Tag Archives: science

Everything is Neat Again

I’ve only got three tabs open in my browser. I can see the top of the table in my office for the first time in months. Science camp is over.

We made one last contraption in the living room before I put the rest of the stuff in its place (Physics was Friday). Take 3 was the best recording, but the final car didn’t launch so Michael decided to put in Take 14’s ending (this way you can watch one video instead of two):

We did some really great stuff this week.

I want to buy April a cupcake for saying, “Let’s do a science camp.”

So I don’t Forget: Monday-Botany, Tuesday-Electricity, Wednesday-Meterology, Thursday-Chemistry, Friday-Physics (simple machines, laws of motion)

3…2…1…

Wait for it…

Want to try it? You’ll need:

a Mini M&Ms canister – cut the lid off the body
a little bit of clay or gum
Alka-Seltzer tablets – break into quarters
water
decorations if you want them (washi tape, stickers, Sharpie markers, foil for a shiny nose cone)

Decorate your canister (I didn’t because I was just trying to make sure it worked first). My nose cone is a semi-circle of card stock taped together to make a cone and hot glued in place. Stick the little bit of clay in the lid. This is to delay the reaction of the Alka-Seltzer so that you can take your time. I wish I could remember where I saw about the clay. Thank you, Mysterious Blogger who is probably also a Homeschooler!

Ready to go, Alka-Seltzer in place.

Ready to go, Alka-Seltzer in place.

When you are ready to launch, stick 1/4 of an Alka-Selzer tablet into the clay, put about a tablespoon of water into the canister, and put the lid on top. DON’T FLIP THE ROCKET OVER until you are ready to start the reaction!

Ready?

Flip it over, set it on the ground (top down) and move away. Pop!

Troubleshooting: Go easy on the water. Too much and it just leaks out as the pressure builds – you need space inside the canister for the CO2 to build up.

Film canisters also work (the Fuji kind especially since the lids sink into the canister) but Mini M&Ms are much easier to come by these days.

Science Camp

My friend April and I are hosting a science camp at the end of June (through our local education enrichment coalition). I’m researching my half (chemistry and electricity) and trying to make the experiments and concepts flow. Because you know how I like it when things match.

I feel like a segue from a discussion of acid v. base to alkaseltzer rockets is totally within reason.

I’m not sure where polymers fit in though. Gotta make bouncy balls.

So many projects, so little time.

Having Backbone

Vertebrates

Vertebrates

Invertebrates

Invertebrates

Our little plastic animal collection has been invaluable (although Amazon values the Toobs around $12 each). We’ve sorted by mammals, insects, habitat, presence of spine, and vowel sound just in the past few weeks. I keep them altogether in a basket in the school room. You never know when the need for a tiny plastic animal will arise.

Let’s just own that I have given up on the Weekly Wrap-Ups. There’s just too much to talk about every week! Oak Meadow Grade 2 hasn’t lost steam or charm at the half-way mark.