Gummy Bear Lab
This lab uses gummy bears but you can also use Orbeez. You can absolutely buy them if you like, but it’s cheaper and more convenient to ask students to bring them.
You will need to buy gummy bears or worms, sugar and/or salt (solute). Overall, I prepared 6 sets (6 groups). Each group will need to have the following items:
Napkins
Weighing boats and Scale
Lab Report
Ruler
Calculator
Magnifying lens
You will need to place the gummy bears in two different solutions (salt and water) and (plain water) and leave them to soak for 24-48 hours for the gummy bears to shrink/grow).
(Tip: if you decide to use Orbeez, please be cautious as they may cause harm!- I would not recommend for elementary or middle school students.)
Let’s mass the gummies!
Students will answer “How will soaking the gummy bears in different solutions affect their size?” Students will mass the gummy bears before and after.
You have two options in order to prepare the gummies for this lab.
You can have students measure and weigh the gummy bears a day before the lab and then prep the gummies overnight and come back the next day and complete the post measurements or
You can have students measure and weigh one set of gummy bear (These are considered normal-before being soaked) and then provide them with a second set of soaked gummy bears to weigh (These are considered after being soaked).
Let’s measure the gummies!
Students will record the length and width of 3 different gummies and analyze their differences.
Normal gummy
Soaked in water gummy
Soaked in water and salt/sugar gummy
Students will then calculate and answer “What was the percent change of each gummy bear? How much did each gummy bear grow or shrink?”.
Students can also graph their results and write their conclusions.
If you would like to check out the lab worksheet and cheat sheet I used for this lesson, you can find it on my TPT store.
If you have questions or concerns regarding this Gummy Bear Lab, please don’t hesitate to email me @ teachingbiologyisfun@gmail.com and I will be more than happy to provide additional support and recommendations.
