Science and Technology K–6 · Year 6
Heat and food: which changes can be undone?
Science understanding: Chemical sciences
Teacher-led demonstration
A teacher carries out this activity as a demonstration. Its materials, steps, variables, misconceptions and sources are not published on the open web, and neither is any result, control or note that states a number or an amount: tutors and administrators read them on the learning platform, with the safety card first. The idea, the hazards and the curriculum references are below.
Open the procedure on the learning platform (tutor or administrator sign-in)
School laboratory, not for home
In a school laboratory, with a teacher supervising, under the school's risk assessment. Not for home.
The idea
Heating melts chocolate and butter, changes that reverse on cooling, but sets egg white and browns bread, changes that make new substances and cannot be undone.
Safety card
Setting: In a school laboratory, with a teacher supervising, under the school's risk assessment. Not for home.
Hazards
- scalds from 75 degree water
- burns from the toaster
- egg allergy and milk allergy (chocolate and butter)
- raw egg can carry Salmonella
Controls
- only the teacher handles the hot water, kettle and toaster
- bags sealed and handled with tongs
- learners with an egg or milk allergy observe without handling
- no tasting; all food thrown away
- wash hands after handling raw egg
Note
It states a number or an amount, which may be part of the method, so it is shown with the method to tutors and administrators on the learning platform.
What you should see
It states a number or an amount, which may be part of the method, so it is shown with the method to tutors and administrators on the learning platform.
Curriculum references
The NSW syllabus outcomes and Australian Curriculum v9 codes this activity supports. They are references, not a verified or complete curriculum alignment.
- Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017), current, taught until 2026; code read from the syllabus document on 22 September 2026ST3-6MW-SST3-1WS-S
- Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024), implemented from 2027; NESA's timeline is 2026 plan and prepare and 2027 start teaching, and schools may choose to implement it during 2026; the 2024 Stage 3 content has no content point on reversible and irreversible change, so the 2024 mapping is to the data outcome the sorted observations sit under; code read from the outcomes page and the content read from the Stage 3 content page on 23 September 2026ST3-DAT-01
- Australian Curriculum v9AC9S6U04AC9S6I01AC9S6I03AC9S6I05