E is for Explore!

Volcanic Slime

2012-03-04T11:54:00.003-08:00

Combine the classic volcano experiment with gak to create exploding, sensorial fun! Kids can play with the gooey lava after the volcanic eruption!

materials:

1. watered down glue: 1-1/2 cups glue and 1-1/2 cups of water

2. 1 tbsp of borax per quart of water (4 cups of water)

3. red food coloring

4. baking soda

5. vinegar

States of Matter: Atoms / Molecules

2012-03-03T23:40:00.001-08:00

Science Matters is an awesome blog with fun science experiments and demonstrations for kids, to keep them engaged in lessons. This demonstration on matter (atoms and molecules in the various states) is simple and teaches kids about kinetic energy.

materials:
a large empty container (pretzel tub works best- the bigger the better)
rubber bouncy balls (enough to fill your container "part way")

demonstration:

Solids: "barely shake the container, just enough to cause the balls to jiggle, but keep them in their place. The atoms/molecules in a solid possess kinetic energy, but not enough to remove any individual atoms/molecules from the group."

Liquids: "shake the container a little harder, so the entire “clump” moves together. The atoms/molecules in a liquid posses more kinetic energy than those in a solid. Liquids can change shapes, but the atoms/molecules stay “attached” to one another."

Gas: "shake the container even harder, so that the balls begin to bounce around the container, independent of one another. The atoms/molecules in a gas possess a large amount of kinetic energy. They will bounce around to fill the space they have available."

Afterwards, have kids glue Cheerios to show molecules in each state. via Foreman's Fourth Grade

Ice Cream Fractions

2012-03-03T06:57:00.001-08:00

Have kids make a paper ice cream cone of fractions! Kids can get creative with their flavors! First, they choose how many of each flavor they'd like for their cone (10 scoops total). Then, they write the fraction down for each flavor.

Foam Art

2012-03-03T00:25:00.000-08:00

via Artful Adventures

Combine tempera paint with a little water and a squirt of dish washing liquid to create foamy art! (Note: "Don’t dilute the paint too much if you want to get a strong print.")

Dip a sponge into the solution. Next, squeeze the sponge to create foam. Create your designs on a hard surface. Then, gently press paper down to pickup the print. via Artful Adventures

Paste Painting

2012-03-02T23:44:00.002-08:00

Check out this awesome project created by Artful Adventures. Kids made colorful, sensorial art using paste paint! Then, they turned their artwork into drawer liners.

What is Paste Painting? Visit Art for Small Hands to learn about the history and origin of paste painting!

Paste paint materials: 4 tablespoons rice flour, 3 tablespoons wheat flour, 3 cups water, ½ teaspoon glycerin, 1 teaspoon liquid dish detergent, and Tempera paint. (makes fifteen 9 x 12-inch papers).
*However, Artful Adventures skipped the mixture above and used wall paper paste instead. (Not recommended if painting with children)

instructions:
1. Mix flours, stirring in a little bit of water at a time.
2. Cook on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring constantly. (mixture should just start to boil and resemble "custard")
3. Remove from heat and stir in glycerin and dish detergent "to keep the paste smooth and pliable."
4. Once cooled, "put it through a sieve to get rid of lumps."
5. Add tempera paint. via Art for Small Hands

technique: Now, you're ready to paint! The picture above is paper painted pink that has dried overnight (optional). Next, another hue is added over top. Kids painted with paste. Afterwards, they painted over top of the paste. Then, they scrunched the paper into a ball, unfolded it, and let it dry. Finally, they ironed the paper on the reverse side, and voila: paste paper!

Rainbow in a Jar!

2012-03-02T20:23:00.003-08:00

Sweet and Simple Things constructed a vibrant, rainbow density column! You will need a jar or cylinder that holds 2 1/2 cups of liquid. Here are the instructions:

Purple - mix 1/2 cup corn syrup with 1 drop blue and 1 drop red food coloring. Pour into jar.

Blue - slowly pour 1/2 cup of blue dish soap down the side of your jar.

Green - mix 1/2 cup water with 2 drops green food coloring. Tip your jar and slowly pour the water down the side of the jar.

Yellow - slowly pour 1/2 cup olive oil down the side of the jar.

