Apologia Chemistry: Tales from the Poisoner’s Handbook

The Facebook Chemistry group mentions Tales from the Poisoner’s Handbook frequently.  I didn’t realize the Tales are from PBS.  Tales is an online graphic novel with stories of crimes from the 1920s that formed the basis for Forensic science.   Along with the Tales are these labs.  I like to assign Chemmatters articles with labs, such as The Forensics of Blood—which goes along with the carbon monoxide activity from Tales.  My kids are doing Mystery Powders over the Christmas Break—which is a standard CSI lab.  I’ve been holding contests to make remote Chemistry class more fun.  I’m going to talk to the kids about the next contest, a DIY CSI lab.  The prize is syringe pens!  I’ll post more about the CSI lab project once we determine the details and project requirements.

Forensics

 I have used Forensics at Science Camp.  The experiments are just fun.  At the Camp, we invited a police officer to show up how to map a crime scene.  At Camp, we measured a room.   Let me share a few ideas.  Do you want your own crime scene?  Here are recipes for fake blood at The Forensics Teacher, along with these labs: Easy Fingerprinting, examining money, crime scene, shoe prints, etc.  Stem Works has these ideas, including Wingspan.  When you browse Stem Works, note the paper chromatography and mystery powders labs.   You can add a Forensics unit to Chemistry or Physical Science classes.  DNA and blood tests dovetail with Biology.  I’m going to talk with my Chemistry kids to see if they would like to do a Forensics project with some of these activities from ACS.  

Merry Christmas and Dyson’s Science

 Merry Christmas!  Dysentery, yes the vacuum people, have science challenges: Frosty Can Snowman and Christmas Biscuit House engineering project.  The James Dyson Foundation has more Challenge Cards to promote engineering, including a cardboard chair.  May God grant all of us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Things You Never Knew You Needed...

I love Good Will online.   Today’s update to ‘Things You Never Knew You Needed’ is Physics Tuning Forks.  So tempting.  My husband, Rob, teaches Physics.  He has one tuning fork.  Here and here are ideas to use with a using fork in Physics.  

Mass the Gas

 I assigned Mass the Gas Lab to my kids to help them understand conservation of matter.  I sent home Chem kits with loads of supplies for the labs.  The kids send back photos with the labs.  The is help to ensure kids are doing the labs and to see if they are following instructions.  Here is an example.

Jumping Pepper

 Time to do static demos.  We were playing with static electricity and the Star Wars Levitator.  My husband wanted the Levitator to pick up pepper—not enough static.  We used a balloon for Jumping Pepper.   Static electricity demos are best on cold, dry days.  You can generate static by rubbing a balloon on thin, blonde hair.  Take a look at the video.

Star Wars Jedi Force Levitator

 The Star Wars Jedi Force Levitator is a weak Van deer Graff generator.  Yes, I bought mine at Good Will online.  Cold, dry, winter days are perfect for static electricity experiments.  We made two very short video demos.

Family Science: Palm Pipes

Have you tried Palm Pipes? You need a length of PVC pipe.  Steve Spangler’s store sells a colorful set, too.  Here are instructions to make your own palm pipe set.  I think I bought my set for Good Will.  What an ingenious concept!  The notes coincide with the length of the pipe. 

Family Science: Water Wonders

 I bought Water Winders as part of a science bundle from Good Will online.  The toy has a fountain and tornado tube.  (Make Cartesian Divers, too. Here is a group kit with brass nuts and pipettes.  It’s hard to locate the exact nut to fit the graduated pipettes.).   Here are instructions to make a bottle fountain.  Here are directions for a DIY vortex or tornado tube.  Yes, I’ve tried the DIY tornado tubes without any luck.  I buy the plastic tubes for Science Camp. Below is a demo video.

Family Science: Underwater Telephone and a DIY Stethoscope

 We played with the Underwater Telephone.  Not great.  Instead try to make a stethoscope.  DIY stethoscopes work best on a person with a strong pulse or heart beat.

