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Milk & Cookies and the Scientific Method

October 7 By Linda Kamp 12 Comments

Teaching students about the processes scientists use is a key step in building a science foundation at the beginning of the year. In this post I’ll share a fun and simple science experiment for students to explore buoyancy as they learn the steps of the scientific method.

A simple and fun science experiment using milk and cookies to explore buoyancy. Find easy science activities for teaching the scientific method in a way that kids love! Read more about 2nd and 3rd grade science.

Milk and cookies are every kid’s favorite so why not use them to teach science? I thought milk and cookies were the perfect materials for our first science experiment and of course, we could eat the leftovers!

Exploring Buoyancy to Teach the Scientific Method

While most students are familiar with the phrase sink or float, they may not know the term buoyancy. This experiment enables students to explore why some things sink and other things float as they make observations and conduct an experiment.

A simple and fun science experiment and mini lesson to explore buoyancy. Learn the perfect activities for teaching the scientific method in a way that kids love! Read more about 2nd and 3rd grade science.

PowerPoint lesson source

To introduce the concept of buoyancy I like to start with a mini lesson and explain additional science vocabulary. Terms such as molecules, density, and buoyant. I also ask questions. “Why do you think some things float, while others sink?” and “How can can something as heavy as a cargo ship float across the ocean without sinking?”.

I presented the questions, “Are cookies buoyant?” and “Will they sink or float in milk?”. Walking through the steps of the scientific method, I recorded questions and guided students with actionable steps they would take to find out.

Science teaching ideas for the beginning of the year- Teaching students the scientific method. These back to school science activities and teaching ideas perfect for 2nd and 3rd grade help you plan the first week and lay the foundation for future science lessons.

Posters source

The Great Cookie Dunk Experiment

After placing students in groups of 4 each received 4 different cookies and 4 cups of milk. We used mini cookies that I found at Walmart and the dollar store.

A simple and fun science experiment using milk and cookies to explore buoyancy. Learn the perfect activities for teaching the scientific method in a way that kids love! Ideal for 2nd and 3rd grade sink or float science.

Before starting their science experiment, students observed the properties of each cookie and recorded those on their paper. Next, they predicted whether the cookie would sink or float.

A simple and fun science experiment using milk and cookies to explore buoyancy. These are easy science activities for teaching the scientific method in a way that kids love! Read more about 2nd and 3rd grade science.

As students conducted their experiments the results were not always what they expected. Some cookies sank right away while others took a while. Students observed which cookies absorbed milk quickly and which did not.

A simple and fun science experiment using milk and cookies to explore buoyancy. Learn the perfect activities for teaching the scientific method in a way that kids love! Read more about 2nd and 3rd grade science.

Students draw their results and discuss why they think each cookie either sunk or floated. Some of the things to have students consider are: the weight of the cookie, whether air pockets are visible, “Does it have 1 or 2 cookies with filling in the middle?, and do chocolate chips make the cookie sink because of their weight or float because of the oil and fat they contain?

A simple and fun science experiment using milk and cookies to explore buoyancy. Find easy science activities for teaching the scientific method in a way that kids love! Ideal for 2nd and 3rd grade science lessons.

Lab sheet source

This simple milk and cookies buoyancy experiment is a lot of fun for kids and a great activity for teaching the scientific method.

A simple and fun science experiment using milk and cookies to explore buoyancy. Find easy science activities for teaching the scientific method in a way that kids love! Read more about 2nd and 3rd grade science.

Where can I get the lab worksheets you used?

The PowerPoint lesson and student pages shown in this post are available in a complete science unit, Scientists & The Scientific Method.

Scientists and the Scientific Method-Science activities and teaching unit for 2nd and 3rd grade.

The unit includes 10 science lessons, and a teaching Power Point and science experiments to introduce your students to scientists, types of science, science tools and safety, and the scientific method. Three science experiments, student journal activities, posters and anchor charts give you everything you need to start the year off right as you lay the foundation for future science lessons.

How can I build a strong science foundation in my students?

Read this post for lesson ideas and activities to teach the scientific method and begin building a foundation for science in your classroom.

Teaching ideas and beginning of the year science activities for 2nd and 3rd grade.

You may also like these additional science posts:

Properties of Matter Activities & Experiments for Second Grade

Plant Life Cycle Activities That Get Kids Writing!

Plant life cycle activities-Creative ways to get kids writing about science

Seed Dispersal STEM Challenge

Seed dispersal activity- A fun science experiment and STEM challenge for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders to learn about exploding seed pods while studying the plant life cycle. Students build a model of this plant adaptation and explore how seeds travel.

Happy teaching!

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    Filed Under: Popular Posts, Science Tagged With: science activities, science experiments, scientific method

    Comments

    1. Kristen says

      May 17 at 7:35 pm

      Hi Linda! I purchased your resource Scientists and The Scientific Method from your TPT store, and am loving it!! Thank you for making such an awesome resource!! I do have one question though…. I thought that the Scientists and The Scientific Method bundle included the Milk & Cookies Dunk experiment, but I cannot find that in my download. Help!

      Reply
      • Linda says

        May 17 at 7:55 pm

        Hi Kristen!
        The unit will download in a zipped folder with 4 files inside, 3 PDFs and a PowerPoint file. The labs are located in File 1. If you aren’t seeing all the files it sounds like you haven’t yet unzipped the ZIP folder the download comes in.
        To open the ZIP folder once it is saved to your computer follow these steps:
        1. Right click on the unopened ZIP folder.
        2. Choose ‘extract all’ from the menu that opens.
        3. Choose where you want to save the unzipped files.
        4. Click ‘extract all’.
        5. Save to your computer.
        This will solve the issue, and I hope your students enjoy it!

        Reply
        • Kristen says

          May 19 at 6:36 pm

          Thank you! After looking at what I bought, it appears that I bought the google classroom digital download by mistake, instead of buying the complete unit. So I’ll get the whole unit purchased and then be good to go! Thanks for replying so quickly!! And thank you again, so so much, for taking the time to make this resource!!!

          Reply
          • Linda says

            May 22 at 6:29 am

            You’re so welcome! I’m glad it worked out!

            Reply
    2. Sam says

      September 8 at 11:09 am

      Are we able to purchase just the Great Cookie Dunk and mini lesson on buoyancy separately?

      Reply
      • Linda says

        September 9 at 5:30 am

        Hi Sam,
        Unfortunately I don’t have the labs available separately. Thanks so much for asking!

        Reply
    3. Diya Ferny says

      January 5 at 7:24 am

      I tried out the experiment and it was awesome! I won 1st place with it in my STEM project! 🥇 🥇 🏆 🏆

      Reply
      • Linda says

        January 28 at 7:11 am

        Congratulations Diya! I’m so glad you like the experiment!

        Reply
    4. Sandi says

      May 17 at 7:48 pm

      Hi,
      Do you have the cookie experiment printable available without purchasing the entire unit?

      Reply
      • Linda says

        May 20 at 6:02 am

        Hi Sandi,
        Unfortunately, I don’t have the labs available separately. Thanks so much for asking!

        Reply
    5. Meagan Porter says

      September 12 at 8:18 am

      Hey! I’m trying to find this exact lesson to purchase on TPT’s but I can’t find it in your store. Even when I type the title, the cookie, etc. Can you please help and thank you!! 🙂 Love your idea!! 🙂

      Reply
      • Linda says

        September 12 at 9:34 am

        Hi Meagan,
        Thanks for reaching out! The cookie dunk lab is part of a science unit that can be found here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Scientists-The-Scientific-Method-Scientific-Processes-2nd-3rd-Grade-4031475.

        Reply

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