Your student starts by writing a prediction, then cuts coffee filter strips, marks a dot with each washable marker, and suspends the strips over 2 to 3 cm of water using a pencil and clothespin. As the water climbs the paper, the dye components separate into distinct bands, and three labeled observation boxes ask students to draw or describe exactly what they see for each marker color. The sheet is well matched to grades 3 through 6 and slots naturally into a chemistry or physical science unit study focused on mixtures and separation techniques.

The chromatography of different markers experiment works as a standalone one-session lab, but it also pairs cleanly with lessons on color, light, or the properties of water. Completing the sheet requires your homeschooler to form a testable prediction, follow a sequential eight-step procedure, record direct observations, write a conclusion, and answer a comparison question about which marker yielded the most colors and why. That full cycle from question to reflection gives you a complete scientific method record in a single printed page.