1. Questions to ponder
Why does a popcorn kernel pop? What is happening inside the kernel? What evidence supports your thinking? How does “popping” relate to other similar phenomena? Think first and record your answers in your journal.
Chart share out on the board or on the flip chart
Include what students might need to know to do the experiment:
water content
mass of kernels
mass of water
pressure

2. Popcorn Materials Four types of popcorn Out of the container
In oven at 100° C for 24 hours
In freezer at -2° C for 24 hours
Soaked in water at room temperature for 24 hour
Other Materials
Oil Thermometers
Water Scales
Hot Plates Rulers
Beakers Stopwatches
Aluminum Foil

3. Popcorn lab directions
In groups of 4, develop a plan.
- Your goal it to make popcorn and collect quantitative data (something that is graphable). What you actually do is up to you.
Make a prediction (hypothesis). Write down your procedure including the data you want to collect. Get approval from your instructor before beginning the experiment. Collect and record your data. Record your work on your paper.
If you finish early, determine what type of graph(s) would best analyze your data and make a sketch of it in your lab journal.
●Hypothesis
● Controls & Variables
● Procedure
● Data & Observations
● Analysis
● Conclusion
Keep this up during the lab time
3. Homework: Finish our graph(s) and conclusion
(see my teacherweb for details)

4. ●Hypothesis
● Controls & Variables
● Procedure
● Data & Observations
● Analysis
● Conclusion
The following should be in your lab journal:
Qualitative Observations and planned procedures should be on the “scratch” side of your journal, while everything in the blue box should be on the right hand side.
Analysis: You should try to make a graph of your data and explain what your data means.
Conclusion: Overall, what did you learn from doing this lab? Can you now answer the question: Why does popcorn pop? What else could you test?