Blog Archives
Badge: Science: Spangler-Style (revised)
Steve Spangler is a teacher, entertainer and toy designer. He has been featured on television shows and is most known for his Menthos Geyser Experiment. His varied career is more about entertaining with science.
.
Steps
1. Spangler who?
Find out about Steve Spangler. From television to education to commercial activities, Spangler has worked to make science fun and accessible to all. Make sure you check out “Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for one of his more high profile activities.
2. Commercial offerings link to experiments and video.
Spangler offers everything you need to do experiments on his site. From the product description, you’ll find experiments and / or videos attached to show you how it works. Explore Spangler’s offerings and the experiments / videos for each. Find a few that look interesting that you might want to try.
3. Safety first.
Make sure you are safe. Take all safety precautions necessary depending on the science experiment you’re attempting. Create a basic “science safety” kit to cover most experiments.
4. Experiment of the week.
Sign up for Spangler’s free experiment of the week. Try a few of the experiments and find a couple to share with others.
5. Spangler’s blog.
Spangler’s blog will give you even more information about Spangler and his scientific endeavors. Check it out. You’ll find everything from links to the many awards he’s won.
6. Spangler on YouTube.
Go to Spangler’s channel on YouTube. View a few experiments to find some you might want to share with others.
7. Share what you’ve learned.
Plan a meeting or event to share some of the science you have learned. Form it around a theme with two or more experiments to introduce your group to an area of scientific inquiry. Make sure you understand the science behind the experiments before you share them so that you can answer questions and provide further insight.
8. Use science to spice up Halloween.
Use Halloween for a theme. On Spangler’s blog find the following and try one or more of these with your group.
- Fake blood kitchen recipes
- Use of black lights
- Cauldron of dry ice
- Screaming balloons
- Oozing pumpkin
If you’re not into Halloween, try creating a holiday theme for your favorite holiday and sharing it.
9. Share science.
Plan a science fair or other event to encourage others to share their scientific interests. Create a way to scientifically compare the experiments. Make and hand out awards for your group.
10. Keep on sharing.
Spangler has explored many new avenues of sharing science. Can you think of others? Share your ideas or try one and share how it went.
.
Sites to Explore
www.stevespanglerscience.com
www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiments
www.stevespangler.com
www.youtube.com/user/Stevespanglerscience
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Spangler
Badge: Science Krampf-Style (revised)
Robert Krampf is the “Happy Scientist.” He has taught science, done a science road show and been on the Web for a very long time. His goal is to make science fun for kids.
.
Steps
1. Krampf who?
Find out about Robert Krampf. What kind(s) of science does he do? How did he become a leader in his field?
2. Krampf on the Web.
Visit Krampf’s Web site and peruse his science experiments for kids. Which do you think kids would be interested in trying? If you would like, sign up for the free experiment of the week newsletter for experiments delivered to you.
3. Krampf via Way Back.
web.archive.org/web/20080822032624/http://www.krampf.com
Look through the Krampf’s archive at the Way Back Machine to find even more information about how Krampf has shared science with kids and adults.
4. Krampf via YouTube.
Check out some of Krampf’s videos on YouTube to help get you excited about science.
5. Science safety.
Before doing experiments, make sure you are safe. Make a list of safety equipment you need. If you are working with chemicals, make sure you have reviewed what to do in case of an emergency.
6. Experiment yourself.
Try an experiment, or more than one, you think kids might like. Make sure you understand the science behind the experiment.
7. Creating “themes.”
Doing a single experiment is cool, but putting them together gives a greater view to a scientific concept. Create a “theme” by putting two or more experiments together. Check to make sure they all work with your theme to give a better understanding of the concept you’re trying to communicate.
8. Do it!
Get a group together to do the experiment(s). Make sure you have all safety precautions in place and explained to the group.
9. Non-experiment experiment.
Experiments do not have to be done in a specific setting. Find experiments that you can take on a camp out, do at a party, etc. How can you present it to be more “fun”?