Red - mix 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol with 2 drops red food coloring. Tip your jar and slowly pour the alcohol down the side of the jar.

Learn how to build a 9 layer density tower, as well as a drinkable one here!

Tabletop Biosphere

2012-03-02T15:40:00.000-08:00

A tabletop biosphere is "a fun demonstration of the ecological cycles." Kids get to see how plants and organisms (biotic components) work together, along with abiotic components in an ecosystem. Visit CDN Makezine for the full tutorial and science behind the project!

Terrarium

2012-03-02T14:18:00.004-08:00

Terrariums provide humidity and moisture for plants that prefer warmer regions or seasons. Make your own mini habitat for toy figurines or action heroes!

photo via terradctl

materials:

fishbowl or glass container

small stones

horticultural charcoal

potting soil

water

fun rocks, action figures, toy figurines

how to:

1. Layer stones (one-inch) on the bottom of your clean container.

2. Add a 1/2 inch layer of charcoal.

3. Layer 2-3 inches of potting soil.

4. "Dig small holes for the roots.Take plants out of their pots, remove extra soil from the roots, and trim damaged leaves. While the roots are still moist, place the plants in the holes and pat soil over the roots. Dampen the soil. Do not overwater."

5. Now, decorate your terrarium! "Place in indirect sunlight. Add water when your terrarium gets dry."

plant list:

"For best results, use plants that need about the same amount of water and sunlight."

Moss and lichens

Miniature orchids

Baby tears

Begonias

Miniature ferns

Hepaticas

Spider plants

Wintergreens

Gloxinias

Small palms

African violets

Coleuses

Note: "If your terrarium has a small opening, use chopsticks to position your plants." via Nat Geo Kids

DIY Magic Sand!

2012-03-02T03:04:00.004-08:00

Magic Sand is sand that doesn't get wet! Regular sand absorbs water. Magic sand repels it! (See video below) via Weird Science Kids

materials:

sand

silicon spray (Home Depot or Lowe's)

2 clear plastic (or glass containers)

how to:

1. Spread out the sand on a piece of cardboard (or newspaper). Spray the sand with a "couple coats" of silicone spray. Mix the sand around between each coat, "to ensure coating all side of the sand." Let the sand dry overnight.

2. Fill both clear plastic cups 1/2 full with water.

3. Add a "generous amount" of the magic sand to one of your cups.

4. "Notice the sand appears to be dry even though its under water. Prove its still dry by pouring the water from one container to the other."

explanation: "Magic sand works because the silicone coating makes it repel the water molecules. The scientific term for this is Hydrophobic meaning to "fear water." Regular sand referred to as being Hydrophilic or "water loving" because it will absorb water." -Weird Science Kids

Don't want to make it, you can buy magic sand at Steve Spangler Science

Is a Green Leaf Really GREEN?

2012-03-01T21:26:00.001-08:00

"Leaves have a green pigment called chlorophyll that they use to capture sunlight. But did you know that leaves also have pigments of other colors to capture colors of light that chlorophyll misses?" How many colors are in a green leaf? - TLC

materials:

1 coffee filter

scissors

3 green leaves

acetone (or finger nail polish remover)

jar with a lid (or foil)

pencil

tape

how to:

1. Cut your leaves into tiny pieces with your scissors. Place them in the jar. Add finger nail polish remover (just enough to cover the leaves).

2. Grind the leaves up with a spoon. Loosely cover the jar and let it sit for at least 24 hours. You want the acetone to pick up the green from the leaves. (The darker the solution the better).

3. Cut a long 1" strip of coffee filter paper. Tape it onto a pencil, so one end will be submerged.

4. Now, let the alcohol evaporate! "As the alcohol evaporates, it will pull the pigment up the paper." Let the paper sit in the jar and watch the colors move up the strip! What colors did you see?

Note: Test different kinds of leaves. Did they produce any other colors?

You can also try this experiment on fruits and veggies! - Herbarium

______ In the World

2012-03-01T11:18:00.002-08:00

Over the weekend, have one student take home the "class buddy." He takes several photographs of the class buddy, him, and his family doing something together. You could be at a playground, having dinner, at the zoo, or the grocery store. Next, the student writes about his adventures with buddy, explaining the photos. Then, he shares his photos and adventures with the class. All the students get a turn. The class buddy circulates throughout the school year. Name your buddy and take good care of him! Tell kids to play nice.

photos via
soap plant
apkhub
kukana-flickr
monika runs
mtv

Estimate!

