7th grade Integrated Science
Standard V, objective 3
Title: Naming Jelly Beans
Description: Students will use a key specifically designed for “Jelly Belly” Brand jelly beans. They
will identify them by color and eat them to determine whether they have correctly identified the flavor
or not.
Materials: 15 jelly bellies per student (about a pound per class) This can get expensive (they are
about $5.00/lb) depending on the number of classes you have. The jelly bellies are sometimes
available at Costco but many stores now sell them. If your legislative money is gone ask your
principal for the money. If that doesn’t work, ask students to bring them in.
Two keys are provided. One is for the name brand Jelly Bellies, the other is for the Sams Club kind
(Thanks to Jason Carwin and his classes for doing the necessary tasting to create this key). Pick the
key that best matches your jelly beans. Student Sheet and keys (see below)
Time Needed: one 50 minute period
Background Knowledge: Students should know how to use a key. If not, this is a good activity to
teach them. Not all students will want to eat the candy but other students will happily eat it for them
and tell them if they are correct on the flavor.
Procedures:
1. Read the introduction to the lab with students and show them where the beans are found.
2. Read the procedures and describe the use of the key.
3. Tell students that most scientific names are in Latin or Greek and they often end in “ius” or “ium”.
Give some examples: Canis lupus (wolf) Felix domesticus (housecat) Homo sapiens (human) The
first letter is capitalized and the second is not. They can be written in italics or underlined.
4. Allow students time to complete the activity.
5. Ask students how many flavors they correctly identified and have them share some of the names
they made up.
Scoring Guide:
1. Students correctly used key to identify jelly bellies………………….4
2. Students made correctly written “scientific” names………………….4
3. Students participate and stay on task…………………………………4
Title: Naming Jelly Beans Lab
Unit: Classification (7.5.2)
NPD
Introduction: Scientists use classification keys to find names for living things. In this activity you will use a key to find names for jelly
beans. A key starts with numbered choices. As you decide on the characteristics of the bean, you move through the key. Remember
to always start with number one and then go where it directs you. The great thing about this activity is: You get to eat the jelly beans
and see if you have correctly named them!
Materials: 12 jelly beans in a cup, bean key
Procedure (READ and follow these steps):
1. Look at the jelly bean key.
2. Pick a bean to start with and list the numbers you follow to identify the bean. Always start with #1. Fill in the numbers in the data
as you go.
3. When you get to a description for the flavor of the bean, eat it. Write down if you think it tastes like the description.
4. Make up a scientific name for the bean. It must have 2 words that sound Latin or Greek, usually ending in “ius” or “ium”.
Examples: Canis lupus (wolf), Felix domesticus (housecat), Homo sapiens (human). The first word is capitalized the second is
not. The name should be underlined or written in italics. Example: Lemonus tastius for the lemon flavored bean.
Data:
1.
Brief description of bean
Black
Numbers you followed
1c, 24b, 25b
Flavor
Licorice
Right?
YES
Scientific name
Midnightus ebonus
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Analysis:
1. What was the most challenging part of the activity?
2.
What did you do when the key didn’t match the jelly bean you were looking for? Were there any flavors NOT on the key?
Conclusion: 3 sentences describing what you learned
49 Flavors Jelly Belly Key
1. Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink… go to 2
Purple, Green, Blue………… go to 16
Black, brown, tan, white….... go to 24
2. Yellow or orange………….. go to 3
Pink or red………….……… go to 10
15. Medium Pink………….……. Cotton Candy
Light pink………………... Bubble gum
16. Blue or Purple…….….
Green…………………..
go to 17
go to 20
17. Purple…………..…….
Blue……………..……..
go to 18
go to 19
18. Dark Purple………..……
Lavender……..….…….
Lt purple w/purple spots
Wild Blackberry
Island Punch
Mixed Berry Smoothie
19. Royal Blue………………
Light blue………………..
Mixed dark and light blue.
Blueberry
Berry blue
Plum
20. Solid Green………..…….
Green w/brown spots….
go to 21
Perfectly pear
21. Dark Green……..……….
Light Green……..………
go to 22
go to 23
22. Bright Green……..……...
Dark green (inside red)...
Green apple
Watermelon
23. Light Green……………
Pale Green…….…..….
Kiwi
Key Lime
24. Brown..…………….…..
Black or white………….
go to 29
go to 25
3. Yellow………………………
Orange……………………..
go to 4
go to 7
4. Solid Yellow………………..
Yellow with brown spots…
go to 5
Banana
5. Bright yellow…………….…
Light or Pale Yellow………
Pineapple
go to 6
6. Yellow………………………
Light Yellowish orange….
Pale Yellow……………….
Yellow with green spots…..
Lemon
Lemon drop
Pina Colada
Mango
7. Solid Orange………….….
Orange w/red spots………
go to 8
Peach
8. Bright Orange……………
Light or pale orange…….
Sunkist Orange
go to 9
9. Pale orange………..……
Pinkish orange……….
Creamy orange…………
Tangerine
Cantaloupe
Orange sherbet
10. Red………………………..
Pink……………………….
go to 11
go to 14
25. White……………………
Black……………………
go to 26
Licorice
11. Solid Red…………………
Red w/spots…….………..
go to 12
go to 13
26. Bright White……………
White w/ spots…………
Coconut
go to 27
12. Red………………………..
Bright Red………………...
Dark Red…..……………..
Opaque Red……………..
Cinnamon
Sour Cherry
Raspberry
Red apple
27. White w/ black spots….
White w/ brown spots…
White w/ yellow spots…
French vanilla
Roasted marshmallow
Buttered popcorn
28. Pink w/colored spots……
Pink w/red spots……..….
Dark pink w/ red spots…..
Tutti Frutti
Strawberry cheesecake
Strawberry daiquiri
29. Brown with white spots…
Reddish brown………….
Light brown………………
Brown……………………
Cappuccino
Dr. Pepper
A&W Rootbeer
Chocolate pudding
13 Red w/yellow spots…...…
Red w/pink spots………...
Red w/ brown spots..……
14. Solid Pink………………..
Pink w/ spots…………….
Sizzling Cinnamon
Pomegranate
Strawberry jam
go to 15
go to 28