Read or listen to a story together called, “Ada Twist Scientist” by Andrea Beaty. Then, have the child conduct the Pepper and Soap Experiment by gathering their materials, making a plan, making a prediction, testing their hypothesis, and comparing the results.

Families, check out this video for a tutorial on this learning plan.

Materials:

• Pepper

• Dish soap

• Water

• 1 cup measuring cup

• 1 tablespoon measuring spoon

• 3 bowls

Start the activity by reading a story together about science. Recommended reading, “Ada Twist Scientist” which can be borrowed from a local library or purchased here. Or, families can play this read aloud video from Story Time From Space, where an astronaut reads the story from space! This can be viewed for free online here. During the story, talk about the scientific process that Ada Twist goes through, such as when she makes a plan, comes up with a prediction, and when she conducts an experiment. To help your child develop skills related to retelling stories, you can ask questions while reading the story such as:

What do you predict will happen next?

Wait, who was that person?

What’s happening on this page?

After the story, talk to your child about how they are going to do an experiment now, just like Ada Twist! First, make a plan with your child by describing that you are going to do an experiment to see what happens when you add a drop of dish soap to a bowl with pepper in it. Tell your child the list of materials needed, and encourage them to help gather the materials.

To set up the experiment, have your child measure 1 to 2 cups of water and pour it into one bowl (do more or less water depending on the size of your bowl). Then, have them measure one tablespoon of paper, and sprinkle the pepper all over the surface of the water. Then, ask them to make a prediction, or an educated guess, about what will happen to the pepper when you add in a drop of water. Then, test their hypothesis by adding a drop of dish soap! Talk about what happened with your child. Ideally, the pepper will shoot to the edges of the bowl. Have your child compare their results to their prediction. Have them repeat the experiment with the remaining two bowls, seeing what happens when you add in more or less dish soap. Ask questions such as:

What is a science experiment?

What do you predict will happen when we add in the soap?

What happened to the pepper? What did you observe?

How does our result compare to our prediction?

Should we try that experiment again?

Explaining the science of this experiment: Pepper floats on the surface of water due to surface tension. The molecules on the surface of the water hold onto each other so tightly that they create a strong layer that keeps the pepper afloat. But when soap is dropped into the water, it breaks the surface tension and the pepper pieces shoot away.

Learning Standards

Goal P-SCI 1. Child observes and describes observable phenomena (objects, materials, organisms, and events).

Goal P-SCI 2. Child engages in scientific talk.

Goal P-SCI 3. Child compares and categorizes observable phenomena.

Goal P-SCI 4. Child asks a question, gathers information, and makes predictions.

Goal P-SCI 5. Child plans and conducts investigations and experiments.

Goal P-SCI 6. Child analyzes results, draws conclusions, and communicates results.

Download the full Learning Plan here.