Candy Canes

• Cooking is required for this fun science project. When working with hot materials and elementary students, it is essential to have proper safety measures in place. A hot plate or cook top will be needed to conduct this experiment along with other ingredients including one cup sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, 1/8 tsp cream of tartar, four drops of peppermint flavoring, four drops of red food coloring. Position the hot plate on a high table or the teacher's desk so it is not easily accessible to students while conducting the experiment. A stockpot and large, lightly oiled flat cookie tray will also be needed. To ensure the mixture reaches the proper temperature, a cooking or candy thermometer is also needed.
  
  Before starting the experiment, discuss with students what they think will happen with the ingredients. The ingredients are solid, but with the addition of heat, will they change in shape and form? Pass around a small amount of sugar and allow students to touch it with their finger. Pour a small amount of the peppermint flavoring in a cup and pass it around for students to smell. Without telling students what the cream of tartar is, have them look at a small amount out of the container and discuss what it is. When following a recipe, proper measurements must be used to succeed.
  
  Have students help measure ingredients and place them into a pot, leaving out peppermint and food coloring.
  
  While the mixture heats, students should sit and discuss what is happening to the ingredients. When the mixture reaches 280 degrees Fahrenheit, take it off the heat and pour half onto the greased tray. Add peppermint and food coloring to the other half and pour onto the other half of the tray. Allow the mixture to cool and then pull each off the tray. Give small amounts of plain and peppermint mixture and have students roll and twist to make into candy canes. Discuss with students what happens to the mixture as it cools.
  
  

Oil and Water Gift Wrap

• After making candy canes, make something to wrap them in to give them as gifts. This science project uses oil, water, large sheets of white paper, tempera paint, paper cups and large-sided trays that will fit sheets of paper.
  
  Some liquids do not like each other and will not mix together no matter how long or hard you mix them. They are considered insoluble. Oil and water are examples of two liquids that will not mix. Give each elementary student two paper cups. In one, have students mix a selected color of tempera paint with oil. In the other, mix tempera paint with water. Fill trays with water leaving a couple inches of room at the top. Using a spoon, drip oil-mixed tempera paint onto water in tray. Drip water mixed tempera over the top of it and observe that they do not mix and the oil stays on the top of the water. Place the sheet of paper over the paint in the tray of water. Press lightly on the back of it and then remove the paper. Observe what happened to the paper. Let the paper dry and then use it to wrap candy canes for gifts.