Here is another "magic" science activity. We all know that when you poke a hole in something holding a liquid, that liquid will pour out the hole right? In this activity you'll learn that that is not always true. Here you will poke at least two holes in a plastic bag filled with water and the water won't spill out of the bag. How does that happen? Is it magic? No, it's science!
Bonus Fun - see how many pencils you can poke through your plastic bag!
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This is one of my favorite chemistry projects because it's so amazing. You get to see milk actually move - and quite quickly at that! - without moving your hand. Hence the "magic" in the title - but of course it's not magic, it's science. It's also a form of art as everyone's experiment will look different depending on how many drops of food coloring and what colors they use.
This activity is very quick and very satisfying. I hope you give it a try! It's been a great but crazy year! I can not wait to see you again in the fall. This is my last post. But fear not! I've listed some of my favorite sites for finding activities for students. Remember, science is all around you!
And YES! I will continue to send the patches to Sunol Glen Students if you keep doing science experiments over the summer. I will reward you for completing ANY 10 or 20 science experiments, even if you did not find them on my blog. Just have your parent send me an email letting me know you're done - do not forget to include your address so I can send your patch. Have a GREAT Summer! Great Science Websites:
And don't forget this great resource: Fossils are a record of a once living thing that is now found in a rock. Trace fossils are impressions of something that was once alive - like a leaf or footprint. You can make your own "rocks" at home and put trace fossils of things found in nature (or your hand print) in them using this simple method with stuff you probably already have at home. Enjoy!
Today's activity is surprisingly fun and super simple! When I first read about it I did not believe it. And I was surprised that the cycle of "dancing" keeps happening over and over again. You'll have to try it to see what I mean. When you understand the science behind it, things make sense. Give it a try.
You would think watching ice melt would be about as interesting as watching grass grow. But you'd be wrong. You can learn about and see with your own eyes how crystals form, how air and water interact during a phase change (going from solid to liquid and back), and how the air around you affects what you see. The Exploratorium's page has a wonderful explanation of all the chemical processes you can observe in this simple activity - or you can just watch and see what you can notice.
We've all seen pinecones - both open ones and closed ones. Ever wonder what makes a pinecone open? I never had until I decided to try a craft online that would lace pinecones with chemicals to make a campfire's flames change colors (you can find a link to that craft here). In doing that experiment, I collected a bunch of open pinecones from under a tree in a nearby park. As I followed the instructions I discovered that my pinecones closed up! I was not expecting this because I had never thought about what makes a pinecone open. You'll find out in today's experiment.
Did you know that things will mix in water, even if you do not stir them? Liquids in a system (i.e. a container) want to come into equilibrium (the fancy scientific word for "all the same"). So they will mix even if you don't physically mix them. It just takes longer. The question asked by this activity is - will it take the same amount of time in hot water as cold water? You probably have a hypothesis (the fancy scientific word for "guess") already - now test it out and see if you were right.
Here's another activity that feels like magic but is actually science. Did you know you can make lightning in your mouth? Ok, so it's not actually lightning because it doesn't go between the sky and the ground in a huge burst of electricity - but it looks like it. You are creating light but you are using friction to do it. I learned about this activity in a tent at Girl Scout Camp but you can do it anywhere you can make it dark - a bathroom with no windows and a mirror is ideal.
You already know I love fire; safe, controlled, fire. Today's experiment involves fire and creating black "snakes" with a few things you - hopefully - have on hand. Have fun watching this chemical reaction between baking soda, sugar, and heat.
Kids - this is one that requires an adult to be present (although do your best to convince them to let YOU do the experiment if you are at in 2nd grade or higher). You also have to do this one outside. |
You Can Continue to Earn the Patches over the SUmmer!
welcome!
Every school day I will post a new experiment for you to try at home. Some may be familiar to you - as they are my favorites from class - but most will be experiments I found on the web that have readily available materials. Happy Sciencing! Earn a Patch
Sunol Glen Students - Complete an additional 10 experiments (20 total) from this site and I will send you this patch: Parents - just email me when students have completed a challenge, no proof required. Categories |