Family Science: Mini-copter

 We played with several flyers I ordered for Science Camp, from Educational Innovations.  Below are short videos playing with toys.  BTW, Educational Innovations has clear instructions.

Family Science: Rotocopters

 Rotocopters were originally in the Exploratorium Explorer book.  I’ve used these paper helicopters for Science Camp as a start-up activity.  When I do these helicopters, I make a few models and show the kids where to cut and fold.  Print out several copies of the template: these are fun!  

Family Science: Flyers

 I ordered a bunch of flying toys from Educational Innovations last Spring in anticipation of Science Camp.  We are going to try all of the flyers this week.  Our little household is going to do a little School, finish some Christmas presents, bake, and do some science.  You can make paper helicopters, rotocopters, or these flying toys, from Toys from Trash.  I hadn’t thought to print the helicopter templates on to card stock.  We’ll have to try those, too.  Below is a photo of our commercial flyers.  I’ll post more shots later this week.

Family Science: Just Add Water!

 Have you seen the Just Add Water Kit, Just Add Water, or this Just Add Water kit?  Someone in marketing has a sense of humor.  The STEAM Powered Family has forty water experiments.  Fizzics Education has more water experiments, including this Underwater Telephone.  Save the funnel, tubing, and balloons to make DIY Stethoscopes.  My kids made these for Anatomy.  Compare the DIY stethoscopes with a commercial one.  Good Will online has stethoscopes often.  I plan to try the underwater telephone next week.

Family Science: Soda Science

Next week, our little household is gearing down for Christmas.  Along with making cookies and finishing Christmas presents, we’re doing a bit of science.  I’m testing several experiments to add to my Chem kit for Co-op Chemistry.  I bought Neo/Sci Soda Pop Science kit at Good Will.  (eBay sells similar kits if you are interested.). ACS has some background on soda pop for kids.  Here are instructions for making your own soda pop and varying the amounts of citric acid and baking soda.  Make Invisible soda.  I’m testing this solubility lab and Shimmy Shimmy Soda Pop labs for my Chem kit.  I’ll post photos when we do the experiments next week.

Family Science: Hot Ice

 Over my chemistry teaching career, kids have clamored to make Hot Ice.  The kids trying to make Hot Ice used lab grade sodium acetate.  It never worked.  Today, we tried Frugal Fun’s Hot Ice instructions using baking soda and vinegar.  (Here is the balanced chemical equation.). I followed Frugal Fun’s Hot Ice instructions, even scraping crystals from the side of the pan with a butter knife.   

Sodium acetate after boiling...

Scraped crystals of sodium acetate....

Back to the fridge...nothing.

Back to the stove...surface of the moon.  I added water and put the solution (mess) back in the fridge...

Crystals?  Check.  Hot ice?  Not so much.

Frugal Science Experiments

I’m all about frugal science labs because then you can do more labs!  Yeah!  One of the best sources for frugal experiments is Frugal Fun.  Another good source is the learning center for Home Science Tools.  The Exploratorium has a treasure trove of inexpensive science activities: Head Harps, Secret Bells, Palm Pipes, Stereo Sound, Bee Hummer, and a Make Your Own Rainstick.  The Science Kiddo has 16 (Almost) Free Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids.  Our little household is doing some science while we wait impatiently for Christmas.

Family Science: Snow Globe

I changed my mind and Paul made a snow globe after all.  The benzoic acid arrived and I found a jar and a Pokémon figure.  Pokémon sealed the deal for Paul.  Otherwise, Paul and my husband, Rob, loathe crafts.  I used Flinn Scientific’s Benzoic Acid Blizzard in a Bottle.  HST sells benzoic acid.  It worked!  I had never used benzoic acid before.  I’m using this for a chemistry lab after Christmas.  Take a look!

Bundles of Science Kits

 Good Will has some nice bundles of science kits: Tinker Crates, Assorted Kits, and Snap Circuits.  Warning!  Check the shipping before you bid.  Some Good Will stores on Good Will online gross up the weight.  Have you been wanting to try a kit or order one as a gift.  Here’s an opportunity to get a deal.

