Cabinets of Curiosity activity 7: making Victorian butter

Cabinets of Curiosity 14 Butter churn 1_for_library_use

Overview

Children investigate a strange machine, discover how Victorian butter was made and explore the science behind it. Then they have fun making their own butter in a simple classroom experiment.

Learning objectives - Curriculum links

Introduction

Look at the photograph of the barrel churn at Cabinets of Curiosity 14: barrel churn on the interactive whiteboard and ask the children what it might be. The following questions might be useful.

What’s this strange machine?
What’s it made from?
How does it work?
Does something go inside it?
What happens when you turn the handle?
Why’s there a small hole at the bottom?
Where do you think it might have been used?
How old do you think it is?

Get lots of imaginative ideas from the children about what it might be.

Watch this English Heritage video, which shows how Victorian servants at Audley End House made herb butter using a churn just like the one at Folkestone Museum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV7hop4m0YQ

Ask the children why they think the cream turned to butter?

Tell them they are going to make some butter.

Creative activity - making Victorian butter

Here’s some simple instructions on making butter in the classroom… and the science behind it.

The first link is more suitable for KS1-2.

https://www.science-sparks.com/making-butter/

The second link has a greater depth of scientific detail suitable for KS3-4.

http://www.scienceprojectideas.co.uk/science-making-butter.html

Ask the children to record what happens during the experiment and discuss the results. (In brief, the vigorous shaking encourages the fat molecules in the cream to stick together, creating the butter… and a high protein low fat liquid called buttermilk).

Learn with Objects links

See Learn with Objects A Cabinet of Curiosities 14: barrel churn