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Seventh graders at Malow Junior High School are bringing science to life as they explore chemical reactions through a hands-on bath bomb experiment.
Under the guidance of science teacher Andrea Pytel, students are using bath bombs to uncover one of chemistry’s most fascinating concepts: the difference between physical changes and chemical reactions.
“We are testing and using bath bombs to help our seventh graders discover how we can make something new that wasn’t there before,” Pytel Said. “It’s all about chemical reactions and learning to identify what happens when new substances are formed.”
As part of the lab, students observed what happens when bath bombs are dropped into water. They record the mass before and after mixing, observe the bubbles that appear, and analyze whether the fizzing comes from trapped gases or from gases created by a chemical change. This activity helps students connect scientific concepts to real-world experiences.
The lesson not only brings excitement to the classroom but also lays the groundwork for critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning.
“At the beginning they might think they know the answer to something, but they can’t say it’s true until they have proof by doing the experiment,” Pytel said. “By conducting experiments we’re teaching the students how to find and use evidence which helps them build skills that they’ll carry into high school and beyond.”
Through curiosity, experimentation, and a little fizz, these students are learning that science isn’t just in textbooks, it’s everywhere they look.
