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A Berry Good Time With Cranberries

Will a cranberry bounce?  Will it float? How many cranberries does it take to make a gallon of cranberry juice? Grab some cranberries and use your skills in estimation, buoyancy, and measurement to find out! 

The students will:

1) estimate how many cranberries it takes to make one gallon of juice.

2) measure the distance a ripe cranberry will bounce.

3) determine the ripeness of cranberries based on if the cranberries float.

1) a few bags of cranberries (enough for each student to have a handful)

2) a gallon jug of cranberry juice

3) a knife for cutting

4) clear shallow pan

5) water

6) ruler

7) paper & pencil

1. Show students cranberries and discuss the many different ways in which we
consume cranberries such as: juice, dried cranberries, cranberry sauce, frozen
cranberries can be used in desserts, muffins, and bread.

2. With a gallon of 100% Cranberry Juice, explain to students that it takes about 4,400 cranberries to make one gallon of juice. Have students estimate how many cranberries are in a bag. Explain to the students that an estimate is a good guess; it doesn’t need to be exact. Write students’ estimations on the board. 

3. Then count the cranberries in one bag. Were they close? (It is also a good time to point out that if the juice does not contain 100% real fruit juice it probably has more sugar added to the drink. Drinks such as Capri Sun and Hawaiian Punch are not 100% fruit juice.)

4. Ask students to hypothesize whether or not the cranberries will float in water.
With a shallow clear pan full of water, pour cranberries in the container. The
fresh cranberries will float, where as the rotten berries will sink.

5. Cut one of the floating cranberries in half for students to see. The fresh
cranberries have pockets of air inside of them that allow them to float. Because
cranberries have air pockets, they can also bounce!

6. Using the fresh cranberries that floated, divide students into pairs. Students will
need a ruler, a paper and pencil and a few cranberries. Instruct students to
measure with a ruler how high their cranberry will bounce. Have students record
how high their cranberry bounces. How high does it bounce? Will it bounce
higher if you bounce the cranberry from a higher spot?

Have some cranberries on hand to show to students while discussing some of the great nutrional properties of cranberries.

Nutritious Background Information of Cranberries:

1) Cranberries are one of the major native fruits grown in the United States.

2) Cranberries are a high anti-oxidant fruit grown in bogs.

3) Cranberries have a large amount of Vitamin C and potassium.

4) They are good for moving blood in the body, good for your skin and good for the digestive system.

5) Scientists know that cranberries are good for removing bad bacteria from the body and are researching other ways in which eating cranberries can beneficial.

Optional: Read the book Cranberries- Fruit of the Bogs by Diane L. Burns

Review some of the nutritious facts about cranberries. Allow students to taste
cranberry juice and/or any other cranberry snack if you wish.