Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum

Does your child love bubble gum?  Have you ever thought about how it was invented? Pop!  The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy shares the very interesting story of how bubble gum came to be!  

This is such a cute story full of information about bubble gum. Throughout the story you begin to wonder if bubble gum will ever be invented.  It was not an easy process!  This story is great for asking questions.  Readers should always ask questions before reading the story, while they are reading the story and after reading the story.  When readers ask questions, it shows they are active in the reading process.  Comprehension cannot occur unless the reader interacts with the text.   

Before reading activate your child's schema (background knowledge) and to get them thinking about gum:

1. Say the following to your child: What do you know about bubble gum?   Let your child answer.  Then share what you know about bubble gum.

2. Say the following to your child:  I wonder how bubble gum was invented.  Let your child share their thoughts and then share yours. 

During the story encourage your child to use some of the following thinking stems to ask questions:

• I wonder...
• What if...
• Why...
• How could...

After the story generate some questions you and your child still have about bubble gum.  What else would you like to know about bubble gum?  Your questions can lead to more learning about bubble gum!  

Be sure to read the end pages!  There is a ton of interesting facts about bubble gum.

Extension Activity:

This book easily lends itself to a science experiment!  

Question:  Do all brands of bubble gum create the same size bubble?

You will need:

1.  At least three brands of bubble gum

2.  Ruler

3.  Paper and pencil for recording findings

• Have your child make a hypothesis.  Do they think all bubble gums are created equal?
• Have your child chew a piece of bubble gum for thirty chews.  
• After chewing thirty times have them blow a bubble.  
• Before the bubble breaks, measure the bubble. 
• Record how big the bubble is on a recording sheet. 
• With the same brand of gum, repeat the process 2 more times (it is best to use a new piece each time). 
• Find the average of your three bubbles.
• Complete the entire process again with each brand of bubble gum!

Let me know what you find out!