Science Experiment for K

[niccig]

DS has to take a science experiment to school, do it with his class and explain the concept...it needs to be simple...today a classmate did oil floating on water...i wanted to do that..but then though he could show them how detergent breaks it up...and say it's like the gulf oil spill....or get popsicle sticks and show how you can push it together like the skimmers..


any other ideas...

eta...ok do the detergent didn't really break up the oil...will not enough for DS to see a change.

[wallawala]

Remind me what ages?

There are UV sensitive beads you can buy online.
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/color-changing-uv-beads

They are one color indoors and change when you take them outside in the sunlight. You can buy a variety pack of neon or pastel colors, etc. You can then slather bead with sunblock and take outside to show that sunblock really works to block UV light which is different wavelenght than visible light.

If you invest in big pack of beads... all the kids get a few to make a necklace, bracelet, keychain thingy for backpack... they have to go home a test thier sunblock to see if it works.

[niccig]

they are 5 - 6 years old

[KrisM]

Remind me what ages?


K is typically 5-6 year olds.

How about testing things that float on water? Ice cube, toothpick, penny.

Or, different density things in water - syrup, oil, etc. See which liquid is less dense and ends up on top.

[gordo]

dancing raisins - put raisins in a clear glass of sprite or 7-up. the carbon dioxide attaches to the raisins making them float to the top. As the bubbles pop, the raisins start to fall down to the bottom until more bubbles attach and make it rise again - makes the raisins appear to dance.

[anamika]

Our local Science museum did this experiment (http://www.abc.net.au/science/surfingscientist/pepperscatter.htm). It really works.
Surface tension can be explained as being similar to an expanded balloon.
Other experiments -
capillary action with water flowing from one beaker to the other through a piece of paper but not with a non porous material.
DH also had the kids set up crystallization - just add a little brine solution to small bowls and let evaporate for a day or 2.
Or fill a bottle with oil almost to the top. Add a little water and a few drops of color to the bottle (will sink to the bottom). Now add a tablet of ALkaseltzer. This will make a sort of lava lamp! I haven't tried this but it looked cool on TV! Here's a link.
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Lava-Lamp-with-Household-Ingredients

[niccig]

Thanks everyone
Great ideas
DS is taking a bottle of water, oil, maple syrup, a penny and a piece of cork to shoe density differences.
I will do other suggestions with him