The Wondershop

Give the Gift of Wonder: Instant Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:22:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: Instant Snow
Somewhere, in Death Valley, California, Little Johnny asks his mommie, "How does Santa get here, if it never snows?"

Her mind races as she tries to come up with an answer. Repulsorlift? Hovercraft? Transporter? Little Johnny, a clever little tyke, would see through such simplistic ruses. She stammers as Little Johnny's quizzical expression turns to distrust and frustration.

In a flash, she remembers! "Aha! He makes his own snow! He carries a small container of this special powder that he mixes with water to create fresh snow!"

You, too, can create snow any time of year with Instant Snow! This hi-tech powdered polymer absorbs water and expands nearly 100 times into a flaky white non-toxic substance closely resembling real snow. It's science! Hooray, science!

Pour a few ounces into your favorite container, add water, and watch as snow erupts, spilling over the container lid. Leave your snow alone for a few days and let it dry out, turning back into a compact powder. It can be reused again and again so it's also eco-friendly!

Each 8oz jar makes 2 full gallons of the fluffy stuff, while the ultra-portable test-tube size cranks out two cups!

Where can I buy some:

Give the Gift of Wonder: Tub Tunes Water Flutes

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:21:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: Tub Tunes Water Flutes
I don't know what it is. It doesn't matter if you're the next Beyonce or you're completely tone deaf...everybody sounds great...in the shower. There's just something about the acoustics in the bathroom that makes all of us the next American Idol. Well, your little ones are also interested in making a little music at bath time. So, let's give them some help in developing their pentatonic prowess. For about $12 you can give them a set of Water Flutes and they can rock out with the best of them (from classical to jazz to blues to hydro-funk)! Because not even Handel can hold a candle to your kid when they are armed with the Water Flutes.

Each flute is actually composed of five separate flutes - each individually tunable. All you have to do is fill them with water; and you don't need perfect pitch to tune 'em because they have nice graduated lines on the side. They also come with five easy to follow songs on laminated cards (so you can literally stick them to the wall while you play). And yes, I did say "while you play," because these Water Flutes are just too much fun to let just your kids jam on.

Recommended for children age 3 years and up

Where can I buy them:

Give the Gift of Wonder: The Inkless Metal Pen

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:40:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: The Inkless Metal Pen
This is something of an oddity, an ink-less pen. The pen is made out of stainless steel and works by it’s special metal nib leaving a metal residue on the paper, so it the ink will never run out but I’m guessing the nib will wear down over time.

How does it work?

In the Medieval period, artists and scribes often used a metal stylus in order to draw on a specially prepared paper surface. Generally known as Metalpoint, or Silverpoint when the stylus was made of silver, artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer and Rembrandt all used this technique. This site gives a lot of information about how it works.

These pens are a modern version that don't use silver. The solid metal 'nib' consists of a metal alloy, that leaves a mark on most types of paper. If you use the sort of paper typically used in printers and photocopiers, the pen leaves a mark that looks as if it was made by a pencil. However the line will not smudge, and cannot easily be rubbed out.

Since there is no ink, there is nothing to dry out, so the pen will work just as well in 25 years time as it does today.

Where can I buy one:

Grand Illusions

Give the Girt of Wonder: The Muppets' Beaker

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:25:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: The Muppets' Beaker
Meep meep meep-meep-meep me me me meep meep and meep-moop. Don't understand. Neither do I. Probably because neither one of us speaks Beaker-ese. However, we all know that this series of meeps and moops is usually followed by high pitched screams of terror as Beaker is subjected to another experiment gone horribly wrong.

Beaker is the lovable character from the Muppet Show who serves as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew's lab assistant/guinea pig. If something is going wrong down at Muppet Labs, you can bet Beaker's in the middle of it. He's a must for any science teacher, Muppet fan... or accident prone scientist.

If you are afraid that Beaker might get lonely, you can also pick up his boss, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. Of course, poor Beaker might be happy to spend a little time away from the lab.

Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Where can I buy one:

Amazon (18" Beaker)
Steve Spangler Science (9" Beaker)

National Handwashing Awareness Week - December 6 - 12

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:48:00 +0000

This week is National Handwashing Awareness Week. This special week (always the first full week in December) focuses on the value of the simple but important act of washing your hands. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "the most important thing you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands." Here are some interesting statistics for you about handwashing:

2/3 of adults in the US wash hands after using the bathroom.
1 in 4 adults don’t wash hands after changing diapers.
Less than 1/2 of Americans wash hands after cleaning up after pets.
1 in 3 wash hands after sneezing/coughing.
Less than 1 in 5 wash hands after touching money.
1 in 3 E.coli occurrences is caused from not washing hands before handling food.

This week, take some time to talk with your children about the importance of hand washing. You can even introduce them to Henry the Hand, Champion Handwasher...the spokesperson for National Handwashing Awareness Week. Henry has a site with lots of information about keeping your hands germ free. Check out Henry's site here.

