Mix in the yeast solution and carefully
pour the mixture into a plastic gallon-sized jug. Pour in enough warm water to
fill the jug, leaving 2 inches empty at the
top, and twist the lids on securely. Keep
the bottles at room temperature for three
to four days, and then refrigerate for an
additional four to seven days.
For young children, a quick version of
this experiment substitutes dry ice for
yeast. Simply place the dry ice in the root
beer liquid in an airtight container, such
as a portable cooler. It should be carbonated and ready to drink in one to four
hours. Add ice cream for a root beer float
celebration, or hold a taste test to compare commercial brands to your homemade version.
Ziplock Ice Cream
For a completely scientific treat, make
your own ice cream to go with your homemade root beer.
2 In addition to being a
tasty project, making ice cream is a good
way to learn about freezing, melting, and
changing states of matter. In a quart-size
ziplock bag, mix ½ cup milk, ½ cup heavy
cream, ¼ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla. Seal the bag securely and place it
within a 1-gallon size ziplock bag filled
with 2 cups of ice and ¾ cup rock salt.
Seal the gallon bag and let the child
squeeze and shake the bag vigorously
until the mixture thickens like ice cream.
Spoon the ice cream into your float or a
bowl, and enjoy your tasty treat. Optionally you may substitute other flavors for
vanilla, such as adding mashed berries,
chocolate syrup, peppermint extract, or
food coloring for a colorful snack.
Pizza Science
Kids love pizza, so tell them they get to
make pizza for science and they’ll want
to repeat the experiment over and over
again.
3 Most people are familiar with
baking a pizza in the oven, but can you
cook one on the stovetop or over a barbecue or campfire? This experiment will answer that question and take care of lunch
or dinner for the day.
Using frozen pizzas, try cooking them
in a dry skillet and a lightly oiled skillet. Do you get better crust results from
a covered or uncovered skillet? Light up
the barbecue and bake your pizza on the
grill with and without foil underneath.
Build a campfire and wrap the pizza in
tin foil. Place it in the hot coals and see
how long it takes to cook.
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Which method produces the crispiest
crust? Experiment with different coo-
king methods until you find the one that
works best.
Plant Part Salad
So many plants are edible or have edible parts that turning the study of plant
parts into a kitchen science project is a
natural fit.
7 Have your child select at least
one salad ingredient from each part of
the plant: leaves, flower, fruit, root, stem,
and seed. Mix it all together and top with
your favorite dressing, or make your own
dressing. Include the salad on the dinner
menu, and let your child bask in the rave
reviews of her culinary talents.
Taste Test
A taste test experiment is a yummy way
for kids to explore what makes a good
(fill in the blank).
8 Select a product that
is available in several brands or varieties,
