For Educators of Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties.
  • Innovative Teaching
  • About
  • Contact
  • CABOCES.ORG/iss
  • Calendar of Events
  • AdvancingSTEM

Innovative Teaching

For Educators of Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties
Subscribe to our Monthly Brief

MAGIC MILK ART: WHAT ARE PHENOMENA? AND A WINTER STEM INVESTIGATION

11/30/2021

0 Comments

 
​Natural phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe and that we can use our science knowledge to explain or predict.  The goal of building knowledge in science is develop general rules, based on evidence, that can explain and predict phenomena.  Despite their centrality in science, phenomena have traditional been a missing piece in science education, which too often has focused on teachers passing on general knowledge that students can have difficulty applying to real-world contexts.  By centering science education on phenomena that students are motivated to explain, the focus of learning shifts from being told about a topic to figuring out why or how something happens.  Students work through figuring it out because they are wondering how it works.  If we simply give students the scientific knowledge, we kill the wonder.  Don’t kill the wonder!
 
 
Magic Milk Art Investigation
 
PHENOMENON:  How does soap get greasy dishes clean?  Better yet, how does dish soap get greasy ducks clean?
Picture
Click here to observe the phenomenon.
 
This activity involves demonstrating a supporting phenomenon and then attempting to explain it by designing an investigation.  Post a photo of your students in action in our comment section or post a comment on how you modified the activity to work in your classroom.  
 
This phenomenon may be used for the following NYSSLS standards:
 
  • MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. (Patterns)
  • MS-PS1-8. Plan and conduct an investigation to demonstrate that mixtures are combinations of substances. (Patterns)
  • HS-PS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles. (Structure and Function)
 
Students in elementary grades may likely not be able to explain in scientific terms what is happening.  Allow them to draw their explanation or explain in their own vocabulary.  The important part here is the wonder.  With younger kids, they don’t need the real explanation at this point.  
 
MATERIALS:
 
  • Shallow, flat-bottomed plate or baking dish
  • Milk (dairy)
  • Food coloring
  • Dish soap
  • Cotton swab sticks (Q-tips)
  • Small cup (bathroom cups or condiment cups work great)
  • Cookie-cutters in fun winter shapes (optional)
 
 TO DEMONSTRATE THIS PHENOMENON:
 
STEP 1: Start by pouring your milk into a baking dish or other flat bottom surface. You don’t need a lot of milk just about ¼ of an inch. Then if you have one, place a cookie cutter in the milk. Allow the milk to settle before moving to the next step.
 
STEP 2: Next you want to drop some coloring onto milk (outside of the cookie cutter).
Picture
STEP 3: Pour some dish soap into the small cup.  Dip your cotton swab tip into the dish soap so the cotton is coated in soap. Then bring it over to your milk dish and gently touch the swab to the surface of the milk. What happens?
 
 DEVELOP AN INVESTIGATION:
 
Can you explain how this phenomenon works?  
 
OPTION 1: Change the milk. Develop a data table and try repeating this experiment with different types of milk and liquids (skim, 1%, 2%, whole milk, half & half, heavy cream, or even plant-based milks or water, vegetable oil, olive oil, canola oil, etc.).  
 
OPTION 2: Change the soap. Develop a data table and try repeating this experiment with different types of soaps (shampoo, liquid hand soap, laundry detergent, or bar soap). 
 
What happens? Do you get the same effect, or does it change?  Which liquids produce the most dramatic effects?  Does it help you to explain how this phenomenon works?
 
Can you explain how dish soap gets greasy pans or greasy ducks clean?  
 
Teacher Hints and tips:

  1. You can reload new cotton swabs and touch the milk as many times as you want - Eventually the movement will stop.  You can try holding the swab in the milk longer, or putting the swab all the way to the bottom of the dish.
  2. Multiple colors can be used for more fun.
  3. Example Data Chart setups:
  4. *Spoiler alert* Click here for the scientific explanation of this experiment.  This link also contains lots of other fun STEM activities!
Picture
By: Kelli Grabowski, CA BOCES Learning Resources​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Follow us on
    ​social media

    Want to attend a professional development session offered by Instructional Support Services?  Click here to review our catalog of professional development offerings.  
    Need 24/7 access to digital classroom resources?
    Click here to access "no charge" digital resources for you and your students.