Here are a couple of simple activities that will help to explain the importance of washing your hands.

Here’s What You Need

Note: You can buy Glo Germ at www.glogerm.com.

Here’s What You Do
Place a few drops of the Glo Germ on your palm rub your hands together. Make sure you rub the liquid all over your hands (e.g. the back of your hands, around fingernails, etc.). Turn off all of the lights and shine the Ultra Violet lamp on your hands. They should be glowing in the UV light. The Glo Germ simulates germs on your hands. Now, it is time to get rid of all of those germs with a good old fashion hand washing!

If you want to clean your hands, soap and water is the best thing to use. Follow these steps:

Get a paper towel and set it next to the faucet. You will need it in a little while.
Turn on the water. Check to make sure it isn’t too hot.
Wet your hands, grab the soap, and start scrubbing and making suds.
Scrub for the length of time that it takes to sing your ABC's
Rinse hands.
Grab the paper towel and use it to turn off the faucet (do not touch faucet with clean hands).

After you have washed your hands, use the UV lamp to check them. You shouldn’t see any glowing areas on your hands. Usually, people forget to wash the back of their hands, under their finger nails, and between their fingers. If you missed any of these areas, don’t feel bad. Head back to the sink and wash your hands again. Just make sure you pay special attention to those areas this time!

Here’s What You Do (if you don’t have Glo Germ)
Use a spray bottle filled with clean water. Spray water on your hands. This water represents the germs that come out of your mouths when you cough or sneeze. Now, touch an object (e.g. your shirt, a table, the doorknob) or person. What happened to the object or person you touched? Is the object or person damp? What happened? What would happen if a friend or family member touched the object or person in the same place that you touched? Germs are spread in the same way that the water was spread from you to the object or person. The best way to stop germs from spreading is to keep your hands clean with warm water and soap!

Things to Remember:

Germs are everywhere.
Germs are so small that you can’t see them.
Germs can make you sick.
You can get rid of germs by washing your hands.
When to Wash Your Hands: after using the toilet, before eating or touching food, after playing with animals.

The Science of Soap
Soap is a surfactant. Basically, it makes the water wetter. Really, this means that the soap breaks the surface tension of the water and allows the water to carry dirt away with it. As the water carries away the dirt, it also kills and carries away the germs that can make you sick.

Wondershop Fast Fact: Germs, Germs, Germs

Until the 1860’s, people didn’t know about germs. They also didn’t know that cleaning cuts and keeping them covered was a good way to prevent infections. Doctors didn’t even wash their hands before operating. Ignaz Semmelweis figured out that washing hands prevented sickness in the 1840’s, but didn’t have a way to explain why. Joseph Lister is recognized by many to be the first surgeon to clean instruments and his hands with antiseptic chemicals that kill germs. However, there is evidence that other cultures may have understood the value of antiseptics prior to Lister's discovery. In 1879, for example, one British traveler, R.W. Felkin, witnessed cesarean section performed by Ugandans. The healer used banana wine to semi-intoxicate the woman and to cleanse his hands and her abdomen prior to surgery.
Medical workers today wear gloves to protect themselves from germs. Medical workers also wear masks over their nose and mouth so they don’t breathe germs on their patients.

Give the Gift of Wonder: The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:32:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination
I am a big fan of creative writing. However, there is a widely held belief that things like poetry and children's literature have no place in science. I couldn't disagree more. Here is a great example of how science and creative writing can open doors of wonder. The Tree That Time Built is a moving anthology of more than 100 poems celebrating the wonders of the natural world and encouraging environmental awareness. The title refers to Charles Darwin's famous Tree of Life, his first sketch of an evolutionary tree describing the relationships among groups of organisms. With a focus on the outdoors, this collection taps into today's environmental movement and also presents wonders of nature and science, most especially Darwin's theory of evolution. Included is an exclusive audio CD of many of the poets reading their own work.

Including dynamic introductions to nine sections of poems, plus brief introductions to many individual poems, this collection reaches out to young people and stimulates their innate curiosity and idealism. This rich collection showcases a wide range of poets, including:

Where can I buy one:

Give the Gift of Wonder: Sundrop Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:56:00 +0000

Talk about soaking up some rays this summer. Sundrop Jewelry uses a giant 31-by-41-inch Fresnel lens—originally designed for lighthouses—to focus the the power of that bright orange orb in the sky (also known as the sun) to melt glass into delicate teardrops.

This unique glassworking technique was invented by artist Bretwood Higman when he was a teenager in Alaska, experimenting with a giant magnifying lens on the beach. Now Sundrop Jewelry is created by several artists capturing the sunlight that falls in their backyards.

