Safety Note: Be aware that Hershey’s Kisses are processed in a plant that may use nuts. Some students may have peanut allergies and should not handle or be exposed to these items.
Day 1: Activity 1
Engage: Begin the lesson with a class demonstration. “Today we are going to look at some things that change by heat.” Show students a Hershey’s Kiss and Hershey’s Shell. Ask students to describe the two items.
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"How are they the same?” (They both are the same color. They both are chocolate. They both taste good.)
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“How are they different?” (One is hard; one is soft. Guide students to the understanding that one is a liquid and one is solid.)
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Pour the Hershey’s Shell over an ice cube or ice cream. “What happened to the syrup?” (It turned hard. It changed.)
Note: Do not focus on the idea of heat or absence of heat. This demonstration is only to show students that a liquid can change.
Show the class an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss. Remind students how they used their senses to describe the Kiss. The KWL Chart and the class Senses Chart may be used to review.
Explain to students that today they will observe the Kiss and describe it in a different way. Tell students that we can also call the Kiss something else. We can call it matter. Tell students that matter is anything that takes up space. Ask students to look around the room and give examples of matter. Tell students the Kiss (or matter) can be described by its properties. The properties of the Kiss include its size, shape, and texture/how it feels. Have students look at their pencil and describe the pencil by its size, shape, and texture.
Place students in groups and give each group a Hershey’s Kiss. Remind students the Kiss is not to be eaten. Have students open the Kiss and place it in the center of their group. Discuss with students that the Kiss can be described in a different way.
Ask students to describe the Kiss by its properties. Record their responses on the board or in a chart.
Give each group a small piece of aluminum foil. Explain that they will place their Hershey’s Kiss on the foil and place it in a sunny spot in the classroom. (If a sunny spot is not available, a small lamp may be used.)
Have students observe the Kiss over time. Hand out the Student Journal pages (S-K2-8-2_Student Journal.doc) and have students record their observations in their journals.
After some time and an observable change in the Hershey’s Kiss, discuss with students what changes they observed.
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“What happened to the Kiss?” (It melted. It changed.)
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“What caused the Kiss to change?” (The sunlight changed it. Heat changed it.)
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“Can you think of other things that might change in sunlight?” (Possible suggestions: ice, ice cream, etc.)
Redirect any misconceptions, and allow students opportunities to share what they wrote in their journals.
Day 2: Activity 2
The following activity is a teacher demonstration. Other materials may be used in place of crayon, such as wax or butter.
Gather pieces of used crayons from students. Make sure the paper is removed and have students break the crayons into small pieces.
Place several crayon pieces in each muffin cup and place the muffin cup in the muffin tin. Place the muffin tin in an oven or broiler. (If using a microwave, place the crayons in a microwave-safe container that can be thrown away when the activity is completed.) Record the time the crayons were placed in the oven. Have students stay a safe distance away and observe the change in the crayons.
At intervals remove the tin and show students the crayons. Remind students to keep a safe distance when you show them the tin. After placing the tin back in the oven, ask:
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“What is happening to the crayons?” (They are changing.)
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“How are the crayons changing?” (They are getting like water.)
After a short amount of time, remove the crayons and let them cool. Once the crayons have cooled, peel the paper and show the crayons to students. Ask:
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“What happened to the crayons?” (They melted.)
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“What caused the crayons to change?” (It is cool. It is not hot anymore.)
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“What did we take away to cause the crayons to change into a solid?” (We took away the heat.)
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“What did we add to the crayons to cause change?” (We added heat.)
Display the time the crayons were first put into the oven, broiler, or microwave. Show students the time when the crayons were removed and compare the times. Call attention to the fact that time passed.
Have students return to their seats and tell them that they will conduct their own investigation to observe changes in matter.
Give each student a clear plastic container and place an ice cube in each student’s container. Make sure students write their name on the container or mark it some way to identify their container.
Have students place the ice cube in a sunny spot or under a lamp. Make sure that the area will not be affected by the water as the ice cube melts. Write the time that the ice cubes were placed in the sunlight on a chart or the board. Have students revisit their ice cubes after a period of time. (The cubes can be placed before students leave for lunch, recess, or P.E., and revisited when they return.)
Ask the following questions:
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“What did you observe?” (The ice cube melted. The ice cube changed.)
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“What caused the change in the ice cube?” (The heat from the sunlight caused change. The heat caused change.)
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“What would happen if I put water in a freezer?” (It would change. It would get harder. It would become ice.)
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“What was taken away from the water to make the ice?” (Heat.) It is the taking away of heat not the absence of heat. Ice, even though it is cold, does have heat.
Have students recall both investigations and record their observations in their student journal.
Extension:
