Showing posts with label Learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Learning. Show all posts

Monday, June 3, 2013

Weather in a jar

We love doing fun and simple science experiments that tie into learning. We have been talking about weather, so I put together 3 fun weather science experiments you can do using a jar.

Make your own rain in a jar. All you need is a jar, coffee filter, rubber band, and dropper.

I placed the coffee filter over the top of the jar and put rubber band around it. Then I placed colored water in a container and let the kids use a dropper to place water on the coffee filter. Once the coffee filter absorbed the water it dripped like rain.


Here are some facts about rain that we looked up.

  • Rain is an important part of the water cycle. Learn how it works with our page explaining the water cycle for kids.
  • Rain falls from clouds in the sky in the form of water droplets, this is called precipitation.
  • Heavy rain can cause flooding and landslides.
  • Rain allows us to create electricity through hydropower.
  • Plants need water in order to survive, they receive much of this water from rain.
Make your own rain cloud in a jar. This experiment the kids loved. All you need is a jar, water, shaving cream and food coloring.

Fill jar 1/2 way, place shaving cream on top as the cloud, then have the kids drop colored water on the cloud and watch it.

After we did this experiment we talked about how a cloud holds water and then that is how rain is formed.




Here are some facts about clouds that we looked up.
  • There are a range of different types of clouds, the main types include stratus, cumulus and cirrus.
  • Stratus clouds are flat and featureless, appearing as layered sheets.
  • Cumulus clouds are puffy, like cotton floating in the sky.
  • Cirrus clouds are thin and wispy, appearing high in the sky.
  • A cloud is a large group of tiny water droplets that we can see in the air.
  • Rain, snow, sleet and hail falling from clouds is called precipitation.
Our last experiment was making a tornado in a jar. 



I remember doing this in elementary school, so I wanted to show the kids. It's very simple we just filled the jar with colored water and then swirled it around and you get a tornado in a jar.

Once we made the tornado in a jar we talked a little about tornado's. Below I added some facts we looked up about tornado's that we thought were pretty instructing to know.


  • Extreme tornadoes can travel much further, sometimes over 100 miles (161kilometres).
  • A tornado is a rapidly spinning tube of air that touches both the ground and a cloud above.

  • Not all tornadoes are visible but their high wind speeds and rapid rotation often form a visible funnel of condensed water.
  • Most tornadoes travel a few miles before exhausting themselves.
  • US States most often hit by tornadoes include Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Florida.



    We have also made a rainbow with sunlight  be sure to check out that fun experiment.

    Also if you have never made fake snow, you have to try this. We love playing with our fake snow.



    Thanks for stopping by to see what fun stuff we are doing. Be sure to come follow us on

Friday, February 22, 2013

Shamrock science for kids

Three great ways to add a little St.Patrick's Day fun to kids science play. Twist things up a little to make it look and seem different to them using some house hold items.
Materials:
Vinegar
Baking soda
Glitter
Shamrock table toppers(Dollar Store)
Tray
Bowl
Shamrock molds (A.C. Moore use coupon get it for $4.99)


How to make Shimmery Shamrock Science

Mixed baking soda, green kool-aid, and glitter all in a bowl, then placed water in a squeeze bottle and made it erupt.



How to make Erupting Green Shamrocks

I mixed our fake snow mixture together and added green kool-aid to it for the green color, then placed it in a silicone shamrock mold and let them freeze over night.  That made them hard like rocks. Then I placed them on a tray/pan and the kids used pipettes to squirt the vinegar on them for them to fizz. We had Fizzing Shamrocks.


This is a great fine motor skill for toddlers and preschoolers using the pipettes.


We have made fizzing rocks before but never thought about putting them in molds til I saw it at Science Sparks from Pinterest.

Make your own Glittery Shamrock Play Dough

You can make this 3 different ways use regular store bought play dough, kool-aid play dough, or gluten free play dough. Then just add some fun glitter to it and play away. We also added mint extract to this batch for a yummy smell.





Shamrock Slushy

Slushy Science


If you haven't see our new recipe for Kool-Aid Ice cream dough be sure to check it out.

Kool-Aid ice cream dough


Ice Volcano

Thanks for stopping by to see what fun stuff we are doing. Be sure to come follow us on