Curious one at home

SCIENCE ADVENTURES FOR KIDS

The Little E M O H at

by MaríaLucía Rojas, Ph.D. & Science4future

Ages

2-3

18

exciting, educational & safe projects.

d e n r o s w e h t g n i r e v o iD sc science! of

at HOME

Science4Future

Awesome Science, Corp. is a member of the Science4Future’s companies. Science4Future believes that scientific progress is vital to the future of humankind. This statement is an essential part of our core values and mission to ensure that our children are fully equipped with the proper tools and knowledge for a brighter future, thereby promoting a sustainable future for humanity. Awesome Science leads the teaching of science to children with its pioneering educational platform. Our STEM curricula and programs for children ages two to seven are pioneering approaches to introducing the wonderful world of science. They are specifically designed to spark children’s interest and love for science while promoting their early intellectual, emotional, and social development as they prepare for a lifetime of success while contributing to make a great positive difference for humanity in the long term.

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the copyright holder, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

The Publisher and the author have made every reasonable effort to ensure that the experiments and activities in this book are safe when conducted as instructed but assume no responsibility for any damage caused or sustained while performing the experiments or activities in the book. Parents, guardians, and/or teachers should supervise the children who undertake the experiments and activities in this book.

Library of Congress Control Number: TXu001949042

www.awesomesci.com

at HOME

by MaríaLucía Rojas, Ph.D. & Science4Future

ALSO BY MARIALUCIA ROJAS, Ph.D.

THE LITTLE CURIOUS ONE AT HOME

Little Sci-Expert: An Early Childhood Curriculum

written by MaríaLucía Rojas, Ph.D.

Little Sci-Expert: The Big Childhood Curriculum

creative direction by Pablo Andres Muñoz

The Little Curious One at School

edited by Alexa Langen

The Little Sci-Whiz at Home

illustrated by Fredy Díaz

The Little Sci-Whiz at School

cover design by Fredy Díaz

The Little Sci-Expert at Home

layout by Laura Londoño

The Little Sci-Expert at School

2015

Copyright 2015 by MariaLucia Rojas, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.

contents section

pg

Acknowledgments Dear Parents Introduction Safety Rules

7 9 10 13

1- A Fun Volcano 2- The Melting Snowman 3- Creating Mysterious Colors 4- My Homemade Shiny Clay 5- Carnival of Bubbles 6- Bouncing Balls 7- A Little Blowing Ghost 8- The Chameleon’s Mix 9- A Resizing Trick 10- Recycling Paper 11- The Magic Bottle

14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34

12- Stretchy Materials 13- Playing with Densities 14- How much Water is in Vegetables?

15- The Air, Mr. Invisible 16- A Special Circular Motion 17- Magnets, Irresistible Attraction 18- How Everything in Nature Grows Drawing Section Photos

36 38 40 42 44 46 48 51 71

To my son Pablo Andrés, my incredible treasure, for sharing my dreams and for his unending support in this beautiful project.

Acknowledgements I’d like to thank: My mother, who always shared her own happiness with me and encouraged me to reach my goals.

All the children I have had the fortune to instruct in science, for giving me strength, joy, and love and for being the source of my inspiration.

All the parents of my little students, for allowing me to help their children discover and explore our environment.

Angela Ciocca, for permitting me to work at her institution and for understanding, throughout all these years, my passion for teaching science.

My Family, for supporting me anytime.

Raúl Espinoza for his valuable contributions, advice and most important, for understanding the true value of this project.

Fredy Díaz for his great work of creating all the illustrations and the cover of this book.

Laura Londoño for her great contribution of designing this book.

Alexa Langen, for editing this book.

7

Dear Parents, At this tender age, your child is growing rapidly and quickly developing physically, cognitively and emotionally.

Your children are very curious; there is much for them to discover and explore, and at this time in their lives, they will be eager to learn more! Because they will easily gain new skills according to the encouragement provided them, you now have the wonderful opportunity to participate in the learning process of your children.

