This STEM apple science exploration looks at ways an apple can lose weight. Before you start this apple science activity, you will want to brainstorm ways your children think the apple will lose weight. I am sure that they will come up with wonderfully creative ideas. Once you have recorded their responses, you will have even more ways to test out weigh loss. I think they will like looking at the two ways I am going to share below. They will love exploring their ideas when those explorations are done.
Apple Science Weight Loss Explorations
Before you start these scientific explorations, you will need to print out the STEM Apple Weight Loss Exploration. Then you will need to gather the following supplies.
Links below are affiliate links.
- Student Balance or Scale (This one isn’t the one we used but will do a great job.)
- Apple Peeler (My mom used this one in her classroom for years!)
- Wooden Cubes (I used these in my classroom.)
Starting the Apple Science Exploration
As I mentioned above, you will want your children to help you brainstorm ways they can make the apple lose weight. You may want to record their ideas to explore later.
Weighing the Apple with Skin
You will need to weigh the apple with its skin on. They can keep adding blocks to the side of the scale without the apple on it until both sides are balanced. Your children can record that number on their exploration sheet.
Removing the Skin
Your children may never have seen this type of peeler before. You may want to walk them through it various parts and how they work. Then you could have them take turns turning the handle. It will be fun to see if they can keep the peel in one long strip. It is okay if they don’t.
Weighing the Apple without Skin
Now it is time to weigh the apple without its skin. If you kept the blocks on the scale from the last time you weighed the apple, you children will notice that they need to remove a few blocks. If you removed the blocks, you can add them one at a time until both sides are balanced. Then record the number of blocks you used on the recording sheet.
Weighing the Apple Later in the Day
Leave the apple and blocks on the scale for a few hours. Then look at the scale. Your children will notice that the two sides are not balanced anymore. The difference isn’t huge, but there is a difference. Count how many blocks lighter the apple is and have your children record it on the recording sheet.
We decided at my house that some of the juice from the apple evaporated. It will be fun to see if your children agree!
If you like this apple experiment, here are some more wonderful STEM explorations.