2.32 Super Science Day

 

exploringexperimentingProgram Connections

  • Exploring and Experimenting
    • 2 - Goofy Inventions {although this meeting does not specifically follow the instructions given in the Spark Activity Book, we feel the activities of this meeting fulfill the spirit of the badge requirements}

sciencegccaOther badges


Gathering Activity

  • thing in a jar
  • as girls are colouring, start the fish in water activity – one with saltwater and one with fresh water… explain after opening.

Opening song

Spark Promise

Activity

  • Do fish drink water? [science.gc.ca]
  • Freshwater fish, or fish that live in lakes, ponds, streams and rivers, do not drink water. They absorb water through their skin and gills. But saltwater fish, those that live in the ocean, drink water all the time! They have to drink water because there is less salt in their bodies than there is in the water around them. This means that water naturally goes out of the fish’s bodies all the time and into the salty water around them, so they need to drink to replace the water they have lost.
  • Materials: • 2 glass jars, • Raisins, • Salt, • Teaspoon, • Measuring cup, • Label (paper or tape), • Pencil
  • What to do:
    1. Fill two glass jars with water and label one saltwater and the other one freshwater.
    2. Add salt to one jar and stir until dissolved - a teaspoonful of salt to 250 ml of water.
    3. Add a handful of raisins to each jar. Keep a handful of raisins dry for comparison.
    4. Let stand for an hour.
    5. Observe the raisins (note: this part has to be done at the end of the meeting).
  • What happens to the raisins in the freshwater?
  • What would happen to freshwater fish if they drank water?
  • What happens to the raisins in the saltwater?
  • What would happen to fish in saltwater that did not drink a lot?
  • What would happen to you if you drank saltwater?

Activity

  • Water Pressure - how great is it? [science.gc.ca]
  • Materials: • Hammer and nail • Large empty juice can • Container of water • Dish pan to catch water • Tape
  • What to do:
    1. Use the hammer and nail to make three holes in a straight vertical line at the top, middle and bottom of the can.
    2. Place one piece of tape so it covers all three holes.
    3. Discuss what you think will happen when you remove the tape from the can. Will the water come out of each of the holes in the same way? Why/Why not?
    4. Holding the can upright, pull the tape off. Observe the flow of the water streams coming out of the can. Is there a difference? Which hole makes the longest stream of water? Why?
  • Discussion:  The bottom stream shoots out the farthest because it is being pushed down by the weight of the water above. The bottom stream is under the highest pressure, whereas the stream at the top is under the lowest pressure.

Activity

  • Money Puzzle [science.gc.ca]
  • Hand out prepared puzzles (from the activity book).
  • Discussion:  The $5 bills represent part of your weekly allowance. You have been depositing these $5 bills in your bank account in order to buy a CD player that costs $50. On the back of each bill, you will find a piece of the CD player you want. If you deposit $5 a week in your bank account, how many weeks will it take you to save the $50 needed for the CD player? The puzzle will help you find the answer.

Craft

  • Flubber
  • This recipe will make individual packets of flubber.
    • Put 3 tablespoons of water into a ziploc bag.
    • Add 1 tablespoon of white Elmer’s glue, not school glue.
    • Add 2 heaping tablespoons of Borax.
    • Have children mix the ingredients well in the bag.
    • Remove mixture from the bag and shape it into a ball.
    • If the mixture is too sticky, have the child roll the mixture in a little bit of Borax.
    • Your child will be able to stretch and shape this mixture.
    • You can also bounce the flubber or use it to pick up colored pictures from the comics.

Campfire

Activity

  • Don't forget to observe the raisins from the fish experiment started at the beginning of the meeting!

Closing Song