Make a Diorama

Let me first confess that I was dubious of the benefits of creating a diorama.  Paul, ten, is studying invertebrates in Harcourt Science.  The project calls for a diorama of a tree frog, tarantula, or an iguana.  Paul picked the tree frog.  He may chose the poison dart frog, too.  Paul is doing his own research on the rain forest and clay dart frogs.  When we scrounged for clay and a box, Paul mentioned his koala diorama he made in fourth grade.  Kids remember just about everything they do and almost nothing they hear.  On to Pinterest for a trove of ideas.

Family Science: Colorful Pine Cones

Colorful Pine Cones is one of the labs I have done at Science Camp.  The kids soak pine cones in buckets of chemicals and remove them, and dry.  These pine cones make great Christmas gifts.  HST sells strontium chloride.  Colorful pine cones are very similar to colorful birthday candles. Metallic salts change color when they are heated.  (Here is an explanation.  The electrons in the metallic salts get excited and emit a color as they resume a stable electron orbit.).   Magical Flames are metallic salts.  You can mix boric acid, Epsom salts, borax, Kosher salt, copper sulfate or these chemicals together to create your own colorful flames—no pine cones required.  Bag up the mix of metallic salts as small gifts.  Fun and quick!  We mixed copper sulfate, sea salt, Epsom salt, and strontium chloride together as a present.  We tried the mix in a beaker.  The salts are meant to be tossed on a roaring fire—best outside in a fire pit.  The last picture is an example of colorful flame candles.

Quality Science Labs

Quality Science Labs have excellent kits.  I bought the high school physics kit for my husband’s physics class.  He did not use the lab manual with the kit; however, Rob used the contents for his labs.  Browse the QSL kits on their website.  Good Will online and eBay have listings.  My target price for a complete kit is $30-$35.  Okay, my target price is $20; I’ll willing to pay $35 for a relatively complete kit.  

Family Science: Bath Salts

 Let’s make bath salts.  We used this recipe with vanilla extract.  How do you make this into a science experiment?  Test different recipes.  This recipe uses washing soda or sodium carbonate with a little oil and food coloring.  Let your child research several recipes, such as this one with Epsom salts and sea salts.  Instruct your child to try baking soda, Epsom salt, and sea salt separately in bowls of water.  Combine two of each in water.  Which combination seems to work best?  Is there a significant difference?  See?  This is science.  We packaged our salts into small bags for presents.

Christmas Lectures

Did you know there are traditional Christmas lectures in science?  This link is a slideshow with holiday lectures.  Christmas lectures were once an English tradition.  One famous example is Michael Faraday’s Lecture about a candle.  (Here is an ebook with six Faraday lectures and activities, along with explanations.  Here is the first lecture in the series on YouTube.). Dr. Shakhashiri has some of his videos on his website.  The Christmas videos are demonstrations, usually titled Once Upon a Christmas Cheery in the Lab of Shakhashiri.  Here, along with projects is Festive Chemistry, A Holiday Chem Lab.  Add a video to your science crafts.

Apologia Chemistry: Virtual Chemical Reactions

 My Co-op kids are learning about chemical reactions.  They are doing several labs from the Chem kits I sent home.  What if you aren’t comfortable with chemical reactions?  Flinn has Flinn at home labs.  When you click on the link, you’ll see lab videos and links for student and teacher documents.  You have the option to watch the lab videos or to complete the labs independently.  I like the fact you can watch a scientist perform the lab before you decide if you have the materials to do the lab.  Take a look.

Discrepant Event with Pennies

 My Co-op kids are making discrepant event videos.  I have permission to share this one with you.  The two discrepant events are Disappearing Penny and Dancing Penny.  The girls producing the video had fun with animation.

Catch an Egg.....with a Cookie Sheet

 This is physics.  I know because my brain just shuts off.  My Co-op kids are making discrepant event videos.  One student made a video tossing an egg against a bed sheet.  When my husband teaches Physics, he and the kids use cookie sheets to catch raw eggs.  I made a video to demonstrate.  It has to do with impulse.  My husband, Rob, explains it in the video.

