The Fun Side of Gas Laws: Brain Breaks with Boyle's Law

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the best way to learn is by having a little fun? In my classroom, we've discovered that brain breaks can turn abstract concepts like gas laws into something tangible and memorable. Picture this: a room full of students, up out of their seats and off their cell phones, eagerly participating in challenges like building the longest straw to sip Kool-Aid or racing to move Skittles with a straw using suction. With shouts of "Go, go, go!" filling the room, these activities not only entertain but also provide a hands-on lesson in Boyle's Law, making learning an exciting and engaging experience.

Boyle's Law Brain Breaks

Activity 1: The Longest Straw Challenge

Materials (for each group):

• Straws (lots of them)
• Tape (masking or clear)
• Scissors
• Red Kool-Aid (or any colored drink for visibility)
• Cup
• Meter stick (for measuring the length of the straw)

Procedure:

1. Setup: Divide students into small groups and distribute materials.
2. Building Phase: Each group has 5 minutes to construct the longest straw possible using the straws and tape.
3. Test Phase: Once the time is up, fill cups with Kool-Aid and have each group attempt to drink from their straw. The team that successfully sips the drink from the longest straw wins!

Activity 2: Suck It Up - Skittles Challenge

Materials:

• Skittles or small candies
• Straws (one per student)
• Plates (two per student)
• Timer

Procedure:

1. Setup: Place Skittles on a plate for each student, with an empty plate beside it.
2. Challenge: Students have 1 minute to use a straw to transfer as many Skittles as possible from one plate to another by suction alone. Here is a YouTube Video (LINK) showing the challenge in action.
3. Victory: The student with the most Skittles on the new plate at the end of the minute wins.

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Beaver Dam Unified School District Facebook post, October 23, 2023.

Bringing it All Together: The Science Behind the Fun

After the laughter dies down and the winners are celebrated, it’s time to bring the focus back to the science. Engage the students in a discussion about how Boyle’s Law played a crucial role in both activities. Explain that by increasing the volume of their lungs (expanding their chest cavity by lowering the diaphragm), they decreased the pressure inside their lungs compared to the pressure in the room. This pressure difference is what allowed them to draw liquid up the straws or move the Skittles with air pressure. I like to show my students Veritasium's World's Longest Straw Video on YouTube when I wrap up these activities.

Incorporating these kinds of brain breaks into your lessons does more than just give students a chance to move around and have fun. Research shows that physical activity and short breaks can improve focus and boost cognitive function, making learning more effective. These breaks offer a practical, hands-on experience of abstract concepts, helping students better understand and retain the material. The thrill of competition also make these concepts more memorable. So next time you’re teaching gas laws, why not try a brain break? Your students might just learn more than you expected—and have a great time doing it!