Within these pages, you and your child can visit the magical world of science, where you can be magicians, detectives and adventurers. Explore the scientific scenery with happiness and enthusiasm! When you do these experiments, let the results surprise you, celebrate and share the excitement of your children, encourage them to do the experiments, applaud their achievements and the way they answer your questions and perform the activities. All this will fill them with enthusiasm, strengthen your bond, and increase their self-esteem and the love of science.

I also invite you to release your “inner child,� which also loves to play, have fun, and learn! Play with your child! Using, playful, hands-on activities, they begin to incorporate science in their everyday lives, developing critical and creative thinking skills that they will apply in the next chapter of their education.

With this book, you can introduce your children to the wonders of science while having hours and hours of fun!

9

Introduction I happily introduce this book, “The Little Curious One at Home,” to all parents who want spend a great time with their children at home. This book offers you a fun and educational way of entertaining your children while stimulating their curiosity and helping them explore and discover our environment, which in turn helps develop critical and creative thinking skills that will help them begin a new level of their education with great advantages.

At the same time, these amazing experiments will allow you to release your “inner child.” Regardless of your profession, social standing or ethnic group, your inner child loves to play, have fun, and learn! In this manner, you can share an enjoyable experience with your children while strengthening your relationship, improving communication, and contributing to their cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Parents are naturally able to teach their children and are, generally speaking, the adults with whom children spend the most time. For this reason, parents are the perfect teachers of young children, in the sense that they are able to infuse their teaching with love, knowledge of their child, and the desire to see them grow into upstanding and successful adults.

Remember that your little curious ones have many questions, and are avid learners and explorers. Many studies have shown the importance of the brain’s development in the first five years and the strong impact of early home life and early learning experiences on the child’s brain development and his future success.

These exciting experiments serve as an early learning experience with crucial effects on children’s brain development and their ability to realize their enormous potential.

These experiments were designed specifically for children of ages two to three in order to motivate and guide them as they encounter science early in their everyday lives. They are based on my thirty years of work in the science field as a researcher and teacher. This book is part of the collection Science Adventures for Kids, which offers children of all ages an enjoyable and practical way to learn science.

In this book you will find 18 remarkable experiments using safe and nontoxic materials and most of them are recyclable. Each experiment includes a detailed list of these materials, step-by-step instructions, explanation of the science involved, and a relevant figure to color in the drawing section.

Make your child’s day magical by performing these innovative and hands-on experiments!

11

Safety Rules The experiments described in this book are fun, but should be performed with due caution. Remember that children are learning to use these materials and may be unaware of their effects. They are extremely curious and will want to taste and smell everything, and although the materials used in these experiments are nontoxic, to ingest them may nonetheless cause illness. Please tell children not to taste or smell anything without permission, and make sure each experiment is always performed under the direction and supervision of an adult.

The author accepts no responsibility for any damage that may result from these 18 experiments and activities.

13

1

A Fun Volcano

WHAT DO WE NEED? One 11oz clear plastic bottle 1⁄2 lb yellow modeling clay Five drops red food coloring One 9oz clear plastic drinking cup One plastic funnel (4” in diameter) Two teaspoons baking soda

One 9oz clear plastic cup vinegar 1⁄2 teaspoon of glitter mixture (use equal amounts of red, yellow and silver glitter) One 25oz round or square plastic container Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Invite your child to place the plastic bottle on the worktable.

2. Encourage your child to add the baking soda into the bottle, using the funnel.

3. Ask your child to add the food coloring.

4. Let him add the glitter mixture into the bottle, using the funnel 5. Assist your child in covering the bottle with yellow modeling clay to simulate a mountain. Do not cover the neck of the bottle.

6. Invite your child to place the mountain into the plastic container to prevent any mess on the worktable.

7. Assist him in pouring 1⁄2 9oz clear plastic cup vinegar and observe together how red foam builds in the volcano. Enjoy it! Repeat this step to get a second eruption.

NOTE :

Adult should measure the amount of ingredients before giving them to the child and supervises the child at all times.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? When we mixed vinegar with baking soda, the mixture reacted, foaming and producing bubbles of CO2 gas. This gas expanded, filled the bottle, spilled over with pressure and caused fire and lava (glitter mix and foam) to ooze from the center of the volcano.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #1 in the drawing section and color the figure.

r and baking soda mak a g e n i v o d t a e Wh when mixed together? Fun! Let’s build a volcano!

