My name is Rebecca, and my PBL project this year is going to be about "Color Changing Milk".
How does this simple - yet fun - experiment work, you might ask? Milk contains protein and tiny amounts of fat in it. Both fat and protein are very sensitive to chemical changes. The chemicals in the dish soap weaken the chemical bonds that hold the protein together in the milk solution. The food coloring allow us to visibly see the changes in the protein molecules. Also, the soap molecules cause the fat in the milk to mix and swirl until the fat has been distributed across the entire amount of milk.
For this project, I have recorded my observations in a journal. From what happens to the food coloring BEFORE dish soap is added, to what happens AFTER dish soap is added.
Day #1: My chemistry teacher assigned each and every one of us an individual Project Based Learning project, and I got assigned Color Changing Milk.
Day #2: I got the materials for my Color Changing Milk experiment, which are: White milk (Whole or 2%), a dinner plate, some food coloring (red, yellow, green, blue), dish washing soap (I stick with Dawn), and some cotton swabs.
Day #3: I started - and finished - my experiment once and for all, while taking pictures during the process. I poured enough milk in the dinner plate to completely cover the bottom to the depth of about 1/4 inch. I allowed the milk to settle. I then added one drop of each of the four colors of the food coloring - red, yellow, green, blue - to the milk, keep the drops close together in the center of plate of milk. Finding a clean cotton swab, I predicted what will happen when I touched the tip of the cotton swab to the center of the milk. I didn't stir; Just touched it with the tip of the cotton swab. And finally, I placed a drop of liquid dish soap on the other end of the cotton swab. I then placed the soapy end of the cotton swab back in the center of the plate of milk, and hold it right there for 10-15 seconds.
Day #4: I then did my Project Based Learning video with the help of my Chemistry teacher. I used the pictures that I took during the experiment for the video, and my PBL video also contains my Social Studies component, and my English component.
Day #5: Finally, I completed my brochure. I placed a couple of pictures from my experiment, I added a bit of background information, and explained my procedures and my Project Based Learning experiment - all in one brochure. You can find my brochure at the bottom of "My PBL page".
This was a very exciting and unique project, and I highly encourage you to try it sometime. Just make sure you do it at home, in a clear table, and with adult supervision.