The brilliantly hued 1-to-1.25-inch drops, which come in colors like strike red, black, honey, and teal flare, form the focal point of luminescent pendants, earrings, belly rings, and wine charms, subtly catching the light that created them. Prices range from $18 to $48

Where can I buy one:

Give the Gift of Wonder: The Airzooka

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:38:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: The Airzooka
Summer time is over. You've packed away your super soakers and with them...loads of fun, fun, fun. Well, I may have an answer to your winter time blues. Instead of soaking your victims with water, blast them with air!
The Airzooka is a "fun gun" that blasts a harmless ball of air up to 6 meters (20 ft), while unsuspecting victims wonder why their hair is messed up or the papers on their desk scatter! Requiring no batteries or electricity, the Airzooka operates simply by pulling and releasing a built-in elastic air launcher. And here's the best part: because it shoots air, you'll never run out of ammo (unless you happen to be on the moon!). Learn all about the science of force and motion while you play tricks on your family and friends. Airzooka even comes with a pop-up sight so you can practice your aim. You can grap one for about $17. Your friends and family will never know what gust of wind hit them!

The Airzooka is recommended for children ages 6 and up.

Where can I buy one:

Give the Gift of Wonder: 101 Incredible Experiments for the Weekend Scientist

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:39:00 +0000

My wife and kids bought me this book for Fathers Day, and I haven't put it down. It's 128 pages of science related projects that can done right in your basement or garage. The book explores:

Glow-in-the-dark gherkins
Extracting DNA from food
Creating a static electricity flea circus
Square bubbles

A treasure trove of bright ideas guaranteed to give you hours of fun, this wonderful book will bring out the secret sorcerer and scientist in all of us. Perfect of the tinkerer in your life.

Where can I buy one:

Give the Gift of Wonder: Buckyballs

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:03:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: Buckyballs
Imagine a Rubik's Cube that actually makes you smarter; an Erector Set that never stops erecting; a Hula Hoop you don't look ridiculous playing with; Silly Putty that isn't silly; cram it all in a jar, turn the fun up to 11, and you've got BuckyBalls!

Each set contains 216 powerful rare earth magnets that can be shaped, molded, torn apart and snapped together in UNLIMITED WAYS. Make sculptures, puzzles, patterns, shapes, stick stuff to the fridge, invent a new game-trying to find something more useful is useless.

Note: BuckyBalls are not a toy. They are not suitable for small children and should not be used around electronics.

Where can I buy them:

Give the Gift of Wonder: Young Mad Scientist's Frist Alphabet Blocks

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:17:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks
Doctor, lawyer, President of the United States...these are all good dreams to shoot for. But what does the kid who hopes to one day build his own death ray or create monstrous chicken-hyena hybrids in the laboratory. How do we help these children realize their hopes and dreams? Don't they deserve to be happy too? Well, I think I've got just what you've been looking for.

Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks are designed to teach little Frankensteins everything they need to know to be a successful Mad Scientist. The set is made up of five handmade blocks that contains six sides of creative artistry. The detailed illustrations of the laser engraved images are flawlessly rendered to represent the key mad scientist memes that would correspond to each letter in the alphabet. The blocks are made out of American maple wood and are chemical free. They also smell amazing. Kind of like a clove/vanilla scented wood burning fireplace. But not just any fireplace, but the kind of fireplace inside a Freeze Ray protected Underground Lair on a rogue island populated by Henchmen and Zombies, where plans for World Domination are being carefully plotted using copious amounts of Caffeine and Maniacal Robots…

A complete list of the images represented by the letters is as follows:

A - Appendages
B - Bioengineering
C - Caffeine
D - Dirigible
E - Experiment
F - Freeze ray
G - Goggles
H - Henchmen
I - Invention
J - Jargon
K - Potassium
L - Laser
M - Maniacal
N - Nanotechnology
O - Organs
P - Peasants (with Pitchforks)
Q - Quantum physics
R - Robot
S - Self-experimentation
T - Tentacles
U - Underground Lair
V - Virus
W - Wrench
X - X-Ray
Y - You, the Mad Scientist of Tomorrow
Z - Zombies

Where can I buy them:

Give the Gift of Wonder: BristleBot Toothbrush Robot

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:31:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: The BristleBot Toothbrush Robot

R2D2, Bender, or Johnny 5...the truth is...we love robots! Of course, most of us can't afford to own our very own fully autonomous, artificially intelligent buddy. That's all about to change. For about $15, you can give somebody the gift that keeps on giving...a BristleBot!

BristleBots are part robot and part toothbrush (basically motorized toothbrush heads). There are instructions online for building your own. You can also purchase the ready-to-go kit, Invasion of the BristleBots. The kit comes with two BristleBots. Powered by a 1.5 V battery, these little guys zip around like caffeinated cockroaches, spinning, skittering, and bouncing off walls. The kit comes with a book that bristles with ideas for robot games and activities: race robots against each other, use the included punch-out walls to construct a bristlebot maze, stage a robot sumo-wrestling match. You can even customize your Bots with the provided wire legs, feelers, and beady eyes.And just when you thought the robot invasion was under control, stick the tiny motors (technical name: Klutz Robotivators) on any lightweight contraptions of your own design to make pipe cleaner Bots, plastic fork Bots, paper clip Bots basically, whatever-you've-got Bots.