15

2

The Melting Snowman

WHAT DO WE NEED? One 11oz clear plastic bottle One 9oz clear plastic cup lemon juice Three teaspoons baking soda One 25oz clear round or square plastic container

One plastic funnel (4� in diameter) One 5oz plastic drinking cup Squirt of dish soap Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Snowman face: use a permanent marker to draw the eyes and mouth of a snowman at the top of the bottle. Help your child make a paper nose and stick it on the bottle.

2. Using the funnel, the child should add the baking soda into the bottle.

3. Have your child place the bottle inside the clear plastic container to prevent any mess on the worktable.

4. Help your child add a squirt of dish soap into the 9oz cup lemon juice 5. Measure 1â „2 5oz cup lemon juice and have your child add it into the bottle. Observe with your child the foam overflowing and slowly covering the whole bottle. Enjoy together the snowman! Repeat this step two more times to create more snowmen.

NOTE :

Adult should measure the amount of ingredients before giving them to the child and supervises the child at all times.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? Mixing lemon juice and baking soda causes a chemical reaction that produces bubbles of CO2. This gas expanded, filled the bottle, and overflowed slowly covering the whole bottle. The dish soap traps the CO2, greatly increasing the amount of foam!

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #2 in the drawing section and color the figure.

ter to build your snowm n i w l i t n u t i a an ?

Why w g n i s k o a da and lemon b , r a g e n i v x i m juice Just any time you want!

17

3

Creating Mysterious Colors

WHAT DO WE NEED? One clear plastic egg carton with 12 wells Water Four craft sticks Five plastic teaspoons

Five 9oz clear plastic drinking cups One primary food colors box Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Pour water into a clear plastic cup until it is about 1â „2 full.

2. Have your child add one teaspoon of water in each well of the egg carton. Make sure your child observes that water is colorless.

3. Prepare the four primary colors: Pour water in four cups until they are about ½ full.

Add 1 drop of only one primary color in each cup and mix them with a craft stick.

4. Your child should mix one teaspoon of blue with one teaspoon of red in the first well to get the color purple.

5. Have your child mix one teaspoon of red with one teaspoon of yellow in the second well to obtain orange.

6. Let your child combine two or more primary colors in each well to get a wide range of colors.

7. Review with your child which primary colors were used to get the secondary colors.

NOTE : Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him/her if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? When we mixed two or more primary colors, we created secondary colors.

The color tone created depends both on which color you used and on the proportion in which colors are mixed. Primary colors cannot be created using other colors. They are the basis with which we create all the secondary colors.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #3 in the drawing section and color the figure.

Discover the world of colors! ea t r e c a rich palette s r o l o c y r a m i r P of secondary colors.

19

4

My Homemade Shiny Clay

WHAT DO WE NEED? One 9oz clear plastic cup flour One teaspoon sugar Two teaspoons salt 1â „3 9oz clear plastic cup water Three tablespoons vegetable oil One food colors box

Gold, silver, purple, green, red, and blue glitter One 32oz plastic container One plastic teaspoon Plastic shapes Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Let your child add the flour into the plastic container.

2. Invite your child to add the sugar and the salt, and mix well using the plastic teaspoon.

3. The child should select a glitter color and add 1â „2 teaspoon.

4. Let your child select a food color and assist him in adding 7 drops to the mixture.

5. Have your child add the water, and mix well.

6. Help your child to add the vegetable oil and mix well.

7. Take the sticky clay, and mix it well with your hands to incorporate the ingredients completely. If the clay is sticky, add more flour. If it is hard, add more oil. When the clay is no longer sticky, it is returned to your child.

8. Invite your child to roll his clay on the worktable to soften it, but also to distribute the color evenly. Enjoy together the clay!

NOTE : Adult should measure the amount of ingredients before giving them to the child and supervises the child at all times.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? We did not produce a chemical reaction when we mixed flour, sugar, salt, water, glitter, food coloring, and vegetable oil to get soft clay. Water and vegetable oil did not react with the powders; we have only incorporated the ingredients together to get the homemade clay.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #4 in the drawing section and color the figure.

a e l r n o t how to make d e t n a w r e v E your own shiny clay? ed i e r n g t n i s e i n h t o u d r kitchen n i f s ’ t Le .

