1. Slime
Lesson: Chemistry
All children love slime, but probably few realize they are performing a science experiment when they make it. As you mix the ingredients, you should talk about how the glue serves as the “polymer,” which is a long strain of repeated molecules, and other types of polymers are DNA, silk, and wool. As you add your starch or Borax, you are adding the “activator” which changes the consistency. Since slime is not solid but also not liquid (it’s actually a non-Newtonian fluid), you could also talk about states of matter.
2. Rainy Day Clouds
Lesson: Density
To learn about density, you should create rainy day clouds. You need to pour water in a small cup and squirt shaving cream on top of it, completely covering the water. Next, you need to drop food coloring droplets on top of the “clouds” and watch it seep through to the “sky” (water). At first, you should just add one or two drops but then go back through and add multiple drops. This will provide you a valuable opportunity to talk about the atmosphere which will lead to the water cycle.
3. Volcano
Lesson: Chemical Reactions
Not only does building a volcano count as a science lesson, but it could also serve as an art lesson. When you add the baking soda to the vinegar, dish soap, and water, it will cause an eruption, and after you’re done cleaning up the explosion, you can talk about chemical reactions…the “why” to the volcanic eruption. For your explosion to be red lava, add food coloring.
4. Walking Waters
Lesson: Capillarity
For this science experiment, you will need multiple cups filled with water, food coloring droplets, and paper towels. Starting with clear water placed in each cup, you should fold a paper towel and drape it into each cup so they form a row. Next, you need to place a different color of food coloring in each cup. Over time, the dye will absorb into the paper towels and “travel” into the next cup. Children will enjoy creating a rainbow, and this will lead to an opportunity for learning about capillarity which is a liquid’s tendency to rise or fall based on surface tension.
5. Egg Drop
Lesson: Gravity and Engineering
To tackle both gravity and engineering, you should have children use items around the house to create a device that will allow an egg to safely fall from a story above. Children can use items (ex. rice, foam, tissue paper, etc.) to insulate the object, and they can even create a little parachute for the device to fly down in. Of course, you should place the egg in a plastic bag to limit the mess should it break.
6. Fingerprint Balloon
Lesson: Fingerprints
Children use their hands hundreds of times throughout the day, but few look at their fingerprints. To study their fingerprints, children need to see an enlarged version of their fingerprints. You should have children use an ink pad or marker to color their fingertips and then press them on a light-colored balloon. As you blow the balloon up, children will be able to see the intricate parts of their fingerprints, and you can talk about the different parts of a fingerprint (loops, whorls, arches). It’s important to teach children that fingerprints are like DNA, and no two are alike.
7. Sundial
Lesson: Earth’s Rotation
For a lesson on the earth’s rotation, creating a sundial is the perfect way to learn. On the first day, you should secure a stick (ex. wooden dowel, ruler, pen, etc.) to a plate, and at the start of each hour, you will mark the stick’s shadow. By marking the shadow, you will be able to accurately tell what time it is on future days. Not only is creating a sundial a smart way to learn about the earth’s position, but it allows children to practice time which is a crossover from math.
Science experiments are an important part of any child’s education, and homeschool students should participate in science experiments too. Learning about science through hands-on experiments will provide children with a valuable education and create memories for you and your children.
Valerie Cox is a contributing writer for LOC Scientific. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, playing with her dog,
and volunteering in her local community
