Science lab
This year we have had a few fun science labs. Most of the recommeneded activities in the Singapore Science program we can carry out on our own without too much specialized material. We do maintain a lot of electrical and magnetic things on hand, but other than that, we try to get away with every day type stuff.
Like when we made this model of respiration using a plastic cup, a couple of balloons, some putty, and a straw. We followed the instructions in our activity book, but a simple google search shows many (much more attractive) variations on this theme.
We had actually built this lab more than six months ago, and at least once a week one of the kids or their friends take it off the shelf to watch it work.
More recently we have been studying physical science, like chemical and physical changes. What more colorful way to learn the difference than make sidewalk chalk?
More after the jump
This particular lab in Singapore Science was only for mixing plaster of paris, but inspired by our experiences at the Carnegie Science Center's Mess Fest, I thought it would be more fun to make colored chalk. After observing the chemical changes in mixing and curing, the physical change (drawing) was a great reward.
Myles shared his chalk with a little boy in the neighborhood who was curious about what we were doing. He wanted to show us how much English he had already learned in first grade. The first word he wrote was "mall." When he started I thought he might be writing "mama," a good early word to learn in a foreign language. But, no.
Just today we had a lab that I like to call "Makin' it Rain." It is a model of the water cycle (again, Google shows a lot more options--ours was just a glass of hot water capped with a Petri dish full of ice). The kids were a little inattentive at first, as the "sky," also known as the bottom of the cold Petri dish, was only misting over. Once the water droplets grew in size, they were fascinated. They didn't want to stop as a few "rain drops" fell from the "sky."
As enjoyable as these sound, not all our labs are thrilling. One we did just a few weeks ago was exceptionally boring. We got to sit for 20 minutes and watch ice melt in a funnel, and record the temperature of the ice at five minute intervals. Even Brigid, who wants to be involved in all our fun-and-game labs, abandoned this project.
Like when we made this model of respiration using a plastic cup, a couple of balloons, some putty, and a straw. We followed the instructions in our activity book, but a simple google search shows many (much more attractive) variations on this theme.
We had actually built this lab more than six months ago, and at least once a week one of the kids or their friends take it off the shelf to watch it work.
More recently we have been studying physical science, like chemical and physical changes. What more colorful way to learn the difference than make sidewalk chalk?
More after the jump
This particular lab in Singapore Science was only for mixing plaster of paris, but inspired by our experiences at the Carnegie Science Center's Mess Fest, I thought it would be more fun to make colored chalk. After observing the chemical changes in mixing and curing, the physical change (drawing) was a great reward.
Myles shared his chalk with a little boy in the neighborhood who was curious about what we were doing. He wanted to show us how much English he had already learned in first grade. The first word he wrote was "mall." When he started I thought he might be writing "mama," a good early word to learn in a foreign language. But, no.
Just today we had a lab that I like to call "Makin' it Rain." It is a model of the water cycle (again, Google shows a lot more options--ours was just a glass of hot water capped with a Petri dish full of ice). The kids were a little inattentive at first, as the "sky," also known as the bottom of the cold Petri dish, was only misting over. Once the water droplets grew in size, they were fascinated. They didn't want to stop as a few "rain drops" fell from the "sky."
As enjoyable as these sound, not all our labs are thrilling. One we did just a few weeks ago was exceptionally boring. We got to sit for 20 minutes and watch ice melt in a funnel, and record the temperature of the ice at five minute intervals. Even Brigid, who wants to be involved in all our fun-and-game labs, abandoned this project.
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