STEM At Home
Newsletter 5 - Nov 2017
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Do It Yourself Shrinky DinksWhat you need:
Clear plastic containers (ideally #6) - permanent markers - oven - scissors - aluminum foil tray (This activity should be done with adult supervision) What to do: Preparation: Adults start by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and move the rack to the bottom level.)
Record your observations:
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What's Happening?
The plastic you used for your design is made up of long molecular chains that look a little bit like spaghetti (only on a much smaller scale!). When the plastic - or polymers, their chemical name - are made into different types of containers the long "spaghetti" strands are pulled straight. The thing is, these strands would prefer to be all tangled up in a ball, so when you heat them up in the oven they curl back up and shrink to a smaller size.
Different types of plastics (or polymers) have a different amount of curl to them, so depending on what plastic you use, you're shrinky dink will shrink to a larger or smaller percentage of its original size.
Different types of plastics (or polymers) have a different amount of curl to them, so depending on what plastic you use, you're shrinky dink will shrink to a larger or smaller percentage of its original size.
Newsletter 4 - Aug 2017
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Salt and Pepper MagnetWhat you need:
balloon - plate - salt - pepper optional - other spices What to do:
Record your observations:
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What's Happening?
When you rub the balloon against your hair the surface of the balloon becomes covered with small particles called electrons. These electrons are the same particles that power the light bulbs or give you a shock in the winter when you touch the door handle after walking across the carpet!
Electrons have a negative charge and it will attract things that have a positive charge (like the salt and pepper). In general (but not always) the pepper is smaller and lighter than the salt, so it will "jump" to the balloon first.
Electrons have a negative charge and it will attract things that have a positive charge (like the salt and pepper). In general (but not always) the pepper is smaller and lighter than the salt, so it will "jump" to the balloon first.
Newsletter 3 - June 2017
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Salty Diamond CrownWhat you need:
finished toilet paper rolls - bowls - salt - water - scissors optional - markers or food coloring What to do:
Record your observations:
Print out our STEM mini-notebook
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What's Happening?
When you mix the salt and water the salt dissolves in the water. As the water is absorbed by the toilet paper roll the salt is also absorbed. As the water evaporates from the toilet paper roll the salt is left behind and salt crystals start to grow. The longer you wait, and the more salt you use, the bigger the crystals will be.
Newsletter 2 - May 2017 |
Milk Painting |
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What you need:
a plate of milk · food coloring (2 – 4 colors) · liquid soap · a toothpick What to do:
Record your observations:
Print out our STEM mini-notebook
What's Happening?Milk is made up of mostly water with droplets of fat in it. The droplets of fat (which are like a type of oil) don't mix well with the water. In fact - the fat and water in milk are very nicely balanced like a house of cards or a pyramid of marbles.
When you add in the soap - which can mix with both the water and the fat - that balance is disrupted. Just as if you removed a card from your house of cards or a marble from your pyramid of marbles, the remaining pieces now rush around to find a new balance. In all that commotion of the water and fat trying to find a new balance, the food coloring gets taken along for a ride, and we get to see some beautiful designs. | ||
Newsletter 1 - Feb 2017 |
Make A mini-Hovercraft |
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What you need:
1 CD · a sports water bottle cap · strong glue · a balloon. What to do:
Record your observations:
Print out our STEM mini-notebook.
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