Printables
These experiment cards contain simple instructions for candy experiments. Download and print to pass out to trick-or-treaters or or use at candy experiment parties.- Acid Test (use with Sour Patch Kids, Warheads, Sour Laffy Taffy, Nerds, Pixy Stix)
- Color Separation (use with M&Ms)
- Floating Letters (use with M&Ms, Skittles)
- Oil Test (use with Starburst)
- 4 Experiments (set of four experiments on one page)
- 8 Experiments (set of 8 experiments on one page)
These candy experiment worksheets, created by Leslie at the Science Gal blog, let children write down their observations as they do the experiments.
Websites
American Chemical SocietyThese quality science experiments for children are published by The American Chemical Society (ACS).
- Inquiry in Action: features instructions and lesson plans on topics including molecules, chemical changes, states of matter, and density
- Science for Kids: experiments on chemistry, motion, earth, the body, and art (note: some experiment pages do not open)
The Candy Professor
At candyprofessor.com, Samira Kawash blogs about candy's history and place in popular culture, covering subjects such as the game of Candy Land, how candy became linked with Halloween, candy nutrition claims, and new candy creations.
Candy History
The online candy store www.candyfavorites.com has put together several pages on the history of candy. My favorites included:
- Pop Rocks: A Discussion of Children's Culture and Candy Consumption, which covers not only about the invention of Pop Rocks but marketing strategies used for both adult and children's candy. (Apparently PEZ started as mints for grown-ups, but PEZ dispensers and fruit flavors made it a better fit for kids.)
- America's Oleaginous Affectation - Wax Lips, which delves into the history of the petroleum industry, how wax lips evolved, and how bankruptcy has recently threatened the candy's manufacture.
Books
This book published by The Royal Society of Chemistry introduces the chemistry behind many well-known candy products.
The Science of Chocolate by Stephen T Beckett
This book published by The Royal Society of Chemistry introduces the process of chocolate making and the chemistry behind the formation of a good chocolate bar.
Chocolate: a Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light by Mort Rosenblum
Reporter Mort Rosenblum follows chocolate from its beginnings on cocoa plantations and small family farms to its manufacture in big factories or gourmet French boutiques.
