Metamorphic Pancakes

Materials

Make the pancake mix ahead of time. Store-bought pancake mix is complete and easy. Add water and a splash of vanilla for taste.

Ingredients:

• Pre-made Pancake Mix (like Krusteaz) with vanilla for taste. (It may be easiest to make it in a Ziplock bag and cut off a corner for pouring).
• Chocolate chips
• Generic brands (not Toll House) have a low enough melting point that they illustrate the layers and smear through the pancake.
• Marshmallows (Become sugar lined cavity).
• Raisins or Dried Cranberries (The fruit will not change when heated).
• Optional: Blueberries (Will explode if they get hot).

Materials:

• Pancakes: Bowl for making mix, if not pre-made ahead of time, Pancake griddle, Extension cord (if needed) or Stove, Silverware, Plates, Napkins, Wet wipes, Spatula, Non-stick cooking spray, Garbage bag, Hand sanitizer, Paper towels, Scissors
• Examples of rocks or pictures of rocks:
• Illustrate transformation of limestone into marble for Metamorphic rocks. Consider bringing in a piece of marble tile.
• Sedimentary rock or rocks with layers +/- fossils
• Lava rock or pumice for Igneous rock example

Procedures

1. Remind children about the forms of matter (liquids, solids, gasses). Present the idea that matter has physical properties, those things that can be seen, tasted, and smelled. Ask them for descriptive words like the color, squishy, bumpy, hard, etc.
2. Use examples of different kinds of rocks to describe their physical properties. Try to have examples of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks (Rock cycle).
3. Explain that scientists don’t always guess correctly so they make a hypothesis of what they think might happen. Experiments help them test their ideas and see if they were right or wrong. There is no wrong answer in science as long as you share with others what worked or didn’t work.
4. Show all the ingredients that will go into the pancakes. Have the children describe some of their physical properties before they are cooked. Ask them to pay close attention to what happens after they are cooked.
5. Explain that we are making metamorphic pancakes that will illustrate what happens under ground when heat and pressure combine to change the rock
6. Ask them to point the the equipment that produces heat (griddle/stove). Next, have them point to the instrument that creates the pressure (spatula).
7. Tell them to put their thinking caps on and imagine a leaf falling into the water of a pond. Eventually, it sinks to the bottom and more and more leaves and dirt end up on top of it over time. Over millions of years the increased heat and pressure from the ground will form sedimentary rocks. What happens if sticks, bugs, fish skeletons fall in?
8. Make one pancake per child. Ask each child what they would like in their pancake but (unless there are allergies) they must have at least one of everything to get a full understanding of the lesson. Tell them that before they can eat, they must be scientists and be sure to examine the top, bottom and cross section of their pancake. Once they show you a picture or describe what has occurred, they can eat.
9. Make sure to emphasize that the spatula is applying pressure when the pancake is flipped over.