MILK KALEIDOSCOPE

Victor M. McFarlane             Kanoon Magnet School
                                2233 S Kedzie Ave
                                Chicago IL 60623
                                312-534-1736

Juliette Walker                 Crown Elementary
Angela Patrick                  Crown Elementary

Objectives:

          This lesson can be adapted to any grade level. 
          The main objective of the Mini-teach, is for student to understand why 
we use dish washing liquid to wash our soiled eating utensils. 

Materials Needed:

                 Container with flat bottom (baking sheet).
                 Milk.
                 Food coloring.
                 Dish washing detergent.
                 (Note:a plastic petri dish may be substituted for the baking 
                 sheet).
     



Strategy:

1. Pour the milk into the container until the bottom is completely covered.
2. Observe.
3. Sprinkle a drop of each food color on the milk.
4. Observe.
5. Add a few drops of detergent in the middle of the largest blob of color and 
watch what happens.

Performance Assessment:

1. What happens when the food color is drop in the milk?
2. Why do the colors explode?
3. What causes the colors to explode?

Conclusions:

Milk contains drops of fat, which do not mix with the water-soluble food 
coloring.  The Cohesive force between milk molecules allow the food coloring to 
hold its dropped shape.  Whenever the dish washing liquid touches the milk it 
breaks up the drops of fat which the spread out, allowing the food coloring and 
milk to mix.

References:

Penrose, Gordon: "Dr. Zed's Exploding Colors"; Owl Magazine; March 1989; p. 8-9.