Year 4 Science Gets Wobbly with the “Jolly Jelly” Practical

This week, our Year 4 budding scientists took part in a deliciously named but strictly no-tasting-allowed science experiment: The Jolly Jelly Practical. This exciting lesson formed part of their topic on changing states of matter, combining hands-on learning with some deeper scientific thinking.

The children were tasked with carefully measuring out a specific volume of  water at a set temperature. Then, they placed in a cube of jelly (without sneaking a nibble!) and observed what happened next. As the jelly began to dissolve, the classroom was filled with excitement, curiosity and lots of interesting predictions!

But this lesson was about more than just jelly. One of the main learning objectives was to get the children thinking like real scientists by carrying out a risk assessment before beginning the practical. These early steps into risk evaluation and mitigation are essential skills the children will continue to develop throughout their science education. It was fantastic to see how sensibly and thoughtfully they approached this part of the lesson.

The class also explored the science behind the change they were witnessing. As the jelly dissolved, children learned how heat energy affects matter at the particle level. They discussed how the solid jelly cube was made up of tightly packed particles and how heat from the warm water gave these particles energy to move more freely, dissolving the solid jelly cube. It was a brilliant introduction to particle theory, encouraging them to start thinking about what’s happening in materials we can’t see with the naked eye.

Overall, the Jolly Jelly experiment was a great success, combining curiosity, safety awareness and scientific thinking. Well done, Year 4!