4th-Nature of Science

Classifying Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

Purpose:

To reinforce the scientific process skills of predicting, observing, classifying, and using scientific tools (hand lens and classification key)

Background information for the teacher:

Scientists often use classification keys (dichotomous keys) to determine the names of living organisms. In this activity, students will be using a classification key to determine the flavor and name of jelly beans (one 12 oz. package of Jelly Belly jelly beans will be sufficient for a class of 28 students). After using their hand lenses to make observations of the beans and recording their descriptions, students will predict the flavor and then use the classification key to determine if they are correct or not (based on what the bean taste like ).

Science Notebooking Component:

In this activity, students will record their predictions, observations, and conclusions in a data table in their science notebooks, as well as answer “Questions to think about…”. You may also want them to sketch one of their jelly beans.

Materials needed (per student):

6-8 different Jelly Belly jelly beans

1 hand lens

Jelly Belly Classification Key

*Copy of Data table

Dixie Cups (optional)

Before activity:

1. Run copies of classification key

2. Put eight different jelly beans (try to get different colors) into cup

Activity:

1. Explain to students that scientists use classification keys to find names of living organisms (both plans and animals) and that they will be using one to find the names of various jelly beans. A classification key has numbered choices. To use the key, you start with #1. As you decide on the characteristics of the bean, you move through the key as it directs you. To see if you have correctly identified the bean, you get to eat it! **Remind students of the safety rule: No eating in the lab. Explain to them that this is an exception to that rule and that food scientists often do eat in the lab!

2. Pass out jelly beans and have students record their observations (brief description of bean) and prediction of the flavor based on the color, using the hand lens to magnify the beans (some of the spots are hard to see). They should do this in a table similar to the one below. *You may want to make copies of it and have them paste into their science notebook.

3. Have students obtain a key and classify each bean, eating each bean when they finish to see if they are correct. As they move through the key, they will record they numbers they followed to get to the choice that has the flavor of the bean (see classification key).

4. After students finish, discuss out loud or have them respond in their notebooks to the questions below.

Questions to think about:

  • How many beans did you correctly predict before using the key?
  • How many beans tasted like the flavor you determined using the key? If you missed any, why do you think that is so?
  • Were their any beans or flavors that surprised you?
  • What made this difficult?
  • Why is color important to taste?
  • Why are your senses important to classifying?

Extension Activities:

  • Math: Write the following colors on the board: brown, black/purple, red/pink, yellow/orange, green, blue. Have students make tally marks for each bean they had in that color and then graph the results.
  • Art: Have students create their own bean, drawing a picture of it, naming it and describing the taste.

Data Table:

Description / Prediction of Flavor / Numbers Followed / Bean Flavor
Description / Prediction of Flavor / Numbers Followed / Bean Flavor

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