STEM BREAK with Color Chromatography

My students always have trouble coming up with testable questions.  I am always looking for labs that naturally generate a lot of questions and this one is a good one!

Students need the following materials:

- coffee filters
- assorted markers (not permanent)
- plastic cup with about an inch of water

Just draw some designs on the coffee filter with different colors of markers.  Then fold the coffee filter in half and then in half again.  Place the triangular end into the cup of water and wait...

The water travels up the coffee filter and....WOW!  Can you believe it?  The kids go crazy!

Now for the fun part, ask the students to start writing ANY questions they may have down on a large sheet of white bulletin board paper at each group.  Once you have a bunch of questions generated, you can discuss the difference between testable and non-testable questions.

As an extension, you can have students conduct some of the tests.

Here is a link to the google doc of the STEM break sheet!

With some cheap and easy to find materials, you can get a lot of questioning done!