Hot Chocolate Surprise + STEM Activity

Teachers are always on the lookout for fast and easy science experiments to complement what their students are learning from their textbooks.  Sometimes science textbooks are dry and not very interesting... even when they are introducing interesting subject matter!  Science experiments are a fun, hands-on way to bring energy and excitement to your lessons.  If you are looking for a science experiment that is easy to prepare and conduct, educational, and with a high-interest level, give Hot Chocolate Surprise a try.  Hot Chocolate Surprise appeals to students of all ages and meets a number of science objectives.  It's an especially fun activity for those cold, dark days of winter.  Read on for a list of materials needed, directions, and a free printable.

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

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Hot Chocolate Surprise Science Experiment

Hot Chocolate Surprise is a science experiment that can be used to meet a variety of science objectives in your curriculum... chemical reactions, properties of matter, scientific process, making observations, and recording results.  This is a very simple science experiment, which makes it ideal for young learners.  It requires a minimal amount of inexpensive materials, but gives you a maximum wow factor!

Materials

• one package of hot chocolate
• 1/4 cup of baking soda
• vinegar
• coffee mug or clear plastic cup
• measuring cups
• observation sheet (optional)

Directions

1. Open the hot chocolate packet and empty the contents into the coffee mug.  Then add the baking soda and mix the two together. 

2. Slowly pour some vinegar into the coffee mug.

3.  Observe.  What do you see happening? (Because of the extra ingredients in the hot chocolate packet, the chemical reaction you see may be slower than a traditional vinegar + baking soda experiment.)

4. Record your observations.  If you'd like, you may use my observation sheet below.

To download a FREE copy of this science experiment (one page in all), please click on the image above. Clicking this image will take you to the Teachers-Pay-Teachers third-party website. This is a FREE download-- no purchase necessary.

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Have you and your students tried this experiment? If so, feel free to share your photos on Instagram or Twitter and tag me in them. If I see your tags, I'll add your photos to this post for others to see!

Did you enjoy learning about Hot Chocolate Surprise? If so, check out these blog posts about more winter-related topics:

• Book + Craft: Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
• Factoids: Fun Facts About Sled Dogs
• Craft: How to Make a Christmas Gingerbread House from Recycled Milk Cartons 
• Craft: How to Make Cinnamon Scented Christmas Ornaments Christmas Craft
• Book: The Saint Nicholas Day Snow by Charlotte Riggle
• Book List: 10 Quirky Corona Christmas Books for Children
• Book: Yuka's Way Home by Abigail Roscoe