To kick off our working scientifically unit in science this half term, we planned and conducted a very smelly experiment! The children talked about the different types of variables: control (things we keep the same); dependent (the thing we test) and independent (the thing we change).
In groups, the children measured the starting components – vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. Next, they added them together into a bottle, with a balloon on top, to collect the gas that was created (carbon dioxide). This was an irreversible reaction. Our conclusion was: if we added more vinegar into the reaction, more carbon dioxide would be produced.
The scientific enquiry type was comparative and fair tests.
The children also asked fantastic ‘what would happen if’ questions that helped expand their scientific knowledge. For example: ‘What would happen if we used a different size of bottle?’ and ‘What would happen if we changed both the amount of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda?’.
They loved completing this experiment even if it made our classroom smell like a fish and chip shop!