Science Fair Discrepant Event Lesson Plan (Joint, 50 pts.

)
Paige Denton & NOS: 2. Scientific knowledge is a product of both observation and
Jeremy Bruington inference. 4. Scientific knowledge is supported by evidence.
Title: Making Butter

Disciplinary Core NGSS Standard(s): 2-PS1-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to

Ideas: describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable
Matter and Its properties.
Interactions

Purpose: Student will emulsify heavy cream and attempt to turn it into butter.

Student Nave Conceptions/ Misconceptions: Scientific Background Knowledge for the

1. Materials can only exhibit properties of
one state of matter.
2. Particles are viewed as mini-versions of
the substances they comprise.
3. Chemical changes perceived as
additive, rather than interactive. After
chemical change the original substances
are perceived as remaining, even
though they are altered.
Science Topic:
1. After emulsion, the cream has turned
into butter which is a Non-Newtonian
fluid, exhibiting properties of both
liquids and solids.
2. In the case of cream there are actually
particles of solid fat suspended among
particles of water.
3. After going through emulsion the fat
and water have separated out into a
solid (butter) and a liquid (buttermilk)
Discrepant Event
Heavy cream is what is called an emulsion. An
emulsion exists when tiny droplets of one type of
liquid are floating around in another type of liquid
that does not like to mix with the first. In the case of
heavy cream, tiny globules of fat are suspended in
mostly water. By shaking the heavy cream in the jar,
you are forcing the fat globules to slam into one
another. If they hit each other with enough force,
they will simply stick together, the fat collection
becoming bigger and bigger with each extra globule.
After enough shaking, the fat globules form a chunk
of butter.

Materials:
Heavy Whipping Cream
Bowl
Individual Containers
Display Board
Trash Bag
Lesson Plan
Candy

Procedure
(Exploration)
Set Up: Have table and display board setup and ready to go. Have bowl of cream for observation. Have
individual containers with cream for pairs of students. Describe setup of display and introductions and
describe how you will wait for students a and do the DE
Welcome the children and introduce ourselves, Hi my name is Mr. Bruington and this is Ms.
Denton Ask, What is your name and what grades are you in? (Address the children by their
name for the rest of the time)
Pre-Assessment: Have you ever cooked with your family? (Wait for response) Did you use
butter when you were cooking? (Wait for response) Where does butter come from? (Wait for
response) How do you think we make butter? (Wait for response)

Hook: Today we are going to try to make butter for ourselves!

Procedure:
1. Have students gather around the bowl of liquid on the table and have them discuss what things
they can see and learn about the liquid with their partner. I want everyone to gather around
the table and look at the bowl of heavy whipping cream and make some observations.
What can you tell us about the heavy whipping cream?
2. Ask students, I wonder what would happen if we shook up the heavy whipping cream?
3. Pass out small containers filled with cream and tell the students, As I am passing these
containers out, I do not want you to start until I say. Make sure that you are careful and
make sure your lid does not come off. Hold your container like this. (Demonstrate how
you want students to hold the container and how you want them to shake it) Here is how you
need to shake your container. Use your ears and eyes to see what happens to the heavy
whipping cream when you shake it. Start shaking now.
4. Have student shake the container vigorously for about a minute.
5. After a minute have students carefully remove lid from container and make observations about
what they observe. Now you can carefully remove the lid to the container. Did anything
happen to the heavy whipping cream? What do you see now?
6. Ask students, What do you think happened to turn the heavy whipping cream into
butter.
Expansion - Younger: There are tiny particles of fat in the heavy whipping cream and when
they are shaken up they start to stick together and form butter.
Older: Heavy cream is known as an emulsion, where particles of one type of liquid are floating
around in another type of liquid and do not like to mix Inside the cream are particles of fat
suspended in water. When shaken up, the particles of fat start to stick together and separate out
from the water, getting bigger and bigger until they form butter.
Close/Evaluate: What did you learn about making butter today (Wait for response) What was
the most challenging part of making butter? (Wait for response) Do you think you will go home
and try to make butter for your family to use? (Wait for response) Thank you for working hard
and being great students for us. Please throw your containers away in the trash bag and take a
piece of candy.

Citation in APA 6:

Make Your Own Butter. (2014). Retrieved October 17, 2016, from
http://www.jumpstart.com/common/make-your-butter
McLain, C. (2013, April 5). The Magic of Making Butter. Retrieved October 17, 2016, from
https://lessonplanresourcefile.wikispaces.com/The+Magic+of+Making+Butter

Murphy, L. E. (2011, November 17). Emulsion Explosion: How to Make Butter. Retrieved
October 17, 2016, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-butter-
emulsion/