Hot Cocoa Science - Middle School December STEM Activity - Christmas Science

Who doesn't love hot cocoa?! Engage your middle school scientists while exploring the effect of temperature (thermal energy) on marshmallows and candy canes in hot cocoa. Students will practice their science and engineering practices skills by making predictions, planning investigations, making observations, analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and they'll love every minute of it! Students will also be exposed to crosscutting concepts by looking for patterns when comparing melting marshmallows (and candy canes if you like) to melting snowmen.

To communicate their learning, students will complete a CER writing activity focused on claims, evidence, and reasoning. There are two formats of writing included and both are Christmas and winter bulletin board-worthy. Also included are two extension writing topics to fit your classes needs.

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Included:

- Instructions and materials list

- Hot cocoa and marshmallows observation/data sheet

- Analysis and Conclusion questions

- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) writing sheets (3 different prompts)

- "Hot Cocoa Mug" CER writing craft-tivity sheet (3 different prompts)

- FIVE different designs of hot cocoa mugs for students to choose!

PROMPT TOPICS:

- Temperature's affect on a marshmallow

- Surface area's relationship to rate of melting

- Patterns in nature (snowmen are like marshmallows)

NGSS Science and Engineering Practices Addressed:

- Asking Questions

- Planning Investigations

- Develop Models

- Analyze Data

- Construct Explanations

NGSS Crosscutting Concepts Addressed:

- Patterns

- Cause and Effect

- Scale Proportion and Quantity

- Energy and Matter

Enjoy the season!

SCIENCEcerely,

Me

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Copyright © 2017 SCIENCEcerely, Me by Erin Hansen

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