Oobleck Activity

Oobleck Activity
(NOTE – Prepare Oobleck ahead of time. Start with 1 1/2
cups of water in a medium sized bowl. Pour one (16 oz)
box of corn starch into the water. Mix well. Add more
water or corn starch slowly until you have desired
consistency. The proper consistency is fairly thick –
the mixture should flow or pour slowly, but should be
hard when you hit it with your fingers or a spoon. If
you try to poke your finger into the mixture quickly,
it should stop your finger, but if you push into it
slowly, your finger should slip in with little problem.
A bit or experimentation may be in order.)
1) Tell students that a space probe has just
returned from a planet (Oobleck) in another star
system. The probe collected a substance from the
surface of the planet. The students, acting as
scientists are to investigate the properties of
this substance.
2) In teams of about four, students are given a
chance to study some Oobleck and attempt to
describe it’s properties. Let students work until
each group has written down at least five
properties. Have each group decide which of their
properties is the most important.
3) Each group then takes a turn describing their
most important property to the rest of the class.
the goal of the discussion is to state the
properties of Oobleck as clearly and completely
as possible. Other students should be encouraged
to ask questions, disagree, suggest other
wording, etc. The class then votes on the
property – if 3/4 of the class think the property
is a good description of Oobleck, then it is
called a “Law of Oobleck.”
4) If there is some disagreement about a certain
property, ask the class how they could determine
if the property is true or not. Encourage them to
design an experiment with the Oobleck to test the
property, and let them try it out for themselves.

5) Write the “Laws of Oobleck” on the board. Tell
students that their next assignment is to design
a spacecraft that is able to land on the planet
and take off again without getting stuck or
sinking in the Oobleck. Students should draw
their spacecraft, and label the parts that allow
it to land and take off without getting stuck.
6) When students are finished their drawings, have
them present them to the rest of the class.
Encourage classmates to ask questions about the
design and how well it will work.