Kategori: English

A simple experiment on how the colour from M&Ms mixes in water. Simple, fast, cheap and beautiful makes it an interesting experiment. Get the kids to think first what they think will happen. Questions are an important part of the scientific method, along with observation and investigation.

The Science Behind

The science behind why the colors do not mix is known as water stratification. Each color of M&Mhas a slightly different chemical make up which, when dissolved, creates a water solution that has slightly different properties such as density, salinity, and oxygenation. This creates a barrier that prevents the water from mixing and is why salt water and fresh water do not mix.

Another scientific property that is at work here is called concentration gradient. Simply put this is the process where molecules will move from high concentration to lower concentration areas. We see this as the colors move through the water.

HOW WE DID OUR EXPERIMENT

• Set out the supplies
  You will need a good sized white plate, lots of M&M , and water. Ensure you are set up in an area where the plate will not be disturbed. Any vibration or movement could affect your results.
• Arrange the M&M:s

Consider what you want your art to look like and start arranging your Skittles in a pattern around the plate that you think will work best for your Skittles colorful art creation.

Add water

Gently pour the water onto the plate.

Wait and watch

Very quickly you will start to see the colors travel. Watch to see how they move about the plate and what happens when they meet up with other colors. Depending on the size of your creation this will take about 10 minutes.

Repeat

Our favorite part of this experiment was creating a variety of different art pieces.

Analyze the Results

One way to analyze it is to create a timelapse movie. Set up your iPad to take a picture at a set interval and then combine it to a movie. For my movies did I use iMotion.

Two inspirational movies: Film 1 and Film 2

MORE IDEAS

• What happens if you use water at different temperatures?
• What happens if you use different types of liquids? Water, vinegar, juice, pop?
• We used Skittles, but what would happen if you tried different candies? Lollipops, M&Ms, Starbursts, etc.

Materials:

• Recycling Scavenger Hunt Sheets
• Scavenger hunt items
• Bags for collecting items
• Bins

Instructions:

• Make your list. It can be a visual list. It can be as simple as cutting and pasting a few images from the internet into a word doc and printing. If you like you can use this: Recycling-Scavenger-Hunt-Sheets (PDF,315kB)
  Set-up the hunt.Hide the items belonging to every category before anyone sees you.
• Pair kids up & set them free!Give one child the list and the other a bag and let them start looking.
• Collect itemsYou can have three bins: blue, black, and green; and when the kids finished finding all the items on their list they can come and sort everything in the appropriate bins.

What you need: an empty milk carton, scissors, coloured pencils, craft glue, yarn in different colours. A barbecue stick, a straw and possibly some clothespins.

1. Drink up and wash out a milk carton.
2. Download the template (PDF, 82kB ) and cut out. The template includes one in colour and one that you can colour yourself. To make the rocket sturdy, cut out a piece of the milk carton that is the size of the malleable part.
3. Stick the rocket to the piece of milk carton and leave to dry.
4. Cut some fringes from fire-coloured yarn.
5. Cut a barbecue stick to about 11 cm. The barbecue sticks are soft and can be cut with a large pair of scissors.
6. Fold the rocket in half and put craft glue on the inside.

7. Place the barbecue stick all the way up to the fold. Then add the lashes to the bottom edge.
8. Press the rocket together, press it under something heavy or hold it together with clothespins until the glue has dried.
9. When the glue has dried, press more stick into a straw. Take a deep breath…

… and blow HARD and short! Reload and fire away again.

Thanks ARLA for the idea!

Build an adventure park for ants and present it to the others.

(You can also build the adventure park during a forest outing, using cones, stones and other natural materials. Indoors, you can build the adventure park out of Lego, for example.)

Why not at the same time let the children make a promotional campaign for why the ants should choose their adventure course?

We thank MOI – Monilukutaitoa opitaan ilolla for the tip.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Some insect ideas to tinker with:

• Haltia has some nice cards that if printed double-sided should have a picture of an insect on one side and a short description on the other. Might be something to take on a forest outing. Haltias card (PDF, 2MB)
• If you want to make insect crafts, check out this Finnish site: https://sarjakuvakeskus.fi/kurssit/kurssit/10-lasten-kurssit/1269-lastenlauantai-25-4-oetoekaet-etaetehtaevae
• And finally, an insect-style memory where the cards move around can be found in the app: Insects and Bugs for Toddlers and Kids

When children have limited social interaction, it’s harder for them to take on the perspective of others, which is an important way children build empathy. This activity introduces a creative way to get children to put themselves in another’s “shoes.”

Instructions

1. Ask children to come up with a list of at least three animals that walk or run. For example, a caterpillar, a crab, and a giraffe.
2. Invite children to move across the room as each of those three animals.
3. When all children have had a turn acting like each animal, spend some time reflecting as a group.

Consider asking these questions:

• How did you move your body differently to match each animal’s movement?
• How does crossing the room like this make you think differently?
• What about the animal’s walk was different from the way you normally walk?

Thanks Bay Area Discovery Museum for the idea!

• Cut clouds, sun and raindrops from felt fabric.
• Glue them on a fabric bag with textile glue.
• Paint different weather symbols on the stones and put them in the bag.
• Let the children pick a stone from the bag and come up with a story from the picture on the stone; for example, about a sunny day or a snowfall. What is the weather like? What is being put on? Are there any animals outside?

A small idea for when you go on an excursion.

Take an empty egg carton with task cards stuck on top. Then let them add in what the card shows. It could be putting in the same things, the same number, colour, shape, or maybe even something that starts with the same letter.

Materials to Make a Simple Paper Kite:

• Printer paper
• Scissors
• Yarn (This worked ok with me, but I wish I used a lighter string.)
• Tape
• Popsicle Stick
• Markers
• Hole Puncher
• Stapler
• Ruler

 

Directions to Make a Simple Paper Kite: 

 

1. Draw a design on both sides of your paper.  (Chuck and I did this collaboratively.)

   2.  Fold your paper in half. (Half the length.)

   3.  Using your ruler, make a mark at 2 1/2 ” and a mark at  3 1/2″ on the folded edge.

   4.  Now curve both corners of your paper down and staple them at the 2 1/2″ mark. (Don’t fold them down, make sure the paper is curved.) Your kite should now look like this.

5. Punch at hole at the 3 1/2″ mark.  Then, cut a long piece of string and tie it to your kite.

   6.  Tape the other end of your string down to a popsicle stick.  Wind your excess string around the Popsicle stick so it doesn’t get tangled.

Now  go fly your own kite!    It takes a strong gust of wind to lift your kite, but if you run around (or ride your bicycle really fast), your kite will float along beside you too.