Where can I buy one:

Give the Gift of Wonder: Galileo Thermometer with Glass Ball Barometer

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:07:00 +0000

This beautiful piece of technology is based on a thermoscope invented by Galileo Galilei in the early 1600s. It uses a blend of old and new technology to interpret the weather. The Galileo thermometer is filled with a clear liquid that suspends multiple colored weights. As the liquid within the weights changes temperature their density changes allowing the weights to rise or fall. The lowest weight at the very top of the Galileo reflects the temperature.

But the fun doesn't end there. Included with the thermometer ia a water barometer. The glass water barometer indicates changes in the atmospheric pressure. A low fluid level in the glass spout generally means fair weather while a higher fluid level in the glass spout means foul weather approaches. Who needs a meteorologist?

Still looking for a nice gift for the person who has everything. This may be exactly what you're looking for. Consider the price (about $30) and its functional beauty and you've got a gift you can't pass up.

Recommended for ages 10 and up. Where can I buy one:

Give the Gift of Wonder: The Dangerous Book For Boys Classic Chemistry Set

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:54:00 +0000

Today's Gift Idea: The Dangerous Book For Boys Classic Chemistry Set
OK...I am not big on the gender specific title, but this is a great little kit...perfect for a boys and girls. You are probably familiar with the books; The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Daring Book for Girls (both make great gifts). Well, the chemistry kit uses the same engaging, humorous approach to present the wonders of chemistry to children.

The kit comes loaded with enough materials to keep the science lover in your life busy for quite a while. Sturdy plastic test tubes, pipettes, beakers, and other supplies are included, as well as potassium, sodium, and ammonium iron. The kit also uses materials that are more readily available. For example, you're likely to have some red cabbage (used to make an acid/base indicator) lying around the house.

In addition to the materials, the kit also comes with a colorful 32-page instruction book. The instruction book not only provides detailed directions for the experiments, it's also filled with great background information about the field of chemistry. Of course, it you're anything like me, you tend to bypass the directions and head straight for the pouring and the mixing (not advisable in chemistry class...trust me).

The kit is designed for ages 8 and up. For about $30, you can introduce someone to the world of chemistry and fill your home with love that comes with a stink bomb at breakfast.

Where you can buy it:

Give the Gift of Wonder: The Carson MicroBrite MM-24 Microscope

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:15:00 +0000

If you're like me, you don't start shopping for gifts until the very last minute. Every year, as you battle the crowds in your frustrated search for the perfect gift, you promise yourself that next year will be different. Next year, you won't wait. Next year, you'll get your shopping done early...months in advance...probably...maybe...hopefully.

If you're like me, you find yourself (once again) moving into the month of December with no gifts, no ideas, and no plans. Well, don't you fret. This year, the Wondershop is swooping in to rescue you. For the next few week, we will spotlight some great science related gifts. This year...give the gift of wonder!

Today's gift idea: The Carson MicroBrite MM-24 Microscope

Curiosity and microscopes go together like peanut butter and jelly...like green eggs and ham...like couch potato and remote control. You get my point. Microscope are a great addition to any science toolbox. Carson's MicroBrite MM-24 is real gem. It's small of enough to carry with you and tough enough to survive the trip. For a little scope it offers nice magnification (20x - 40x zoom magnification). That's enough to get a close up view of a beetle's mandibles or the tiny details on the back of a dollar bill. The scope also comes equip with a built in LED light for illuminating those tiny objects. You can even use it to view specimen slides. Factor in the price (less than $20) and you've got a gift idea you just can't pass up.

Interested? Here's where you can pick one up:

Science for the Thanksgiving Celebration: The Classic Spoon Nose

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:02:00 +0000

It's that time of year again. That's right...it's Thanksgiving! A time for family, friends, and food! This Thanksgiving, after you've finished the turkey and stuffing, I hope that you save some room for a little science. This Thanksgiving, impress your friends and family with this classic demonstration. You don't even have to wait until dinner is over. Oh no! I encourage you to whip this one out right after the cranberry sauce. That's right, friends. You know it. You love it. Today, we will all learn the science behind hanging a spoon from you nose.

Here's What You Need:

A spoon (metal or plastic)
A nose

Here's What You Do:
Hold the spoon in your hand, with the bowl up and the handle down. Place the bowl of the spoon on the end of your nose. The handle should rest against your chin or lips. Gently begin to rub the spoon downward against your nose. Exert a slight pressure as you rub. Eventually, you will feel the spoon begin to stick to your nose. Slowly...gently...let go of the spoon. The spoon should hang freely from your nose. Note: You won't be able to take a bow, so just soak in the applause and gasps of amazement from your audience.