21

5

Carnival of Bubbles

WHAT DO WE NEED? Three 9oz clear plastic drinking cups One 11oz clear plastic bottle One 9oz clear plastic cup isopropyl alcohol 1â „2 3oz plastic cup water Four tablespoons (5mL) plastic droppers Four craft sticks

One plastic funnel (4� in diameter) Red, blue, green and yellow colored oils Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Using the funnel, assist your child in pouring the alcohol into the bottle.

2. Let your child select a colored oil. Ask your child to add a full dropper slowly drop by drop into the bottle and observe the oil bubbles traveling to the bottom.

3. Help your child pour the water slowly into the bottle to raise the bubbles halfway to the middle of the bottle.

4. Encourage your child to continue adding a full dropper of the other three colored oils one at a time to get her own carnival of bubbles!

5. Advise your child not to shake the bottle, as the liquids may emulsify.

NOTE : Adult should measure the amount of ingredients before giving them to the child and supervises the child at all times.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? The colored oil bubbles dropped to the bottom of the bottle. Mineral oil and alcohol did not mix together, separating because oil is heavier than alcohol. When we added water, made alcohol heavy. As a result, the oil bubbles changed their position according to the amount of water added.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #5 in the drawing section and color the figure.

g t n i h s e u d k e c i n r s t i t a ies o f l i q y a l p s ’ t u i Le d s o l r o e c d e b k u a b m bles to move up and down!

23

6

Bouncing Balls

WHAT DO WE NEED? Five colored polymer powders Four plastic molds One small funnel (1.5-2” in diameter) Water Wax paper

One plastic bag (6 5⁄8” x 3 1⁄4” = 16.8cm x 8.3cm) One 3oz plastic cup Clay Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Help your child make a round clay base and stick it on the worktable.

2. Let your child select a plastic mold. Help him attach firmly the two halves and place it in the clay holder.

3. Invite your child to choose a colored powder and fill the mold to the top using the funnel. Let your child tap it on a hard surface to set the powder. If your child wants a multicolor ball, he can use a mix of powders, or adds one color at a time to make layers.

4 Fill the plastic cup with water and submerge the filled mold up to the neck for one minute. Do not completely submerge the mold. To prevent getting a very soft ball, do not leave it in the water for more than one minute.

5. Remove the mold from the water and set it on wax paper for five minutes to dry.

6. Give the ball to your child and enjoy it! Store it in the plastic bag.

NOTE : Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? The colored powders (polymers) absorbed water, becoming activated and formed a jumble that adopted the shape of the plastic mold. When he threw the ball, it jiggled because the ball gained energy of motion (kinetic energy) upon hitting the floor.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #6 in the drawing section and color the figure.

w high balls can bounc o h e e s o t t n e?

Wa g c n o i s lored polymers. u s l l a b e l g g i J

25

7

A Little Blowing Ghost

WHAT DO WE NEED? Two helium balloons (9�, 22.86cm) One 9oz clear plastic cup vinegar Three teaspoons baking soda Four tablespoons lemon juice

One plastic funnel (4� in diameter) One plastic spoon One 16oz clear plastic bottle Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Mix the lemon juice with the vinegar.

2. Help your child pour the liquid into the plastic bottle using the funnel.

3. Let your child choose a balloon color, and assist her in using the funnel to add the baking soda into the balloon and place it on the worktable.

4. Connect the balloon with the neck of the bottle.

5. Help your child lift the balloon to let the powder mix with the vinegar/lemon juice to start the chemical reaction while her balloon is growing. Now you have your ghost in action!

NOTE : Adult should measure the amount of ingredients before giving them to the child and supervises the child at all times.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? When she mixed lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda, the reaction yielded CO2 as bubbles of gas. The released gas first displaced the air into the bottle and then filled the balloon because there was no more space. The balloon stopped growing when the chemical reaction finished, stopping the CO2 production.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #7 in the drawing section and color the figure.

