UPDATED 11/25/19 I’ve added a larger picture of the board due to popular demand. 🙂
The Science Fair is required for all 5th graders in my kids’ school, and after a few persuading conversations, I convinced my son that testing how long the flavor of gum would last was not going to be the easiest “measurable” science fair project.
We had a blast together testing breakfast cereals for iron content. It’s such a fun way to experiment with science without overwhelming the kids.
For this project, you need:
5 different kinds of cereal {make sure the iron content differs}
Dry and liquid measuring cups
A digital scale
Distilled Water
A Bullet blender {or a small blender}
A timer
A rubber scraper
A black sharpie
Plastic cups and spoons
We went to the store together, and he chose the cereals he wanted to test. I helped him read the nutritional facts so that the iron content differed in each box.
He carefully measured 1 cup of each cereal.
We bought cow magnets at our local farm supply store, but you can buy them online here. You need an extra strong set of magnets for this science fair project. Cow magnets were the best option for us. My husband was surprised to find out that I wasn’t crazy about this. He had no idea that cow magnets existed. I sent him to the store, and his facial expression was priceless.
You need a digital scale, and if you can find one that measures in smaller increments than 1 gram, that would be best. For elementary school, our plain kitchen scale was fine.
Connelly used distilled water because we didn’t want any other variables to mess with the results of his project. This way, the water was the exact same every single time. We didn’t have to worry about any minerals from the tap messing with the results. Also, the distilled water was the same temperature each time.
He carefully measured 1 1/2 cups of distilled water for each type of cereal.
After measuring the cereal and the distilled water, Connelly poured them both into a small blender cup.
We used our Magic Bullet to blend the cereal.
Connelly timed how long he blended each cereal. He blended them for exactly 30 seconds.
Then, using a rubber scraper, he carefully dumped the blended cereal into a plastic cup. He labeled each cup carefully with a sharpie to make sure that the results were not mixed up.
Then he dropped the magnet into each cup and stirred for exactly 3 minutes. He stirred with a plastic spoon. We didn’t know if a regular spoon had any magnetism in it, so we decided to be safe rather than sorry. 🙂
After he stirred for 3 minutes, we wrote down the exact time and let the magnet sit in the cup for 30 more minutes. We made sure that no cereal had extra time.
After the 30 minutes was up, Connelly carefully fished the magnet out of the mushy cereal.
Each magnet had a distinct spot of iron! Connelly couldn’t believe it. He was cracking up.
Then, we re-weighed the magnets and recorded the weight of each one. We wish we had a scale that measured less than 1 gram because we would have had more accurate results.
It was definitely a fun project, and I’m sure we will do it again in a few years. Let me know if you have questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them!
Click the picture below to see a bigger version of the board:
Have a great week,
Brooke
Due to popular request, here is a bigger picture of Connelly’s board:
Are there bigger photos available of the results? I’m kind of curious 🙂
Gaww! Well, what were the results?? I used to do science projects every year I was in school. By the time I was in high school I went on to the International Science Fair — yes, it is (or at least was) a thing! Those projects were some of the most formative events in my young life — congratulations to Connelly! I hope he’ll continue on. In those early years, the kids who actually TEST something in a scientific manner, rather than just do a report and recite it — win! Bravo! 🙂
That is such a fun science project. I love how creative it is. He looks like he enjoyed it too, win win!
-Shonee
So we used Frosted mini wheats, Life, Corn Flakes and Apple Jacks. We used the cow magnets which weighed 76 grams. Frosted mini wheats and Apple Jacks weighed 71 grams after the test we didn’t see any signs of iron on the magnet, life weighed 60 grams and corn flakes weighed 66 grams. I am so confused on how to determine which one has the most iron.
The Cow magnets should not have weighed more before the experiment took place. They weigh more after because they have iron that comes out of the cereal and onto the magnets. So, if you don’t have a precise starting weight first, you may need to start over.
Can you email me a picture of the board.. thanks so much
Can you please email me a picture of the board?
The way I can read better and be able to see everything? Thanks in advance
Hi Brooke! We just tried to do this experiment . Please help understand how you measured the cow magnet after the 30 mins. We took the magnets out of the cereal. There was cereal on the magnets and it was difficult to see the iron on the actual magnet. I hope to hear from you soon. Please help!
After the 30 minutes are up, fish the magnet out of the cup. Carefully rinse off the cereal by putting the magnet under a slow flowing faucet. The iron will not come off the magnet when you do this. It will still be on the magnet, so don’t worry. After you have rinsed it off, place the magnet on the scale. It has iron on it, so it will weigh slightly different than it did before the experiment. Make sure you record each magnet’s weight and label the record with the type of cereal it was in.
What is the graph of? I’m typing up the board and I know they want a graph or something. I can’t read yours, but I was curious what yours was of?
I just added a picture to the bottom of the post that allows you to click and enlarge the board. Hope this helps!
we zoomed it but its still blurred .can you please tell me what the graph of?
The graph is a pie chart of the total grams of iron extracted. It shows which cereal had the most iron and compares it to the other cereals.
Could you email me please …. my son is wanting to do this project but he does not have email so he will just use mine.
Irving_bobbi@yahoo.ca
Hi Bobbi. I would love to answer your questions here on the post. Most likely others have your same questions, so I’d love to keep that chatter here, to help others in the future.
