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starScience Activities

Chocolate Melting

Under what conditions does chocolate melt? Do different kinds of chocolate melt at different rates? Asking these questions will help show your kids what scientific inquiry and experimentation are all about. This activity offers a simple way to guide them in setting up an experiment, making observations, and ultimately answering these questions.

Activity Instructions

Describe the experiement to the kids.  Have them document in their science journal, what they think may happen.

Put a piece of chocolate on a paper plate and set it outside, in the shade.

Then watch and record how long it takes the chocolate to melt—or, if it does not melt, what state it’s in after ten minutes or so. Then do the same thing again, only this time place the chocolate in direct sunlight. Try the experiment with different kinds of chocolate, to see if that makes a difference in the melting rate. Also look for other, creative places to place the chocolate, such as in a drawer, even in your own mouth.

Materials

  • Paper Plates
  • Chocolate Pieces (a Hershey bar will do fine - break into same size pieces)
  • Science Journal

Outcome

The goal of this activity is to get your child to think about what it means to stage a scientific experiment, and to make the necessary observations for the experiment to really be meaningful. You’ll also help your child determine the precise factors that make chocolate melt, and whether different kinds of chocolate melt at different rates.