Mixing Things A Science 21 Reader Written by Dr. Helen Pashley Photographs by Lori Adams For Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES ©2008

I wonder what would happen if I mixed sand and water?

Here is some sand. What does it look like? What does it feel like? Here is some water. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What can you see? What can you observe? What will happen when we mix them together?

What happens? What do you see? What do you observe? This is what happens when you mix sand and water. The sand goes to the bottom of the jar. This is called settling.

I wonder what would happen if I mixed sugar and water? Here is some sugar. What does it look like? What does it feel like? Here is some water. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What can you see? What can you observe? Sugar is tiny, white pieces. They are like little rectangles. They feel hard and crunchy. They make a soft sound when poured. We are allowed to taste the sugar and it is sweet. What will happen when we mix them together?

What happens? What do you see? What do you observe? This is what happens when you mix sugar and water. The sugar disappears. This is called dissolving.

I wonder what would happen if I mixed oil and water? Here is some oil. What does it look like? What does it feel like? Here is some water. How is oil like water? How is it different? What can you see? What can you observe? What will happen when we mix them together?

What happens? What do you see? What do you observe? This is what happens when you mix oil and water. The oil makes globs. It floats on top of the water. This is not mixing.

Can you predict what will happen when we mix these marbles with water? What are marbles like? What do your senses tell you? What do you think will happen?

What happens? What do you see? What do you observe? What happens when you mix marbles and water? Are they like sand? Are they like sugar? Are they like oil?

Can you predict what will happen when we mix these coffee beans with water? What are coffee beans like? What do your senses tell you? What do you think will happen?

What happens? What do you see? What do you observe? What happens when you mix coffee beans and water? Are they like sand? Are they like sugar? Are they like oil?

Can you predict what will happen when we mix salt with water? What is salt like? What do your senses tell you? What do you think will happen?

What happens? What do you see? What do you observe? What happens when you mix salt and water? Is it like sand? Is it like sugar? Is it like oil?

Can you predict what will happen when we mix jello with water? What is jello like? What do your senses tell you? What do you think will happen?

What happens? What do you see? What do you observe? What happens when you mix jello and water? Is it like sand? Is it like sugar? Is it like oil?

Can you predict what will happen when we mix dishwashing liquid with water? What is dishwashing liquid like? What do your senses tell you? What do you think will happen?

What happens? What do you see? What do you observe? What happens when you mix dishwashing liquid and water? Is it like sand, sugar or oil? Or is it different?

It is fun to mix things! This jar has oil, water and some drops of food coloring. What do you observe? Maybe you could try this too, but only if you ask permission from an adult!