Magic winds p balloons at home! u w o l b r a f a m o fr

27

8

The Chameleon’s Mix

WHAT DO WE NEED? Twenty black beans Five 9oz clear plastic drinking cups Hot water 1⁄2 9oz clear plastic cup white vinegar

One teaspoons baking soda One craft stick One plastic teaspoon Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Count with your child twenty black beans, and let her child place the beans in the cup.

2. Pour hot water in the cup until it is about 1⁄3 full, and place it far away from your child. Wait until the liquid is cooled.

3. Take beans out of the cup and show your child the blue liquid, our chameleon’s mix!

4. Divide the mix into two parts. Have your child add each part into a clear plastic cup.

5. Give your child the cup with vinegar and assist him in adding one half of the chameleon’s mix. Make sure she observes whether the magic mix changes its color.

6. Pour water into a clear plastic cup until it is about 1⁄4 full and let your child add the baking soda. Invite her to mix well using a stick and add the other half of our chameleon’s mix. Observe together whether the chameleon’s mix changes its color.

7. Invite your child to pour baking soda chameleon’s mix into the cup with vinegar chameleon’s mix. Enjoy the volcano! And watch again the chameleon’ mix in action!

WARNING: Only adult should handle the hot water.

NOTE : Adult should measure the amount of ingredients before giving them to the child and supervises the child at all times.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? By placing black beans in contact with hot water we extracted pigments from the bean coating, which turned the water blue. Our “magic mix” is an indicator of acidity because it has a special compound, which changes its color depending on the acidity grade of the liquid in which is added so that the acidity grade (acidity or basicity) can be determined visually. It changed from blue to pink with vinegar (acid), and to light green with baking soda (base). Finally, we got the volcano as we mixed vinegar and baking soda, and the chameleon changed to light orange.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #8 in the drawing section. Follow the numbers and color the figure.

Make a magical mix using black beans!

29

9

A Resizing Trick

WHAT DO WE NEED? One small magnifying glass One sheet of white paper Craft shells Pebbles Stamps

Stickers with different characters Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Invite your child to observe the lines of her hands using a magnifying glass.

Ask her whether the lines appear larger in a magnifying glass.

2. Encourage your child to repeat step 1 with: Her nails, craft shells, pebbles and stamps 3. Let your child select a sticker and stick it on a white sheet of paper. Ask her to observe the sticker with and without the magnifying glass. Invite your child to repeat this procedure with each sticker she wants to place on the paper.

4. Enjoy together this trick to resize the world around you!

NOTE : Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him/her if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? When we used a magnifying glass, we noted that the power of our vision increased.

She could see the images of objects larger than they really are. A magnifying glass works by creating a magnified virtual image of an object behind the lens.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #9 in the drawing section and color the figure.

o e f z i s y our world e h t e g n a h C by using a magnifying glass!

31

10

Recycling Paper

WHAT DO WE NEED? One 9oz clear plastic cup water Two tablespoons glue Three tablespoons flour Red, blue, gold, yellow, green and silver glitter

Colored scrap paper One blender Two 9oz clear plastic drinking cups Plastic cookie cutters Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Let your child choose a color paper. Assist him in tearing the paper into small pieces.

2. Have your child place the pieces in the blender cup.

3. Have him add the flour and the water.

4. Blend for one minute.

5. Assist your child in adding the glue and blend for one minute.

6. Encourage him to add a teaspoonful of his favorite color glitter. Blend until you get a soft mixture. If the mixture is too weak, add more paper.

7. Use a strainer to remove excess water.

8. Help your child fill the plastic molds and let figures dry overnight.

9. Carefully remove the dry figures from the mold and enjoy!

WARNING: Adult supervision is necessary when hand blender is used near children. Do not allow children to use it as a toy. Store idle tools and appliances out of reach of children. the child at all times.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? Blending tissue paper with flour, water and glue, we obtained a soft gooey mixture.

We added flour to thicken the texture of the mixture. Glue allows the ingredients to stick together, preventing figures from breaking up when dry. The child was able to play with the finished mixture, and feel its texture. He also observed how we could reuse paper to produce paper mache, a good and fun way to recycle paper.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #10 in the drawing section and color the figure.