Things you never knew you needed: Phlebotomy Simulation

 I am so tempted to bid on this Phlebotomy Simulation Set at Good Will’s online store.  Wouldn’t this make a great addition to an anatomy class?  Let’s take blood!

Hands-on Anatomy Labs with Office Supplies

 I’ve taught Human Anatomy to both elementary and high school level students.  Some activities work for both groups. I like measurable tasks for labs with inexpensive equipment.  These activities use rulers, rubber bands, paper clips, and clothespins.   Start with Reaction Times or catching a ruler.  Next is Muscle Fatigue with a clothespin; Muscle Models require rubber bands and a ruler.  Measure your Wingspan vs Height.  Prod nerves with paper clips for a Nervous Experiment. Prod gently!  Here are several nervous system experiments.  Treat these activities like any lab.  Collect and graph the data.  Take photos and repeat trials.  Explain what is happening in terms of anatomy and physiology.  Simple doesn’t mean stupid.  Want to expand on these activities?  Ask a nurse friend to bring over her stethoscope, oximeter, and blood pressure cuff to show the kids how to do a nursing assessment.  

Ugly LabCoat Contest Submissions

 Here they are!  The first one is in Kyle Bush’s colors.

Chemistry: Chemistree Ideas

Some Chemistry teachers assemble and decorate Christmas trees for their classrooms and call them Chemistrees.  ACS has ideas for sciency ornaments.  Here are links to make even more ornaments.  

Chemistry: Ugly Lab Coat Contest

 Want a fun activity?  Here is an Ugly LabCoat to color.  You could use it for review.  I think it’s just a fun activity for class.

Physical Science: Heat from Light Bulbs

 Did you buy an infrared thermometer Black Friday?  Do you have lamps in your house with LED or CFL light bulbs?  Even an incandescent light bulb?  Light vs Heat Bulbs is from Teach Engineering and uses an IR thermometer.  Let your kids go on a scavenger hunt to test the temperatures of light bulbs all over the house.  NASA Absorbing Light is a classic experiment to test whether black or white colors absorb more heat.  Goose neck lamps with incandescent light bulbs work best.  However, you can try direct sunlight, too.  Want your kids to do a bit of math?  Here is a worksheet to compare the cost of using an incandescent, CFL, or LED bulb.  I like to add a little economics to my math lessons.

Family Science: Snow Globes

Let's make snow globes--or do a couple of fun experiments!  Two chemicals you'll need are benzoic acid,  ammonium chloride, and instant snow.  MEL Science has this experiment, Snowfall in a Bottle, which requires 70 grams ammonium chloride.  Just halve the amount of water if you order 30 grams instead.  Flinn Science's Blizzard in a Bottle requires just one gram of benzoic acid to use in baby food jar snow globe.   Home Science Tools has a DIY Snow Globe project.   A beautiful mess has a snow globe greeting card craft.  What about the instant snow?  MEL Chemistry has this experiment with instant snow and methylene blue--also available at HST.  If you haven't used instant snow before use Steve Spangler's instructions.  Science Sparks has these fun ideas to do with instant snow.  Instant Snow is also sold as sodium polyacrylate.  Paul and my husband, Rob, loathe crafts.  We’re playing with the Instant Snow and I ordered benzoic acid for next week.  Below are pix with instant snow, or sodium polyacrylate.  I tried phenol red, an indicator, with the snow.  There was a color change in the beaker, probably from residue in the beaker.  The phenol red did dye the snow.

Apologia Chemistry: Mystery Powder Lab

 Over the Christmas break, my Chemistry Co-op class is going to do a Mystery Powder Lab.  (See this post.)  Here’s the idea.  The kids test known household  chemicals: Epsom salts, table salt, sugar, calcium chloride, Cream of Tartar, cornstarch, flour, citric acid, etc.  The kids test each chemical with iodine, alcohol, water, and pH paper.  They need to write down their observations.  Then the kids repeat the same tests on unknown chemicals.  Basically, they are doing a qualitative analysis scheme.  Below are pix of the materials and from last year’s lab.