2012-03-01T09:35:00.002-08:00

Have each child in the class take turns bringing home the "class jar." Encourage the kids to be super creative. They can bring in something they're collecting, whatever they'd like! Also, tell the kids to try not to repeat what other classmates have brought in, be original! Each student brings the jar back with something inside. Then, the whole class estimates how many objects are in the jar. Keep a box next to the jar. Have each child write their estimate on a piece of paper and stick it in the box. After each child writes their estimate, count the objects in the jar as a class. The student who brought in the jar gets to lead this part! Who came the closest? For a large class, you may want to have three jars, so everyone gets a turn. Three students take the jar home and bring it back the same day.

Honeycomb Candy

2012-02-29T18:15:00.002-08:00

Honeycomb candy is a fun and tasty science experiment you can do right in your kitchen! It has an interesting texture caused by carbon dioxide bubbles that get trapped inside of it. The carbon dioxide is produced when baking soda is added to hot syrup. The holes in the candy make it super light and give it a honeycomb appearance! via Chemistry.About

materials:

3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbspns water
2 Tbspns honey
1 1/2 tsps baking soda

Playing with Fire and Water how to:

1. Have all your ingredients ready and measured (final steps are executed rapidly!). Grease a baking sheet and have a whisk nearby.

2. Spread the sugar out in an even layer in the bottom of a large saucepan. Drizzle the water and honey over the sugar and place on a burner over high heat. Cook, without stirring, until it reaches 300F.

3. You will observe the sugar melting, then the syrup forming small, tight bubbles. The bubbles will become larger and looser and finally, the syrup will begin to take on an amber color.

4. When it reaches 300F., immediately remove it from the heat. Quickly add the baking soda and whisk just until the baking soda is mixed in. In one quick motion, dump the foaming syrup onto the prepared baking sheet.

5. Do not spread or disturb, as this will cause it to deflate. Let it stand until cool to the touch, about 10 minutes. Break or cut into pieces. Transfer immediately to an airtight container to preserve the crispness.

Lego Geometry

2012-02-29T11:44:00.002-08:00

Using grid paper, have kids find the area and perimeter of legos! They can create big areas by putting legos side by side, or find the area of single bricks. Tell kids not to stress if bricks don't fit perfectly on the grid paper. They can round up. Have them color the area of each of their legos on their grid paper. (Note: For younger kids, you can have them count the lego studs / dots on top to find area and perimeter).

Taste the Rainbow Math

2012-02-28T17:58:00.003-08:00

Estimate how many skittles you have. Sort them by color and create patterns. Graph them by color. Talk about the different kinds of graphs. Make a basic bar, then try making a pie graph. You can create a pie graph at Create A Graph. via Kids Activities and Canadian Home Learning

Check out the book Skittles Riddles. A fun book that includes: fractions (equivalent, reduced, and addition with fractions), negative numbers, number sentences, quantity comparisons, and the concept of infinity.

Lucky Pinwheel

2012-02-28T14:26:00.004-08:00

Visit The Mother Huddle for the full tutorial!

Magic Treasure Box

2012-02-28T13:41:00.003-08:00

"This St. Patrick's Day kid's craft combines creativity, story telling and a touch of magic." - Examiner

Legend of the Leprechauns:

"Full of magic and trickery, the leprechauns remain in their hidden world until the night before St. Patrick's Day. On that one night of the year they appear throughout the world to dance and sing and frolic.

Disguising themselves as leaves and grass, and sounding like the wind and the crickets, they come and go unnoticed.

However, it is said that if a decorated treasure box is left empty under the moon, the leprechauns must fill the box with gold or jewels or gifts. But then they will hide the filled box in the most unlikely of places.