For this method, you don't need to put anything on the spoon. When you are doing it correctly, you won't even need to hold your head back. Some Spoon-noses (as they are known in the professional community) like to prep the spoon by breathing on the bowl of the spoon or licking it. This creates a little moisture on the spoon and helps it stick to your nose. It may take a little practice, but if you are patient, you will get the hang of it (ba-dump-bump)!

The Science Behind the Hanging Spoon:
There are a number of reasons that this works. Adhesion is the number one factor. When two different substances stick to each other, we call it adhesion, as in adhesive tape. Because of adhesion, the metal of the spoon sticks to your skin.

Adhesion, however, isn't the only thing involved. The shape of the spoon also helps. Your nose fits very neatly into the curve of the bowl. The Earth's gravity pulls the bowl downward. This presses the spoon against your nose and helps with adhesion. The heavier the spoon, the more it presses against your nose.

So there you have it. A little adhesion, a little gravity, and the shape of the spoon working together to bring a little science to the Thanksgiving feast! Pass the Meleagris gallopavo, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Don't Miss The Punkin Chunkin (November 26th at 8 PM EST on the Science Channel)

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:48:00 +0000

Image from science.discovery.com

From science.discovery.com

Pumpkins. Good for carving, making pies, baking seeds and a flurry of other fall favorites. But a catapulting pumpkin competition? Now that's an unusual job for this orange gourd-like squash! For 23 years the Delaware-based World Championship Punkin Chunkin has hit the skies. This year, Science Channel is honoring the backyard engineers who turn pumpkins into projectiles with an inside look at the high flying, far-flung action of the 2009 championship. Read more...

After you've finished off the last of the turkey, grab a seat in front of the television and check out the Science Channel's Road to Punkin Chunkin at 8:00 PM EST. Stick around for Punkin Chunkin 2009 at 9:00 PM. Both will air on Thanksgiving night. Of course, if you want to stick to the idea that Thanksgiving is a family holiday and you would rather spend quality time with friends and loved ones, you can always set your DVR, Tivo, or VCR (remember those?) to record the shows!

Molding Wonder: Science of Modeling Dough

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:03:00 +0000

In this little activity, you will explore how two different types of matter, solid and liquid, can be mixed together to create your very own modeling dough! You can then use the power of your imagination to create a unique sculpture. Science and art…who could ask for anything more?

Here’s What You Need

2 tbsp of warm water
4 tbsp of flour
Food coloring
1 tbsp of cornstarch
1 tbsp of salt
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 cups
Spoon

Here’s What You Do

Cup 1: Place 2 tbsp warm water in one of the cups. Add a few drops of food coloring. Add one tbsp of salt to the water and stir it until it dissolves.

Cup 2: Mix 4 tbsp of flour, 1 tbsp of cornstarch, and one tbsp of vegetable oil in the empty cup.

Add the contents of Cup 1 (salty water) to Cup 2. Use your fingers to knead the mixture. After a little while, you should have a nice clump of modeling dough. If your dough is dry and clumpy, add some more water. If it is wet and runny, add some more flour. Once you've got it just right, use your imagination to mold your dough into an interesting sculpture.

Note: Store your modeling dough in a plastic bag or leave it out to let your sculpture dry and harden.

Here are some questions to think about as you play with your modeling dough.

What does it feel like?
Is the dough like any of the starting ingredients? Why or why not? How is this substance different?
What would happen if we left out the water? Oil? Flour?
What do you think would happen if we added an extra cup of flour? How do you think we could find out?
Do you think that each of the parts or ingredients that we added was important?
Do you see, smell, or feel any evidence of the original parts?
Do you think that we could divide the play dough back to the original ingredients? Why or why not?

The Science Behind The Modeling Dough
In this activity, you took several different ingredients and mixed them together to create something new. Some of the ingredients were solids; flour, salt, and cornmeal. Others were liquids; vegetable oil, water, and food coloring. Each of these individual ingredients played a very important part in creating the modeling dough. When you get right down to it, the water and flour play the starring roles. Flour contains protein s called glutens. When flour gets wet, these proteins become very sticky, and turn your flour into mold-able, flexible, elastic dough.

Scientists use their understanding of the ways that different materials interact with each other to create new and exciting things all the time! For example, if you look at the labels on some of the food around your home, you might find that it is actually made of many different ingredients…mixed together!

Wondershop Fast Fact
One of the most famous types of modeling dough is Play-Doh. Here are some interesting facts about this amazing toy!

Play-Doh was created in 1956 by Noah W. McVicker and Joseph S. McVicker in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The original Play-Doh was available in one color and size, an off-white, 1 ½ pound can. In 1957, three new colors were added to the line; red, yellow, and blue. Today, it is available in 21 colors.
Originally Play-Doh was developed as a wallpaper cleaning compound.
The Play-Doh boy, featured on every can of Play-Doh®, was created in 1960. His name… Play-Doh Pete.

