  lol  They ate them for Fun Friday (last 30 of the day we just do fun stuff if they are done with all their work)

Here's the other frozen liquids.  I also mad a cup without a stick and one cup with a bunch of sticks just so they would know the stick has nothing to do with the freezing. 

EEEWWWW One of my little darlings who is really going to work on being impulsive just couldn't help his self with the sharpie.  He tried his best to color the entire stick before I stopped him.  Sigh....It came off in his Popsicle. Note the weird color.  Good thing I made an extra one.  Although I totally made him sweat it out a bit that he wasn't going to get to eat one because he didn't follow directions.   

It was another great day and a great lesson.