Protect your environment m r a e c p h a e p come alive! g n i k a m y b

33

11

The Magic Bottle

WHAT DO WE NEED? 1⁄2 9oz clear plastic cup water 1⁄3 5oz plastic cup vegetable oil 1⁄2 5oz plastic cup corn syrup 1⁄3 5oz plastic cup liquid light orange colored soap One 11oz clear plastic bottle One 9oz clear plastic drinking cup

Three 5oz plastic drinking cups One plastic funnel (4” diameter) Several small objects (sequins, shells, flowers, fish, and stickers of diverse characters) Red, blue, green, and gold glitter One plastic teaspoon Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Have your child place the bottle on the worktable.

2. Using the funnel, assist her in pouring into the bottle the water and then the corn syrup. Show your child the layers they create.

3. Help your child pour into the bottle the liquid soap, and the vegetable oil. Observe with her how many layers you now have.

4. Assist your child in adding a dash of each glitter. Show her where the glitter went.

5. Ask your child to add, one at a time, some sequins, a small fish, flowers, shells and as many stickers as she wants. Observe together where those objects settled and try to figure out why.

6. Now your child has her homemade “magic bottle.” Put the lid on and close the bottle tightly. Advise your child not to shake it, or the layers will be lost.

NOTE : Adult should measure the amount of ingredients before giving them to the child and supervises the child at all times.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? When we poured the four liquids in the bottle, we observed four layers forming from the bottom to the top according to their respective densities (weight). She also observed how objects were suspended in a particular layer based on their individual density.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #11 in the drawing section and color the figure.

Why do things float?

See for yourself!

35

12

Stretchy Materials

WHAT DO WE NEED? One piece of rubber band One piece of elastic One small plastic slinky Stretchy plastic animals

Rigid plastic animals Samples of cotton, towel, paper, wool, sponge, polyester Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Demonstrate the concept of elasticity with a stretchy animal toy.

2. Review with your child the concept of rigidity by using a rigid plastic animal.

3. Have your child pull on a stretchy plastic toy. Discuss with him what happened when he pulled on this plastic animal. Is it stretchy?

4. Ask your child to stretch a sponge, a non-stretchy toy, and a paper. Discuss with your child what happened when he tried to stretch these materials. Review with him whether these materials are stretchy.

5. Have your toddler try to stretch a non-stretchy bunny, snake and spider. Discuss with him why could he not stretch these animals.

6. Invite your child to stretch a slinky. Discuss with him if he could stretch it and whether it increased in size.

7. Review with your child the concept of elasticity and ask him to show a stretchy and a non-stretchy animal.

8. Have your child touch his toes— show your child how he is stretching his body!

NOTE : Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him/her if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? We were able to observe how stretchy materials apparently increased in size when they were stretched. In contrast, non-stretchy materials could not be stretched.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #12 in the drawing section and color the figure.

w h c i t t h e o r u t t breaking!

S . h c t e r t s s Ss m e a m t o e s r , i s a e l l s c a s r u e m e r lastic. u o e k iL n d a s g h n o o r l t e o h f t the matt e n i m a x e s ’ er! t e L

37

13

Playing with Densities

WHAT DO WE NEED? One 16oz clear plastic container (4.5” in diameter x 5.5” high) Shells, rocks and pebbles One wooden square, foam butterflies, bears and elephants.

One gold and silver screw Plastic animals and flowers Styrofoam balls Water Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Pour water into the plastic container until it is 3⁄4 full.

2. Have your child add, one by one, a foam butterfly and an elephant. Discuss with her whether they float or sink and analyze why.

3. Invite her to add, one after the other, a rock and a pebble. Discuss with her whether they float or sink and analyze together why.

4. Let your child add a wood square and a rock. Observe together which floats and which sinks, and analyze why.

5. Repeat step 4 with a small Styrofoam ball and a gold screw.

6. Repeat step 4 with a plastic fish and a silver screw.

7. Repeat step 4 with plastic animals and foam animals.

8. Repeat step 4 with Styrofoam balls of different sizes.

9. Encourage her to guess! What will happen with a plastic flower? Is it going to stay on the top or go to the bottom? Let your child place the flower into water and discuss with her where the flower goes.

