Kindergarteners from McNary Heights Elementary School recently explored the world of dentistry through a fun science experiment as part of Kinder Career Ready, a weekly activity that introduces students to a new career each week.
To help kinders understand how dentists care for teeth–and why healthy habits matter–they conducted an experiment using eggs to represent tooth enamel. Eggs were submerged for several days in four different liquids: coffee, soda (Coca-Cola), vinegar, and water. Before the experiment began, students made predictions by coloring drawings of eggs to show what they thought would happen.
All week long, students couldn’t wait to see what would happen to the eggs. Paraprofessional Miss CeCe shared that students asked daily when they would get to see the results. When reveal day arrived, students closely examined each egg and shared what they noticed. Some noticed the egg soaked in soda felt sticky, while others pointed out that the coffee egg smelled just like coffee. Students were most shocked by the vinegar egg, which lost its outer shell and became, “squishy.”
After examining the results, students discussed how the changes they observed could also happen to their own teeth if they are not properly cared for. The experiment helped reinforce the importance of brushing their teeth and making healthy food choices.
Kinder Career Ready is a weekly program led by paraprofessionals that introduces kindergarten students to a wide range of careers. So far, students have learned about working at a grocery store, being a teacher, and becoming a firefighter. Each lesson is designed to spark curiosity, build real-world connections, and help students begin thinking about the many jobs that support their community.