If the box is found on St. Patrick's Day, the treasure remains in our world. If not, the leprechauns may retrieve what is rightfully theirs. And though the leprechauns are very clever, it is not impossible to find the treasure because, unknowingly, leprechauns often leave a trail of greenery behind them."

materials: cube tissue box, glitter, markers, and stickers

directions:

1. Wrap box with green construction paper and decorate! Make sure you leave a slit in the top.

2. Once kids are asleep, fill the treasure box with small treasures (costume jewelry, chocolate coins)

3. Hide the treasure box. The next morning have kids hunt for it! via Family Fun

Make a Rainbow

2012-02-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

"In this experiment, you'll refract light from a flashlight through water. The light, when refracted in the right way, will separate the light into its component colors - ROYGBIV."

materials: flashlight, coffee pot, and water

how to: Turn the lights out. Place coffee pot filled with water on the floor. Next, shine the flashlight through it, with the refracted light landing on a nearby wall. Play with the flashlight and the water, moving them around until you get a good rainbow. Angle them differently. Move them closer to or away from the wall.

(The rainbow in the picture- shine the flashlight from underneath the coffee pot, projecting the light pattern on the ceiling. Hold the flashlight close to the pot, touching the bottom of it.) photo via Andy Brain

For more rainbow science click here! You can make a rainbow with a garden hose, compact disc, or a drinking glass. The easiest way to make a rainbow is with a prism, if you have one.

Crystallized Rainbow

2012-02-28T04:10:00.004-08:00

You can crystallize any shape or color in borax solution! You just need pipe cleaners. Borax does the rest, creating polymer crystals! Click here to see original post.

1. Form pipe cleaners into a rainbow and twist them together at the ends.

2. Hook pipe cleaners onto a large bowl, to hold your rainbow upside down in the solution.

3. Solution: Add 2 full scoops of borax (a scooper comes in the box) to boiling water - dissolve. Let your rainbow sit in the solution for 24 hours. Then, remove your rainbow.

4. Finally, glue cotton balls onto the ends of your crystallized rainbow! Add string and hang if you'd like! via Sweet and Simple Things

Measure the Rainbow

2012-02-28T03:42:00.001-08:00

Cut colored construction paper into 1" strips. Next, have kids use a ruler and measure the length of each color for their stacked rainbow (listed below). Lineup the strips on top of one another (ROYGBIV). Align the ends on one side and staple. Then, align and staple the ends on the other side. via Free Kids Crafts from Mama-Jenn

Paper Towel Art

2012-02-27T23:05:00.000-08:00

Watch colors absorb and blend, as kids experiment with fibers and liquids, creating beautiful art! via Casa Maria

Alliterations and Tongue Twisters

2012-02-27T21:28:00.002-08:00

Have kids use alliteration to write crazy tongue twisters, using their names. An alliteration is "the repetition of sounds at the beginning of words." (Ex: Ally's alien ate an ant!) After they write their tongue twister, have them write their sentence on a "tongue." Curl the tongue to make it twist. Their alliteration is a tongue twister! Project via Fun in First Grade

Horton Hatches the Egg

2012-02-27T16:33:00.004-08:00

Papier mache a balloon with a surprise inside, to go along with Seuss' Horton Hatches the Egg. Kids will love getting a bit messy. Then, they get to crack the egg open to see what's inside! Could it be an "elephant-bird" like Horton's? via Sweet and Simple Things

McElligot's Pool

2012-02-27T13:05:00.002-08:00

McElligot's Pool by Dr. Seuss is a tale of a young boy named Marco who dreams up millions of fanciful fish in a small, shallow pool. Throughout the story, he gets ridiculed for fishing in the "empty" pool. However, Marco's grand imagination and creativity prove a farmer wrong. Encourage children to use their imagination and dream up wondrous fish of their own! Paper plate fish craft via Krokotak

If I Ran the Circus Mural

2012-02-27T00:54:00.002-08:00

"Dr. Seuss’ book, If I Ran the Circus, tells about the dreams of a young boy named Morris McGurk who would like to clean up a vacant lot behind the local store and build a circus there. Morris imagines all sorts of amazing acts that will be part of his circus, Circus McGurkus."

Have kids work together to create a circus mural. Collaborate on a name for your circus. "Decide what acts you’ll have, who will perform, and how your circus tents will be arranged." Encourage each child to come up with one imaginative character or creature and its act / talent. Get kids to think outside of the box! via CDM