NOTE : Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him/her if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? We were able to observe the behavior of several objects in water. Objects sank when they were heavier than water. Objects lighter than water floated. She was able to discuss the differences between relatively light and heavy objects according to their behavior in water.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #13 in the drawing section and color the figure.

Want to play a density game? h g t i l e r than water? r o r e i v a e h t i s I

39

14

How much Water is in Vegetables?

WHAT DO WE NEED? One small blender One small strainer (2 1⁄2” in diameter) One 5oz plastic drinking cup Two 9oz clear plastic drinking cups One cucumber

One six-color watercolor box One paper sheet Cotton Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Give your child the six-color watercolor box to paint on a sheet of paper.

2. Discuss with him why he can’t paint. Explain to him that these colors need water to work!

3. Ask your child if we can get water from a cumber. Show your child a cucumber and ask him if he can see water in the cucumber. Explain to him that the water is inside cucumber and we will get it out!

4. Cut the cucumber into four pieces, peel one piece, cut it into smaller pieces, and place them all in a clear plastic cup.

5. Have your child take the cucumber pieces and drop them in the blender cup.

6. Blend cucumber pieces without adding any water for one minute.

7. Prepare the small strainer. Place cotton at the colander bottom.

8. Assist him in separating the liquid from the pulp by using the prepared strainer and the 5oz plastic cup.

9. Let your child use the extracted water to paint with the six-color watercolor box.

WARNING: Adult supervision is necessary when hand blender is used near children. Do not allow children to use it as a toy. Store idle tools and appliances out of reach of children.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? When we blended cucumbers without adding water, broken cell structures in the cucumber tissue released water. The water was not completely clear because we also extracted some soft water soluble pigments. He was able to paint using the extracted water to mix with the watercolor box.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #14 in the drawing section and color the figure.

f r o r m e t a a w cucumber e s u s ’ t e L to create watercolor fun!

41

15

The Air, Mr. Invisible

WHAT DO WE NEED? One pinwheel Helium balloons (9”, 22.86cm) Airplane whistles Airplanes

Blow balls Wind devices Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Explain to your child how we can find air anywhere, although we cannot see it. Try to catch air with your hands and ask your child if she can see or catch air with her hands.

2. Tell your child to breathe three times (inhaling and exhaling). Show her how difficult is to breath while pinching our nose.

3. Demonstrate how the pinwheel works by blowing. Encourage your child to blow on a pinwheel.

4. Assist her in blowing on a “blow ball”.

5. Blow a balloon and place its neck directly in front of the child’s face. Open up the balloon neck, and let your child feel the air hitting her face.

6. Invite her to blow into an airplane whistle, and into a flute. Explain to her that the whistle and flute work through the passage of air through a tube.

7. Analyze with your child how air inflates balloons, moves things and makes sounds. ild human and animal needs for water. When you are thirsty, do you drink water?

Does your pet drink water?

NOTE : Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him/her if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? Nobody was able to see air because it does not have color. Nobody can feel it because air is a mixture of gases, which do not have texture at room temperature. We breathed normally, but could not breathe when our noses were pinched and we had to open our mouths to receive air. The child began to understand the importance of air for breathing and how, by blowing, we make move things and make sounds with a whistle or a flute.

She felt the pressure of air on her face when we opened up an inflated balloon.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #15 in the drawing section and color the figure.

Is it a ghost? It is a goblin? chable, and not perceivable u o t n u , e l b i s i v in by sme s i t a ll, Wh but surrounds us on every side?

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A Special Circular Motion

WHAT DO WE NEED? One small pinwheel One small spinning top One small yo-yo One small toy car One small toy helicopter One small fan

One small toy merry-go-round One small light spinner Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Review with your child how a washing machine works during the spin-dry circle.

2. Have him imitate washer’s movement by turning around in place with his arms extended.

3. Encourage your child to blow on a pinwheel. Show and explain to the child how pinwheel moves around and around.

4. Invite him to use a spinning top, a yo-yo, a car, a fan, and a merry-go-round. Review with your child how these articles move around and around.