    Categories

    All
    1:1
    AdvancingSTEM
    Akom
    Allegany County
    Allegany Limestone
    Alternate Assessment
    Andover
    Angela Stockman
    Anti Bullying
    Anti-bullying
    Anxiety
    APPR
    Art
    Arts
    Arts In Education
    Artspower
    Arts Power
    Assessments
    Audiobooks
    Belfast
    Benchmarks
    Blended Learning
    Bolivar Richburg
    Book Study
    BPO
    Brain Based
    Breakout EDU
    Ca Boces
    Canva
    Career Day
    Career Resources
    Castle Learning
    CA Today
    Cattaraugus Little Valley
    CLC (collaborative Learning Community)
    Coding
    Collaborative Project
    Common Core
    Community And Schools Together
    Community Schools
    Community Schools Service Showcase
    Community & Schools Together Conference
    Cooperative Learning
    Co-teaching
    Credit Recovery
    Cte
    Cuba Rushford
    Cuba-Rushford
    Curriculum Modules
    Dasa
    Data
    Dave Ruch
    Distance
    Distance Learning
    Diversity
    Drone
    Drones
    Dyslexia
    Early Childhood
    Ebooks
    Ela
    ELA CLC
    ELA Learning Standards
    Ellicottville
    Environmental Education
    Eresources
    Esl
    Esports
    Family Engagement
    Field Trips
    Field Trip Zoom
    Fillmore
    Film Festival
    Flipgrid
    Fossils
    Franklinville
    French
    Friendship
    Game Based Learning
    Game-based Learning
    Genesee Valley
    Global History
    Global Studies
    Grit
    Growth Mindset
    Health
    Hinsdale
    Houghton College
    Innovation
    Instruction
    Ipad
    Khan Academy
    Kimberly Morrow
    Kits
    Language Line
    Leadership
    Learning Resources
    Lego League
    Library
    Literacy
    Maker
    Math
    Math Modules
    Matt Miller
    Media
    Mental Health
    Microsoft
    Microsoft 365
    Microsoft Teams
    Minecraft Education
    Model Schools
    Moodle
    Moodle/Mahara
    Music
    Nerdle
    Newsbank
    New Teacher Academy
    Next Generation Science
    Odyssey Of The Mind
    Olean
    Online Class
    Overdrive
    Padlet
    Parents
    Parent University
    PBL
    PE
    Physical Education
    Pioneer
    Pioneer Central School
    Pixar In A Box
    Play
    Portville
    Poverty Simulation
    Power Apps
    Power Automate
    Power Teaching
    Pre K
    Pre-K
    Professional Development
    Randolph
    Randolph Academy
    Reading
    Regents Exam
    Remote Learning
    Resilience
    Restorative Circles
    Restorative Practice
    Rocket League
    Salamanca
    Scholastic Challenge
    School Library
    Schoology
    Scio
    Seesaw
    Self Care
    Sharepoint
    SLO's
    SNAP
    Social Emotional
    Social Emotional Learning
    Social-emotional Learning
    Sora
    Spanish
    Special Education
    Standards
    Star Lab
    Stem
    STEM Challenge
    Student
    Student Programming
    Student Programs
    Summer School
    Summer Tech Camp
    Tcif
    Teacher Academy
    TeachingBooks
    Teach Like A Champion
    Technology
    TheaterWorks USA
    Theatre
    The Mailbox
    TITC
    Trauma
    TRLE
    Vex
    Virtual Field Trip
    Virtual Scholastic Challenge
    Wellsville
    West Valley
    Whitesville
    Why Try
    Writing
    Zoom
    Zulama

    Archives

    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Innovative Teaching
  • About
  • Contact
  • CABOCES.ORG/iss
  • Calendar of Events
  • AdvancingSTEM