Science Camp: Day Three

Remember when you do experiments, they won’t always go to plan, take as long as desired, or be as fun as you thought.  Tasty snacks are an important element at my Science Camps.  They blunt less successful experiments.

We started by testing three devices from The Library of Things: radon, thermo tester, and the Kill A Watt electricity usage monitor.  The radon monitor need to run for 24 hours.  We set it up in the basement.  The thermo tester was too boring.  (The girls pretended to be cats and chased around with the IR thermometer I have.). The Kill A Watt electricity monitor was a hit.  We hypothesized (guessed) which appliance drew the most energy: vacuum, toaster, waffle maker, blender, crock pot, and mixer.  We cheered the toaster for winning!  Most of the kids guessed correctly that the toaster would draw the most electricity.  

The girls made kaleidoscopes.  This was a personal request.  They work!   Making successful kaleidoscopes at Science Camp has been on my bucket list for years.  

The boys did the Cyanotype and the Tin experiments.  (Two of the boys had missed the tin lab we did on Monday.

The girls experimented with magnet doughnuts and made the magnets float.  We all tried Glow Germs..  I put a little powder on the table and demonstrate how it glows with the UV or black light flashlight.  (Here are different training materials available.). The kids rub some Glow lotion on to their hands, wash their hands well, and recheck the results with the UV flashlight.  (Check the wrist area and nailbeds.). When their parents ask what we did, the kids will say they washed their hands at Camp.

While the girls did Detecting the Force of Magnetism,  the boys built an electromagnet and telegraph.  What we learned is that the boys loathed the FOSS kit.  We learned that my husband, Rob, liked the kit and plans to use it with Physics. His Physics class had been unsuccessful with several electricity labs.  Despite being elementary, the kit works.  

Science Camp: Day Two

I made all kinds of plans for Science Camp.  But, when the kids are engaged and happy, I roll with it.  The girls tried color change with curry powder and turmeric.  The girls wanted to make giant bubbles.  Not on the schedule—but fine.  The boys wanted to build a Knex Nerf gun and test the hydraulics in the Geckobot kit.  One boy took home the Sterling engine and build it at home with his dad.  It has a solar panel which needs to charge.  We took a brownie break and went back to the Chemistry kits.  I also had a stack of inexpensive crafts I’m purging.  The girls are making pillows in between science experiments.  I think treats and crafts are fine to add to Science Camp.  Weather permitting we go to the pool after Camp, too.  The girls made Foam and loads of slime!  They tested color changing slime, fluffy slime, glitter slime, etc.  The boys made solutions  and performed experiments with different invisible inks and reactions with water glass, sodium silicate from the MEL kits.  I added PHTH Invisible Ink.  (Home Science tools sells phenolphthalein or PHTH.)  Another invisible ink is between Copper II sulfate and Ammonium carbonate.  Write with the solutions on paper using a q-tip.  The boys are loving all the building and the chemical experiments.  If I don’t get to do everything I planned, it’s fine.

Science Camp: Day One

 Yeah!  Let’s start Science Camp. I am a hypocrite. I’m using loads of kits for Science Camp.  I bought MEL kits, the FOSS set, COSI kits, and the Thames and Kosmos sets from Good Will.  I got good deals on all of the kits.  The kids are completely thrilled with the kits and excited to keep them.

 Things are kind of split into boys and girls.  The boys are thirteen and the girls are eight.  Their preferences differ tremendously.  The girls tried using butterfly tea as a pH indicator. Mainly they explored color changes using baking soda, citric acid, sudsy ammonia, and vinegar.  The girls were enthralled with mixing and changing colors for any hour.  Next the girls worked with Fizz Wizard and Jammin’ Jelly  (Here, here, and here are several, similar experiments.)  My husband, Rob lead the experiments, insisted on learning new terms, and performed every lab exactly as described.  The girls used balance from the FOSS kits I bought from Good Will to weigh Pokémon toys.  The girls played with Crayola 3D chalk and made bracelets.  (The girls love crafts.  I alternated crafts with science.)

The boys started with the MEL Tin Science kits.  (I bought refills of stannous chloride and sodium bisulfate at Amazon.  We used the kit in Chemistry and Physics.)  Next we moved on to my stash of Physics kits.  I bought loads of kit for my husband, Rob’s Physics classes.  He hasn’t used any of them—ever!  I asked the boys if they wanted to try the kits and then keep them.  (I have a dozen.)  At thirteen, the boys still love building kits and were excited to keep them.  What a win.  We’re cleaning off several shelves.  My girlfriend is taking extra supplies home for Co-op. The boys spent the entire morning doing the Chemistry Kit and playing with the Remote Control Machines kit.  

Science Camp Starts Monday!

I’m in the last stages of denial.  Ready or not Science Camp starts Monday.   I’ve been working on ideas for months; this time most of my ideas are new.  This fills me with terror.  Are they engaging?  Age appropriate?  Will we finish hours before camp ends?  I have loads of stuff; now to see if things work.

Science on a Shoestring: Lab Equipment

One time, at a GLOBE workshop, the presenter told us to start with a bucket and a thermometer.  What tools are most essential for science classes, especially high school level courses?  Basics include safety glasses, thermometers, pipettes, graduated cylinders, pH paper, and a digital scale.  This equipment costs less than $36 on Amazon.  A set of test tubes in a cardboard holder is $10.  (Use a clothespin as a test tube holder.)  Sub a glass medicine dropper for the plastic pipettes.  Save large yogurt container to use as beakers.  Use cupcake papers as weigh papers for the digital scale.  You can perform many labs with these simple materials.  Don’t let cost keep you from doing labs. 

Science Camp: The Library of Things

 Have you heard of the Library of Things?  Our local library system offers environmental test devices.  They loan them for two weeks.  Rob and I borrowed them in order to test the devices ourselves before Science Camp.  Below are pix of the devices.  I’m in the throes of preparations for Camp.  I’ll post more next week.