Stargazing onthe White House Lawn

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:14:00 +0000

From The White House Blog

The White House South Lawn was lined with telescopes and science exhibits featuring moon rocks, mars rocks, meteorites and more for Astronomy Night earlier this month. The President and First Lady invited local middle school students to star-gaze and welcomed space heroes Buzz Aldrin and Sally Ride, as well as two remarkable science students, Caroline Moore and Lucas Bolyard to come share some of their wisdom. Caroline was just 14 years old when she became the youngest person ever to discover a supernova and Lucas, a high school sophomore, discovered an extremely rare kind of star called a pulsar.

Read more here. You can also watch the live chat with Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, here and the President's full remarks here.

Bubble Science: Make Your Own Bubble Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:37:00 +0000

Who doesn’t like a good bubble? Who knew that a bit of air trapped in film of soapy water could be so much fun? Most people have fond memories of summers filled with bubbles. However, most people don’t know that science behind the spherical shape and swirling colors that make up bubbles. Keep reading and discover how to make your own super bubble solution.

Here’s What You Need

2 tablespoons of dish soap
1 tablespoon of Glycerin
Bubble wand
1 cup of distilled water
Cup or bowl

About the Ingredients...

Water – All good bubble solutions contains water. However, it is important that you use good quality water (e.g. distilled water).

Dish Soap – You don’t need great soap to make your bubbles. In fact, you want to avoid anti-bacterial soap or soap with a lot of additives. Old fashioned Dawn works very well.

Glycerin – You can buy glycerin at your local drug store. You may have to ask the pharmacist for it. It may be a bit expensive, but glycerin is very important to the bubble solution. It gives your bubbles extra strength! NOTE: If you cannot find glycerin, you can substitute Karo syrup.

Here’s What You Do
Mix the dish soap, glycerin and water in the cup or bowl. Dip your bubble wand in the solution and blow a bubble!

Here are some things to try with your bubble solution:

Can you catch a bubble?
Can you blow a really big bubble?
Can you touch a bubble with your finger?
Can you bounce a bubble off your hand or your clothes?

The Science Behind The Bubbles
You probably didn’t realize it, but water is pretty sticky. It sticks to other things (e.g. the window, the side of a cup, and you) and it sticks to itself. When molecules of water stick to other things, it is called adhesion. When molecules of water stick to each other, it is called cohesion. If you look at a drop of water very closely, you might notice that it is round. The cohesion of the water molecules creates surface tension and gives the drop its round shape.

The surface tension of water is very strong. Some bugs can actually walk on water because water’s surface tension is so strong. Unfortunately, it is too strong for bubbles. That’s why you add detergent to the bubble solution. It actually reduces the surface tension of water. It also slows down the evaporation process, so your bubbles last longer.

When you dip your bubble wand in the bubble solution, the soapy water sticks to the wand. The water molecules also stick together forming the thin, colorful film of bubble solution. When you blow into the film, a bubble forms. The bubble encloses the most amount of air with the least amount of bubble solution. As a result, bubbles are always round!

Exploring Color: Sharpie Shirts

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:52:00 +0000

Everybody loves color! It makes our world incredibly beautiful. Color is what makes rainbows, flowers, and paintings so interesting. Did you know that there is a lot of science in the colors you see around you? In this activity, you will explore the science behind color and create some beautiful artwork along the way.

Here’s What You Need

White T-shirt
Sharpie® Permanent Markers (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple)
Rubber Band
Large Plastic Cup
Dropper Bottle or Medicine Dropper
70% Rubbing Alcohol

Here’s What You Do
Locate the area on your shirt that you want to decorate and place the opening of the cup directly under that section. Secure the t-shirt to the cup by stretching the rubber band over the t-shirt and around the opening of the cup.

Using the Sharpie, create a circular pattern of about six dots (about the size of a quarter) in the center of the stretched out fabric. Using another marker, draw dots in the spaces between the first dots. If you like, you can add a third marker to draw some additional dots. In the picture below, my son, David, has decided to get a bit creative with his design. He has include some lines and squiggles as well.

Slowly squeeze about 20 drops of rubbing alcohol into the center of the circle of dots. Watch as the rubbing alcohol is absorbed into the fabric. What happens? The ink spreads in a circular pattern expanding outward from the center.

Of course, you can draw things other than dots on your t-shirt. Try drawing a small square with each side being a different color, or use primary colors (red, blue, yellow) to draw a geometric shape, and accent it with dots of secondary colors (orange, green, purple). You may want to experiment with shapes like half circles and polygons. You are limited only by your imagination. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind: Keep your patterns small and centered in the design area. Use small drops of rubbing alcohol. Drip the alcohol slowly in the center of the design. This gives the color an opportunity to spread outward from the center.

