Popcorn+Lesson

Whats Popping in Our Classroom  South Dakota Standards Used in This Lesson

Question (objective): How many pounds of un-popped popcorn would you have to buy, and pop, to fill our classroom?

Step 1: Find the dimensions of the classroom

Step2: Use the dimensions found in step 1 to find the volume of the classroom (your answer should be in cubic feet).

Step3: Given that 1 cup of un-popped popcorn = 5 quarts of popped popcorn, find how cups of unpopped-popcorn are in 1 cubic foot.
 * *Note that there are 30 quarts in 1 cubic foot.

Step4: In steps 2 and 3 you determined the volume of the classroom and how many cups of unpopped-popcorn are in a foot. Now determine how many cups of unpoped-popcorn it would take to fill our classroom.

Step5: C onvert your answer from step 4 into pounds (this will be your final answer).   
 * *Note 1 cup of unpopped-popcorn = 4.5 Ounces, 1 Ounce= 0.0625 Pounds

Follow Up: Students were put into group of 4 and asked to answer the question "Why Does Popcorn Pop?". Students were expected to research the topic and compose a 1 page report answering the question. A key element to their answer was for them to determine what type of energy transfer occurs when the corn-kernel pops.