Irreversible Change

Irreversible change.  Sounds like lots of fun for a 4 year old, right?  Heck ya! Irreversible change, introduced to most by Sid the Science Kid simply means, "no take backs." For this experiment, kids learn about the physical properties of objects.

Ingredients:

•  Apples
•  Water 
•  Bowl

We are going to create applesauce:
Hand the kids a whole apple and encourage them to try to mash the apple. Depending on the little scientist's tenacity, this should be complete failure. My scientists threw the apples and banged them against the table to no avail. It wasn't until one found a bruise and used his fingernail that he had moderate success, but still no applesauce.

Next, I gave the kids a potato masher and bowl filled with sliced apples. They set to work trying to mash those apples into applesauce. Some of the apples broke down, but still no applesauce.

What happens if you add heat? Add a small amount of water to a microwavable bowl and seal, lifting a corner to allow steam to vent.  Zap on high heat for 10 minutes. For those interested in making super yummy applesauce, check out this delectable treat: 10 Minute Applesauce. (Hint: to help keep your scientist's attention, you may want to start heating apples early.  Trust me, if you try the recipe above, you won't mind the extra applesauce.)

Allow the mushier apples to cool a bit (you may want to check the texture to ensure the experiment won't backfire on you).  I transferred the mixture to a larger bowl, because by this point, the mashing tends to get frantic.  We used the chant, "Up, down, turn around" to help the kids from going too crazy and perhaps get better success.

For the adventurous types, I suggest whipping out the immersion blender at this point (for personal or mature kid use). Not only will the finished product resemble store bought applesauce, but you can also pose another question: What do you think will happen next?

For the Younger Scientists:
Rehash what just happened. Then ask: Do you think we could take this super yummy applesauce and change it back into a crunchy apple? You may want to ask about other things like mashed potatoes, cooked veggies, etc.

For Older groups:
This is a simple way to introduce the simple states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Point out that the whole and sliced apples represented solids; i.e. placing them in a container did not effect their shape.  While taking the top of old the heated apples note the steam (gas) escaping and dissipating as it tried to fill the room. Last we have the runny part of the apple sauce which is a liquid and as such will take the shape of its container.

Welcome!

Howdy! Welcome to my world of messy "funness."  Those of you who know me or have checked out my other blog, realize by now that I am by no means a Type A personality (especially when it comes to science).  I believe that goop and mess are great introductions to science and that "why?" is not a four letter word (unless it comes from my kid). I also believe that kids will rise to the challenge and are more capable than most people give them credit for.  As such, I tend to incorporate the scientific method into my insanity.

Misty's Method:

• When working with a young scientist, I always encourage questions and hypotheses. Why do you think X happens? What would happen if we did Y?
• Giggle and goof
• Then we conduct controlled experiments (as controlled as possible). 
• Observe and rethink our educated guesses (re-experiment as needed).
• Recap and reinforce conclusions.
• Have Fun!

Admittedly, I am a sucker for big words and don't shy away from them, even when working with kids. Luckily for me, TV shows like Dinosaur Train and Sid the Science Kid have primed the kiddos for me. Ask a group of 4 year old what a hypothesis is and chances are you will get "an idea you can test" shouted back.  They tend to know what experiments and observations are. Even if they don't, they pick it up quickly.

Know thine audience and don't be afraid to improvise.