NOTE : Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him/her if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? The child was able to explain how the washer moves as water is sucked out of the clothes during the spin dry cycle. He imitated the movement by turning around in place with his arms extended. We were also able to observe that circular motion occurs around a central point by using a yo-yo, a car, a helicopter, etc.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #16 in the drawing section and color the figure.

a n d d n u r o o r und we go. d n a d n u Ro Where it stops, nobody knows!

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17

Magnets, Irresistible Attraction

WHAT DO WE NEED? One small magnetic board (9” x 11 1⁄2”) Magnetic shapes, letters, fruits and animals Non-magnetic shapes, letters, fruits and animals

One small toy car One piece of wood and a paper Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Place on the worktable the magnetic board and give your child different magnetic and non-magnetic objects.

2. Invite her to stick the magnetic shapes onto the board, and stand the board up to see if magnetic shapes will stay stuck.

3. Have your child repeat step 1 with non-magnetic shapes.

4. Encourage her to repeat step 2 with magnetic animals.

5. Have your child repeat step 2 with non-magnetic animals.

6. Ask her to stick alternately magnetic and non-magnetic letters. Observe together if the letters stick to the board or not. Review with your child the letters’ behaviors.

7. Review with your child why magnetic animals stick to the board and why nonmagnetic animals do not.

8. Invite her to repeat step 2 with a piece of wood and a piece of paper. Discuss with your child the behaviors of these materials.

NOTE :

Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him/her if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? She was able to observe how magnetic materials stuck to the board while nonmagnetic materials did not, since the board was constructed with a magnetic material that attracts other magnets. She noted that wood and paper are not magnets because they did not stick to the board.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #17 in the drawing section and color the figure.

Simply irresistible! tract more than curi t a s e c r o f c i t e o s n ity! g a M

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18

How Everything in Nature Grows

WHAT DO WE NEED? One small spring and rubber band Two expandable gels, and two colored sands Paper baby and mommy animals Six 9oz clear plastic drinking cups

Two instant capsules (compressed foam that expands in contact with water) One bag of popcorn Adult help

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? 1. Review with your child how he has grown since he was a baby, and why he must have his nails and hair cut.

2. Review with him how the sizes of his shoes, pants, dresses, and T-shirts have changed.

3. Help your child add separately a small amount, such as the tip of a teaspoon, of each expandable gel in a clear plastic cup on the worktable. Assist him in adding two spoons of water into each cup. After 2 minutes, invite him to observe results.

4. Encourage your child to repeat step 3 using colored sand.

5. Have him stretch the spring and ask him if the spring seemed to enlarge.

6. Add warm water in two cups until they are 1â „2 full. Assist your child in placing an instant capsule into each one. After 10 minutes show him the figure that appears.

7. Ask your child to compare the sizes of the paper baby and mommy animals.

8. Invite him to go back to steps 3 and 4. Observe together what happened with the expandable gels. Show your child how the expandable gels grew while the colored sands did not.

9. Make popcorn and show him the kernels before and after they popped. Yum—enjoy the popcorn!

NOTE : Adult supervises the child at all times and helps him/her if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? He was able to explain that we have grown since we were babies and how that causes us to outgrow our clothes. He could also comment on why it is necessary to cut his nails or hair. We noted that expandable gels increased in size because they absorbed water while the colored sand did not. He also observed the increase in size of the instant capsules, since the capsules took in water while unrolling, growing into a figurine. We also saw the spring and rubber band appear to increase in length because they are flexible.

A PPLICATION : Go to Figure #18 in the drawing section and color the figure.

Let’s discover how living and nonliving things grow!

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Photos

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is Proud to Present our Book Collection and Experiment Kits:

Science Adventures for Kids

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Science Adventures for Kids

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Experiment Kits nce me Scie Aweso materials all provides ources r and es our perform o t d e d nee ents. experim

www.awesomesci.com

The Little Curious One invites parents to introduce their children to the wonders of science, while providing them with hours and hours of fun!

These exciting experiments, which parents and children can perform at home with everyday materials, will further develop the children’s senses and stimulate their natural curiosity about our environment. In this book you’ll find amazing adventures such as:

A Snow Man My Homemade Shiny Clay The Magic Bottle Creating Mysterious Colors