why questions · Ages 3-5

Why Does Popcorn Jump Out of Its Shell?

A popcorn kernel holds a little water that turns to steam when heated, making the hard shell pop open.

The whole story

1. At breakfast, Mina pours popcorn kernels into a blue bowl and asks, “Why do they jump?”

2. She turns one hard, yellow kernel between her fingers and studies its smooth shell.

3. Mina watches a covered popper warm the kernels from a safe distance.

4. Inside one kernel, a little drop of water waits beneath the hard shell.

5. As the heat grows, the little drop turns into steam inside the kernel.

6. The steam presses outward until the hard shell cracks wide open.

7. White popcorn fills the opened shell, and Mina finds the answer in her bowl.

8. A popcorn kernel holds a little water that turns to steam when heated, making the hard shell pop open.

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