A likes science. He likes the big long projects that we do over hours or days or weeks...but he also LOVES the quick and easy experiments. Yesterday he said he was in the mood for some experimentin'. So, we pulled out a few supplies that are always at hand and off we went!
Supplies:: ice cubes & water in a glass, salt (kosher or iodized is fine), thread
Start off with several ice cubes in a glass of cold water. Fill up enough so the ice is easy for small hands to reach. (You can do it with just ice in a bowl - my boys saw it this way on a science show, so wanted the full glass with cubes and water).
Cut a foot or so of thread from your spool and lay the string over the ice cube.
Sprinkle some salt right onto the thread and ice cube.
Wait a minute (be patient!). Lift the string!
Of course with my boys the next step is empty out the glass and REPEAT (several times)!
What's happening with the thread then? "In the places where the salt is, the icecube is forcibly melted and also those places get very very cold. In the other places where salt didn't land, you now have melted water sitting on a much colder icecube. This causes those parts to quickly refreeze. This sticks the thread to the icecube, and you can pick it up!"To find out more of the why's and how's of this super easy experiment, go here>>
I finally got back to my sewing machine (gosh, it has been a long time) and made a few things - so I think I'll be having a blog giveaway...more on that soon!
22 comments:
On Fridays I normally cook with my students, but I think I'm going to shake some weeks up with a mystery science project every couple of weeks!
Sounds like a fun, quick and easy experiment. We'll have to try that soon.
I did this experiment years ago-I'll have to do it again(so simple and fun for the kids). You take such wonderful pictures!
I knew that the salt would melt the ice, and that it can freeze again with another cube placed on top of it, but I didn't know about this!
Very cool!
Trev would really like it, I think.
He likes easypeasy pretty well-ly.
Thanks so much!!
I just found your blog and I just wanted to drop a mini-fan letter. :) Your garden/seed post got me off my duff and ordering seeds, and this post makes me antsy for my girls to get old enough that they wouldn't just dump the salt and ice all over the place.
Oh fun!
Love the sweet smiles on their faces~ We love science here too...
Come check out what we are doing to save the bees!
:)
I love science!
I've done this with my preschoolers. It's fun to see their face light up!
Can't wait to see what's coming up with the giveaway:)
Oh My.... the science goodness is lighting up your boys faces for sure!!
Thanks for sharing the link- we'll check it out :0)
This looks like a fun and easy experiment. We'll give it a go later today. :)
My kinda experiment, easy and available materials! LOL We'll have to try that.
Fun! I love quick and easy experiments. I think I'll try this with my son today.
Oh how fun! Thank you!
We did this one a couple weeks back, very intersting. I definitely learned something, and the kids enjoyed it as well:)
Fun project! Your little guy is so cute ...
Peace.
I love their faces :-)
We'll have to try this - nice and simple and we have everything we need. Perfect!
I'm going to keep this experiment in mind... I know I will always have ALL the ingredients! Great thing to do when calming is needed FAST...
Great fun! I can't wait to see what you have been sewing.
What fun. Thanks for that link too. We're always on the lookout for fun and easy science experiments. We just did one with an egg in a glass of vinegar...it ends up with no shell left and bouncy after a week.
your boys always look like they are having so much fun!...by the way i posted a link to your blog about your post on growing wheatgrass. Thanks for the great idea!
I did this last year with my preschoolers...we called it "ice fishing." The kids loved it and it looks like your boys enjoyed it too.
Fun! I think Lo would be very into this quick and easy bit! Sometimes those quickies are the catalyst to so many questions and delving deeper into a concept.
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