Science and Thanksgiving are not two things that I typically put together. However, I recently found some really fun Thanksgiving science activities that involve Thanksgiving food.

States of Matter With Cranberries

Since you can find cranberries in many forms during a simple walk through your grocery store, they offer a great opportunity to discuss states of matter.

For this discussion, you will need:

• Fresh cranberries
• Jellied cranberry sauce
• Cranberry juice
• Dried cranberries
• Sprite (or other carbonated soda)
• Optional Recording Mini Booklet

Start by reviewing the states of matter. The booklet includes a reading passage about the states of matter that provides a great way to review solids, liquids, and gases.

Ask your students questions, such as:

• What are the states of matter?
• What are the properties of solids?
• What are the properties of liquids?
• What are the properties of gases?

I made a chart as my students gave me responses about each state of matter so we could refer to the properties they listed in the next step of the activity.

Then take a look at the different forms of cranberries you have. Introduce each one to your students. Ask them which state of matter each type of cranberry is.

• Which state of matter is a fresh cranberry?
• Which state of matter is cranberry juice?
• Which state of matter is jellied cranberry sauce?

Tip: Create a chart with three columns labeled “Solid”, “Liquid”, and “Gas.” Have your students write each type of cranberry on a sticky note, then stick each one to the chart based on which state of matter they think it is.

My students knew whole cranberries are solids and cranberry juice is a liquid, but when I asked my students which state of matter jellied cranberry sauce was, it was a little trickier. They thought for sure it was a solid. After all, it kept the shape of the can when we poured it out into a bowl. The truth is, cranberry sauce is a liquid that acts like a solid. The same is true of Jell-O and jams or jellies.

Depending on which science activities you decide to do and when, you could also introduce the dried cranberries and the Sprite at this time. It is a great way to bring gases into the discussion since there are air bubbles in the soda. Then you could start the next activity, Floating Cranberries.

Floating Cranberries

This next science activity explores whether cranberries will float. For this activity, you need the following ingredients:

• Cranberries (not dried) – 1-3 per student
• Cups of water – one per student or group
• Optional Recording Mini Booklet

Begin the activity by asking students if cranberries will float or sink in water. Most (like my son) will say they will sink in the water. When I prompted my son as to why he thought that, he said because they are not full of air. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect response. After your discussion, have the students create a hypothesis using an If… then… because… format in their booklet. Then generate a list of materials needed and create a clear sequence of procedures for the students to follow when conducting the experiment.

After all the upfront work is completed, give each student 1-3 cranberries. I like to give them 3 cranberries to explain the importance of multiple trials.

After the students discover that the cranberries float in the water, have them discuss how this could be possible. Then cut a cranberry in half and show the students the four air pockets inside that allow the cranberries to float. The students will be able to use that new knowledge to create a clear conclusion about why cranberries float.

Dancing Cranberries

This next Thanksgiving science activity is super engaging for the students. My own son loved it when I tried it out with him. The ingredients needed are:

• Dried Cranberries (a few per student or group)
• Sprite
• Container or cup
• Optional Recording Mini Booklet

Have the students place the cranberries in the Sprite and watch them “dance.” When the cranberries interact with the bubbles (carbon dioxide gas) in the soda, they will be carried up to the top. When the bubbles pop and release the carbon dioxide, the cranberries drop by down. This makes it seem like they are “dancing” in the Sprite.

The students will love watching the cranberries dance up and down in the glass of Sprite.

Download the Free Thanksgiving Science Activities Here

To download the mini recording booklet, reading passage, and comprehension questions click here or on the image below.

Want More Thanksgiving Activities?

Click the links below to check out my favorite Thanksgiving math and reading activities.