| About This Archive | | DCHAS-L 2005 Index | | DCHAS-L Yearly Index | |
Check out Safety Emporium for your N95, N99, and face shield needs.
|
Previous by Date: Subject: Re: Class demo - whoa! Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 16:45:26 -0800 Author: L M |
Next by Date: Subject: Re: Class demo - whoa! Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 08:18:19 -0500 Author: List Moderator |
When my kids were little, I'd do a variety of science related demos for both their classes and scouts but I did not limit it purely to chemistry. For instance, I'd string a balloon attached to a cut piece of straw and show the concept of jet movement. A great favorite was using a candle in a jar with baking soda around it. When the candle was lit and a little vinegar was poured on the baking soda, the Carbon Dioxide gas would put out the candle. This helped show a variety of things that are useful for kids to know about gases (e.g. Carbon Monoxide is also invisible but can be dangerous...a good things to teach along with the idea of both smoke and CO detectors.) This was the only demo that used fire but it was not causing the fire...rather it was putting it out. We would do the always useful red cabbage water for acid/base concepts and the idea of titration. I would do surface tension with bubbles. I would capillary action with yarn, beakers, and colored water. I would talk about all the different things people did with chemistry (e.g. made and molded the plastics for their DVDs, made shampoos, soaps and detergents, and helped make sure people were healthy with medicines and tests.) Basically, I figured all concepts were fair game as long as I could use safe materials to show the idea. I never had a kid that was bored, even though there were no explosions. At least by the end of the demo, they did know a few things chemists did other than "blow things up" and just maybe some of them remembered that when they got older (I know my kids did but after all, they lived with me). Helen Gerhard
Previous post | Top of Page | Next post