10. Science — the juicy part.
Discuss the science behind the experiment with the group. Don’t give them all the answers. Let them figure it out from the experiments they just did.
11. Exploration for the group.
Share the information for Krampf’s science experiments. If you’re meeting your group again, ask them to find an experiment that shows the same concept to bring back to you.
.
Sites to Explore
thehappyscientist.com
web.archive.org/web/20080822032624/http://www.krampf.com
www.youtube.com/user/RobertKrampf
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Krampf
itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/experiment-of-the-week/id266557779
www.learnoutloud.com/Podcast-Directory/Science/Archaeology/Experiment-of-the-Week-Video-Podcast/30213
krampf.blip.tv/rss
www.facebook.com/TheHappyScientist
Badge: Harry Potter — Science
These experiments are sorted into length of time to complete. If you’re doing a day camp, starting crystals on the first day will allow your kids to see a progression during a week. Shorter experiments can be used after starting a longer one or for shorter events.
You can use those given below or select your own experiments. Since most science experiments do things that appear “magical”, the number to choose from is great.
For each experiment you choose to do in your activities, do the experiments yourself to make sure they work as described. You can find directions for experiments on the Web. Determine the age level you feel could do the experiments you choose.
.
Steps
Longer experiments
1. Grow crystals.
Using either salt or sugar and water, grow crystals. Make sure you have some that you have grown for examples.
2. Seeds/beans growing.
Growing a seed in water allows your participants to see roots start to grow. Your container needs to be clear as well. This project may also be used for “Herbology.”
3. Terrarium.
Create a miniature world within a bottle or other clear container. This is another possibility for “Herbology.”
.
Shorter experiments
4. Sun prints.
Using construction paper, use the magic of the sun to make prints.
5. Disappearing / invisible ink.
Lemon juice, sweat, saliva or experiment with recipes to create disappearing ink. See the AEP supplement or find your own recipes for experimenting.
6. Slime.
Find your favorite recipe for slime. If you don’t have one, experiment with those you find on the Web until you get one you are happy with.
7. Carbon dioxide potion.
Combine water, baking soda and vinegar to make carbon dioxide bubbles. Place this in a beaker or cauldron. Find the amounts you need and adjust for your container.
8. Magical fire.
Varying chemicals can change the color of the flames. Find sources for these materials to color your night fire.
- Calcium — red flame
- Copper — green flame
- Sodium — orange flame
- Lithium — pink flame
- Lead — blue flame
- Potassium — purple flame
- Barium — light green flame
NOTE: Other materials can also make your fire magical such as granulated sugar will spark.
9. Paper chromatography.
Chromatography allows you to analyze complex mixtures by separating them.
You can make this a mystery where your participants have to match the ink on a note. Compare with sample pens you have to determine who wrote the note.
10. Levitating feather.
www.mrsruss.com/Science/potter2.htm
Try both the scientific and magical approaches to levitating a feather.
11. Reducio!
www.mrsruss.com/Science/reducio.htm
Reducio! Is a spell to reduce the size of an item. Do the experiment in the link to make an egg fit into a bottle.
12. Dry ice for all.
The smoking dry ice allows you to make fog or sinking bubbles. Search the Web and try a variety of dry ice experiments. Pick a few to share with your participants.
13. Magical balloon.
Use vinegar and baking soda in a soda bottle to blow up a balloon. Be able to explain what happens.
14. Dancing colors.
A few drops of food coloring placed into warm milk and dish soap in a bowl makes the coloring dance on the surface of the milk. Find more out about this experiment and try it yourself.
15. Lava lamp.
Make a lava lamp out of household materials. Be sure to provide any warnings necessary before building these.
16. Wizard goop.
Find a recipe and make silly putty for wizard goop.
17. More experiments.
Don’t stop now. Explore sites and books to find more experiments. Share those you find work well with other AEP members.
.
Supplements Available
SUPP_HPS_InkRecipes.pdf
Ink recipes from natural materials.
.