Allow the developed design to dry for 3 to 5 minutes before moving on to a new area of the shirt. After you finish decorating your shirt, heat set the colors by placing the shirt in the dryer for approximately 15 minutes. You may also want to rinse the shirt in a solution of vinegar and water as a means of setting the colors.

SAFETY NOTE: Rubbing alcohol is very flammable and must be kept away from any open flames or heat. This experiment must be conducted in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors or in a room with open windows.

The Science Behind The Colors
In addition to color mixing, this activity also involves the science behind solubility and molecules. Generally, we think of the ink in Sharpie markers as permanent. This means that Sharpie ink will not wash off with water. This is because the molecules in Sharpie ink are insoluble in water. In other words, the molecules don’t mix well with water. However, Sharpie ink is soluble in rubbing alcohol. This means that Sharpie ink will mix with alcohol. In this activity, we use this important piece of information to create very unique designs on a t-shirt. As the alcohol, also known as the solvent, soaks into the t-shirt it carries the molecules of colored ink with it. Since the alcohol spreads outward from the point where it is dropped, it creates a beautiful circular pattern on the shirt.

Wondershop Fast Fact
The Sharpie marker was introduced in 1964. Since then, it has been expanded into a wide product line and multiple colors. As of 2002, 200 million Sharpies had been sold worldwide.

Note: I was first introduced to this activity by Steve Spangler. Steve gives credit to Bob Becker, a chemistry teacher in Kirkwood, Missouri.

For Valentine's Day...How About Some Fizzy Bath Salts Science

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:16:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so I thought I would introduce a great science activity that also makes a great gift. With just a few ingredients and a little science, you and your children can create some great smelling, fizzy bath salts. Forget Bath & Body Works. You don't need Bed, Bath & Beyond. You've got science!

Here's What You Need...

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup corn starch
3/4 cup citric acid (found at many health food shops)
1 cup Epsom Salt
1 cup fine Sea Salt
Lavender essential oil (you can use another scent if you like)
Food coloring
Large mixing bowl

Here’s What You Do
Combine the epsom salt, sea salt, and citric acid in a large mixing bowl. Add a few drops of essential oil and food coloring. If you want a stronger smell or a darker color, you may want to add more. Once the ingredients are mixed and dry, add corn starch and baking soda. It is very important that wait until the first mixture is dry before adding the corn starch and baking soda. Store your mixture in an air tight container. When you are ready for a bath, sprinkle some of the mixture in a tub full of warm water and let the your worries fizz, fizz, fizzzzzzzzzz away!

The Science Behind the Fizz
Why do the bath salts fizz? Well, it has everything to do with two of the ingredients used in the bath salt mixture: citric acid and baking soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate). Whenever you mix citric acid and baking soda together in water something very special happens. The two things mix together and create new things. Chemists call it a chemical change. In this case, citric acid and baking soda are changed into sodium citrate and carbon dioxide gas. As the carbon dioxide gas is formed, it creates lots and lots of little bubbles...or fizz. This same principle is used to make the well known fizz created by Alka Seltzer when you add it water. You may remember that we use the Alka Seltzer fizz to power miniture rockets (check out the Alka Seltzer rockets activity here).

You might be wondering why we added all the other ingredients (like the corn starch, epsom salt, and sea salt) to the mix. All of these other ingredients help to make you skin feel nice after the bath!

Wondershop Fast Fact: The History of Citric Acid
Citric acid was first isolated from lemon juice by a Swedish chemist, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, in 1784. You find it in all kinds of things. Next time you drink a fruity drink, check the list of ingredients. You will probably find citric acid there. It is also used in candy to make it taste fruity.

Is There Any Science To Groundhog Day

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:50:00 +0000

That’s right! It’s February 2nd…Groundhog Day! If you are not familiar with this particular observance, this is how the whole thing works. Early in the morning on Februay 2nd, people gather around the burrow of a Marmota monax; a large rodent also known as the whistle pig, eastern marmot, southern marmot, monk, woodchuck, or groundhog. It is believed that if the groundhog sees his shadow when he climbs out of the burrow, there will be six more weeks of cold, wintery weather. On the other hand, if he doesn’t wee his shadow, the warmth of spring will arrive soon. Here’s an additional little nugget to impress your friends with today: Groundhog Day is a cross-quarter day. That means it fall halfway between the Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox.

There are a number of cities that host their own Groundhog Day celebrations…complete with their own groundhogs. Here are some of the results from this year:

Jimmy the Groundhog (Sun Prairie, Wisconsin): Six more weeks of winter
Punxsutawney Phil (Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania): Six more weeks of winter
Wiarton Willie (Wiarton, Ontario): Six more weeks of winter
General Beauregard Lee (Lilburn, Georgia): Early Spring
Queen Charlotte (Charlotte, North Carolina): Early Spring
Pee Wee (Mile Square Farm, Vermont): Six more weeks of winter
Dunkirk Dave (Dunkirk, New York): Early Spring

I know what you are asking. Is there any science behind this whole Groundhog Day thing? I did a bit of research and this is what I found out.