HI there can we get a picture of the finished project, trying to work on this with my nephew. This looks really fun to do! Thank you!
I added a picture to the bottom of the post. 🙂
Could I get a close up picture of the Results & Observations please? We just got through conducting this experiment with different cereals that you guys chose & it was so much fun. I would just like to see how you did that. Also, were you showing the results of your measurements on the pie chart? Any help would be great! Thanks!
You bet! I added a picture at the bottom of the post that you can click on to see it bigger. 🙂 I’m so glad you had fun! We loved this project too.
What did you actually measure on your pie chart? Our results were inconclusive. Only one cereals’ weight changed…60grams to 62grams. And all but one cereal had many lines on the cow magnets but no weight change.
what was the hipothesis
If you look at the bottom of the post, there is a picture that you can click on that enlarges the board. That way you can read the hypothesis better.
Hello 🙂
We tried this experiment however the magnet weighted less after the 30 mins … odd huh??? Any idea why? We are not using a small blender like your son did. It is a regular blender do you think that could be it ? Any tips would be helpful…. we did measure 1 cup of cereal , 1 1/2 cups of distilled water …. then blended for 30 sec and then he mixed for 3mins and finally we can back at 29 mins and he took magnet out at exactly 30mins …. any ideas
How did you clean the magnet off to remeasure it?
Thanks!
Just rinse off the gooey cereal carefully with water. The iron will stick to the magnet. Then re-weigh it. Since it has added iron, it will weigh a different amount.
this is a very good project
The cow magnet link only has 4 in it. Can you use 4 cereals instead of 5? Or would you suggest the 5
Four would totally be great!
What did you actually measure on your pie chart? Our results were inconclusive. Only one cereals’ weight changed…60grams to 62grams. And all but one cereal had many lines on the cow magnets but no weight change.
Hello!
Would a neodymium disc magnet work?
Not sure! If you try it, let us know!
My name is BOB
I’m the pictures I can’t ready everything is anyway you can please email me one pic of the boat , a clear one? I am doing it this week with my son and I really need this info? Thank you
When your son mixed the magnet with the cereal for 3 mins was the cereal dry or did you add something to it ?
It had water mixed in.
Can you recommend any books or websites for research materials that would help with this project?
Quick question, The magnets do get attched to the weighing scale right ? I guess the magnet affects the digital scale and doesn’t show the accurate weight. Did you use some specific digital scale ?
Our scale has a glass top, so it doesn’t get attached. If I did the experiment again, I would buy a scale that has better measurement capability. This one looks like a great option.
Thank you Brooke for allowing other parents enjoy this idea. What I don’t understand is the graphic ? What do you compare? percentage with grams? We are a little confuse.
Can you explain better. Thank you again for the great idea.
Yes it was just an overview of the total number of grams of iron extracted from each cereal that we used in the experiment.
Hello, Thanks so much for the great information but I wasn’t able to see the graph at the end of your post. Can you please email it to me if possible .
Thanks!
Just wondering how many time did your son test each type of the cereal? In terms of the water added to the 1 cup of cereal, could you just add half a cup instead a cup and a half? Just trying to figure why so much water. Thanks so much!
Thanks sooo much for sharing!! My son was asked to do this project and Im not really into science and this helped me lots!
I cant see the graph even in the bigger picture. Can you tell me what it is??
HI! Great project! Can you send a closer picture of each of the printed items that are posted on the board?? Like the “procedure” and “supplies needed” – “observations” etc. ?? even after zooming in on the large picture you posted it’s not legible.
Thank you so much!! BTW – Love this blog!
I’m thinking about doing this for school
Awesome project! What is the pie-chart of? Thx
I tried to view the results being curious as to what they were as this is an interesting project for your son but I couldn’t read them. is there any way to get a picture to see what the results were.
Can you please email me a picture of this board I want to do this with my son thank you so much
What was the materials
hey even when you make the picture bigger you still cant read what it says is there any way you can tell us
HI there. Is there a different way to test for the iron? I’m concerned about rinsing the cereal off!?!
I don’t know of another way.
My son and me did this project and were amazed that you could actually see the metal pieces on magnets. But when we weighted maganets the weight difference was well more than the amount of iron that should have been present. That had us thinking about the fact that there are other magnetic materials in cereals that are also stuck to magnets. How did you seperate the iron from other metals?
That is a GREAT observation!! Put it in your results for SURE!! I think you would need to talk to an expert in the area to find out how to separate metals, but I think that would be a very impressive point to put in the results section.
HELLO ,
very nice project.coudnt see the graph even after zoom.can you please email me the graph part.
thanks in advance
I’m so sorry, but I don’t have the graph part saved.
Hi this looks like a great project. My son has one due in 3 weeks. Is there any way I could get you to email me the pic. With the board an chart layout I know you have it available as the last pic but when I click and zoom it makes it blurry. I can’t read it. I am gonna try to find a magnet or order one soon. Thanks for all the great tips.
Since the project was in 2016, I’m afraid the picture quality wasn’t great back then. I added another picture to the bottom of the post today for you. But, I’m not sure if it’s any better. I’m so sorry! My camera equipment takes much better pictures these days!