Grade Level: K -2.

Science: Density

Lesson Objective:
As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:
Describe what density is;
Change the density of powdered sugar by adding liquid.

Suggested Time:
45-60 minutes

Material:
2 pounds powdered sugar
Milk (2 Tablespoon per child)
Prebaked sugar cookies
Colored granulated sugar
Set of measuring cups and spoons
Spoon and spreading knife
Parchment paper
2 sheets of copy paper

Words to know:
Measure:
Density
More
less
Lesson:
1. Gather children by singing let us all get together because its Science time. The
children will clap along with teacher until all children are seated in carpet area.
2. Ask the class if they have ever made a snowball. Describe that snowballs can be
make different sizes with the same amount of snow. Now take a piece of paper and
crumple lightly into a ball, take another piece of paper (the same size) and make
another ball, this time make the ball tight. Show the children the two balls and ask
which ball is bigger. The children should choose the first ball. Next, ask them which
ball has a bigger piece of paper. The children should choose the first ball again.
Unfold the balls and show the children that the papers are the same size. Explain to
the children that the first ball was formed lightly, that you left some space inside the
ball. For the second ball the space was taken away, the paper was pressed tighter
together.
3. Now ask the children what happens to snowballs when it melts. Would a snowball
the size of a baseball fit into a small juice cup. Explain that when the snowball melts
the density changes (density is the amount of space it takes up). The students will
see this done using powdered sugar.
4. Send the children to their science stations where they will dissolve powder sugar
with milk. Direct the students to fill a measuring cup with powder sugar, level the
sugar and make sure the sugar is not packed. Ask the children if the cup is full. Is
there any room for milk? What would happen if milk is poured into the measuring
cup?
5. Direct the students to add 1 teaspoon of milk to the measuring cup. Ask: what is
happening to the sugar?
6. Add another teaspoon of milk and ask the children what is happening. Continue to
add the sugar, no more then 6 teaspoons. Observe what is happening to the sugar.
Ask: where did the sugar go, is there more or less sugar in the cup?
7. Allow the children to cover a sugar cookie with the powdered sugar icing and
decorate with colored sugar.

Conclusion:
When liquid is added to powdered sugar, the sugar dissolves into the liquid, increasing
the density of the sugar. The amount of air between the particles of sugar is reduced,
causing the sugar to take up less room in the cup. This is similar to how the density of
snow is changed when it melts or when the snowball is made into a smaller ball. The air
between the snowflakes is reduced as the snow becomes a liquid.


Check for Understanding:
This experiment can be reproduced using cotton balls and water. Ask the students what
would happen to the cotton balls as water is dropped into the cup. Ask if there is still
the same amount of cotton in the cup and why it seems there is a smaller amount of
cotton balls when they are wet.

Resources:

Hot Chalk. (n.d.). Where did the snow go? A lesson on changes in density. Retrieved from
http://lessonplanspage.com/where-did-the-snow-go-a-lesson-on-changes-in-density/

Huitt, W. (2003). The information processing approach to cognition. Educational
Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from
http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/infoproc.html