Historically, people have observed animal behavior for clues to changes in the weather. For example, geese flying south is a sign of the coming of fall. The reappearance of hibernating or inactive animals is a sign of winter’s end. When German settlers came to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, they selected the groundhog as their seasonal forecaster.

There may also be a meteorological explanation for groundhog day. It is thought that the observance may have roots in a weather phenomenon described in the Scottish poem below:

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
There’ll be two winters in the year.

The idea behind this poem can be found in cultures around the world. In the poem, Candlemas Day refers to February 2nd…Groundhog Day. Farmers in ancient Europe noticed that bright, clear winter days are often very cold. We now know that this is caused by high pressure systems. Areas of high pressure pull cold air down from the north. They also sweep away any clouds that might have provided insulation. Consequently, a bright winter day (one on which a groundhog may see a shadow) may be an indication of more cold days to come.

Of course, none of this is sound evidence that groundhog can actually predict the coming of spring. Instead, groundhogs day can be seen as a celebration of the role of scientific observation and prediction in our world. Every day, we make observations about the world around us, attempt to make meaning of those observations, and create predictions about the way things will happen in the future. Groundhog Day is wonderful example of this. Over the course of time, we have combined our observations of animal behavior and weather to create a system for predicting spring. Does it work? Well, that is a question I will leave to you and your children to explore.

Other great sites to check out on Groundhog Day:

I Can't Believe It's Butter: The Science of Homemade Butter

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:02:00 +0000

Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a carton of butter? You might be amazed to find that salted butter is made from only cream and salt. That’s right! Nothing else! In fact, you can make your own butter if you have the right ingredients and a bit science.

Here is what you need…

½ cup heavy whipping cream
Marble or large bead
A small plastic container with a lid
Bread
Plastic spoon or knife
Plastic cup or bowl
Salt, honey, garlic salt (optional)

Here is what you do…
Put the heavy whipping cream and the marble into the plastic container and put on the lid. Make sure the lid is on very tight because there is going to be a whole lot of shaking going on.

Begin to shake the container…vigorously. If you want a little music for shaking your butter, you might try Jump In the Line (Shake, Senora) by Harry Belafonte or maybe a little Twist And Shout by The Beatles. I don't know what it is about music, but it just seems to make everything more fun.

As you shake, you should be able to hear the marble rattling around inside. Open the container from time to time and observe what is happening to the cream. It should be getting thicker. After you shake for a while, you might notice that you have something very close to whipped cream in the container. Keep shaking. Really, really shake it! After about 10 or 15 minutes of shaking, you should stop hearing the marble. Open the container. Your cream should be separated into two parts: a thin liquid (buttermilk) and a yellow solid (butter)! Pour the buttermilk into the cup or bowl. You won’t need it. You may want to save it to bake with.

At this point, you have sweet cream butter (great on a biscuit). If you want salted butter, you can add a bit of salt. You can also add honey (honey butter), garlic salt (garlic butter), cinnamon sugar (cinnamon sugar butter), or whatever other tasty ingredient you have around the kitchen. Be creative! Now all that’s left is to grab your knife or spoon, spread your creation on some bread, and taste it. Who knew science was so delicious?!

The Science Behind The Butter...
First, we need to know a bit about milk. Most people know that nearly all of the milk that we drink comes from cows. However, most people don’t know that milk is actually made up water and tiny globs of fat surrounded by a membrane. It’s kind of like tiny balloons filled with fat floating around in water. If you let fresh milk (i.e. milk right from the cow) sit around for a while, the globs of fat float to the top and form cream. The milk we get from the grocery store doesn’t do this because it has been homogenized. That means the globs of fat have been made small enough so that they are mixed evenly in the milk and will not rise to the top. Scientists call this stable suspension of solids in a liquid a colloid.

When you made your butter, you use a marble to break the membrane surrounding the globs of fat. You basically busted the fat balloon. Soon, the cream becomes filled with tiny globs of fat. These tiny globs begin to bump into each other, stick together, and form larger and larger globs of fat. After a while, you get one nice, large glob of fat. Butter!

You might notice that your butter is not as yellow as the butter that you get in the grocery store. Why is that? There are two reasons. First, some butter manufacturers add yellow coloring to their butter. The bigger reason, however, is related to the diet of the cow. Cows that eat a lot of grass produce milk that is high in a chemical called carotene. Carotene is responsible for the orange-yellow color of carrots, sweet potatoes, mangos, apricots, pumpkins, and…you guessed it…BUTTER!

Fun With Discrepant Events: Pressure & States of Matter

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Williams) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:05:00 +0000

Here is another great discrepant event (read more about discrepant events here)! This one explores some of the science behind air pressure and different states of matter. It is demonstrated by two elementary school teacher, Gerald Johnson. Enjoy.