Positively popcorn

This lesson should be used as a part of a unit on the three forms of matter. This is a fun activity on the process of how popcorn pops using gas as a form of matter.

A lesson plan for grade 2 English Language Arts and Science

By Jennifer Burton

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• Listen attentively during the reading of a story.
• Verbally demonstrate knowledge of the three forms of matter.
• Take part in a classroom discussion of gas as a form of matter.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how popcorn pops by drawing an illustration of the process.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

35 minutes

Materials/resources

• one popcorn popper (bubble popper is better so students can see process of corn popping)
• one container of cooking oil
• one container of popped popcorn
• one package of popcorn kernels
• The Popcorn Dragon by Jane Thayer (William Morrow & Company; ISBN: 0688083404)
• paper towels
• drawing paper
• crayons and/or markers

Pre-activities

The teacher leads a classroom discussion to review the three forms of matter that have already been studied. Inform the students that today they will be studying gas as a form of matter and how it changes form.

Hold up a container of popped popcorn and have students tell you what it is. Ask questions about popcorn. Where have they seen it? Have you ever seen it being popped? Have you ever eaten it before? Show them a popcorn kernel and ask them to tell you what it is. Once again hold up the container of popped popcorn and ask if they know how popcorn starts as a kernel and turns into a piece of popcorn. Allow several students to answer the question.

Activities

The teacher tells the students:

When the story is finished the teacher will put oil and kernels in the popper and continue talking about the story. During this time the popcorn will begin popping and the teacher will explain that inside each kernel is a tiny bit of water. When heat is added to the water it turns into a gas as steam pushes on the inside of the kernel. The pressure becomes too great for the little kernel and the popcorn bursts open to form a piece of popcorn. While the popcorn is still popping explain how the dragon in the story popped the popcorn. His hot breath under the corn stalks made the water in the corn turn hot and burst into popcorn.

Ask the students if we did the experiment again would the same result happen? This would show that science is replicable.

At the end of the lesson, the students will be asked to draw an illustration of the process of how popcorn pops. The picture should include a kernel with a little water inside and a piece of popcorn. Students may also use words to explain the process if they feel more comfortable.

Assessment

The teacher will assess the students’ understanding of the process by observing their illustrations. This will also show they have an understanding of gas as a form of matter.

Supplemental information

Comments

This is a fun way to demonstrate gas as a form of matter. Most students like popcorn and they get to eat the end result of the experiment. When I planned this lesson at first, I was not sure the illustrations at the end would be good but the students did a great job showing me the process. I hope you enjoy this lesson with your students as much as I did!