Poaching eggs

Poaching eggs

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about how carefully you can observe what happens when an egg is poached.
four eggs being poached in a pot of hot water
Photo 151478648 © Caymia | Dreamstime.com
What to do
Carefully watch the egg being poached.
Write down what you see happening. Think about:
  • whether the colours change.
  • how long the changes take to happen.
  • whether the changes all happen at the same time.
  • whether the egg is a solid or a liquid.
  • whether the changes are temporary or permanent.  

Question 1Change answer

a) Write down what the egg looks like the moment it is put in the water.

Question 1Change answer

b)  Write down what you see happening to the egg as it cooks.
Task administration: 

This task can be completed online or with pencil and paper, and other equipment.

Equipment:

Heat source; frying pan; fish slice; egg; water.

  • Read out the "How to do this task" section to students.
  • Poach the egg for groups of up to five students.
  • Once the egg has been in the pan for a while flick hot water over the egg yolk to cook it.
  • Once the egg has been cooked, take it out of the pan and cut it in half so that the students can observe changes that occur to the centre of the yolk.
Students could respond orally rather than writing their observations.
Copyright: 
four eggs being poached in a pot of hot water
Level:
2
Curriculum info: 
Science, Investigating in science, Material World
Keywords: 
changes, eggs, observation
Description of task: 
For this practical task students record their observations as an egg is poached in water.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss when we look very carefully and notice lots of things it helps us describe how things are similar and different.
 
Science capabilities: 
Gather and interpret data
Answers/responses: 
a) Possible observations:

  • The egg white is clear.
  • The yolk is yellow.
  • The egg white/yolk is a liquid.
  • The egg white spreads out in the pan/the yolk stays in a round shape.
b) Possible observations:

  • The egg white goes from clear to white.
  • The egg white changes before yolk/yolk changes second.
  • The egg white cooks around edges first and then into the centre.
  • The yolk becomes firm/solid.
  • The egg white becomes firm/solid.
  • This is a permanent change.