Supplies:
- 3 chenille stems for each figure
- 1 wooden bead big enough to be the head – 5/8 to 3/4 inch
- 1 or 2 regular-sized colored plastic drinking straws for each figure
- 5 pony beads for each figure
- Small wire cutters
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Permanent markers for the face
- Glue
- Optional: Yarn, extra chenille stems, felt scraps, or other decorative items
- 3 chenille stems for each figure
- 1 wooden bead big enough to be the head – 5/8 to 3/4 inch
- 1 or 2 regular-sized colored plastic drinking straws for each figure
- 5 pony beads for each figure
- Small wire cutters
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Permanent markers for the face
- Glue
- Optional: Yarn, extra chenille stems, felt scraps, or other decorative items
Directions:
- Take one of the chenille stems and twist it around the other two about 2/3 of the way up; twist about three times, or enough so that they will not unwind. (See #1 picture below)
- Slide 3 pony beads over both of the “legs” up to the twist you made.
- With the permanent marker, draw a face on the bead; then slide the bead down over the middle two stems.(See #2 picture)
- Cut off some of the excess stem above the bead, but leave enough to coil it into a bun. Use a little glue to glue the bun flat to the “head.” (Alternate method: Cut several strands of yarn for hair and twist the excess stem over it to hold it in place.)
- With the scissors, snip eight sections of colored straw about 1 ¼ inches long.
- Slide two of the sections over the “arms.” Twist the part of the stem that is sticking out to form mitten-type hands with thumbs. Tuck the excess stem back into the straw. (See #3 and #4 pictures)
- Slide a section of the straw over each “leg;” add a pony bead, and then the other section of straw. Form the part of the stem that is sticking out into a big foot so your figure can stand up. Tuck the excess stem back into the straw.
- If you want, you can decorate your figure with extra chenille stems, felt, yarn, or whatever you happen to have. You can make warriors, princesses, superheroes, knights – anything you want! (See #5 picture)
![ninja 1](/sites/default/files/images/whatsnew/ninja1.jpg)
![ninja 2](/sites/default/files/images/whatsnew/ninja2.jpg)
![ninja 3](/sites/default/files/images/whatsnew/ninja3.jpg)
![ninja 4](/sites/default/files/images/whatsnew/ninja4.jpg)
![ninja 5](/sites/default/files/images/whatsnew/ninja5.jpg)
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/UnGxbypCuBw?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu
Supplies:
For solution:
- Clean container, big enough to hold your solution
- Distilled water (tap water will work but distilled water is best)
- Dishwashing liquid like Dawn
- Glycerin
- White sugar
For Bubble cube:
- 7 pipe cleaners, cut in half
- 12 plastic straws, each one cut to fit a pipe cleaner half, with about ¼-½” of pipe cleaner left exposed at each end
- For the bubble blower, you’ll need a plastic pipette. Just snip ½” off the bulb end of the
pipette. This is the end you’ll dip into the bubble solution.
Directions:
- Start with a clean container that will hold as much solution as you plan to make.
- Add distilled water (tap water can be substituted, but the minerals in it will affect the bubbles), in 1 cup increments.
- For each cup of distilled water, add 2 Tbsp of dishwashing liquid (original Dawn works really well).
- For each cup of distilled water, add 1 Tbsp of glycerin (grocery story grade, or pharmaceutical grade).
- For each cup of distilled water, add 1 tsp of white sugar.
- Gently stir the ingredients in the container, being careful not to make it frothy and bubbly.
- Cover the container and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
Meanwhile... make a bubble cube and a bubble blower for your Bubble Magic …
- Twist 3 of the pipe cleaner halves together at one end to make a triangular, pyramid-shaped component. Use 12 of the pipe cleaner halves to make a total of 4 of these three-legged pieces.
- Slide a piece of straw onto each pipe cleaner leg, leaving ¼-½”” sticking out of the open end.
- To build the cube, twist each pipe cleaner end on one component to the ends on another component. Continue connecting the legs until the cube is complete. Try to make the shape as even as possible.
- Use the last two pieces of pipe cleaner for handles by twisting each piece onto the cube at opposite corners. Curve the “handle” ends to make a shape that you can easily hold onto.
Now to make Bubble Magic …
- Get the cold bubble solution from the refrigerator, and carefully stir the mixture. Avoid making froth and bubbles. Whenever that forms on the top, take a minute to skim it off with a spoon so that you’ll get better bubbles with your cube.
- Dip your cube into the solution, letting it sit there for a few seconds, and lift it out by holding on to the two handles. Gently shake the cube so that the soap film can even itself out and excess solution can drip back into your container.
- Gently shake the cube again so that you can see a new shape, with a “square” bubble in the center. Be sure the “square” is horizontal so that you can see the square when you look down into the cube from above it.
- Set the cube gently on a flat surface to keep the bubble film stable while you prepare a bubble with your pipette bubble blower, or ask a friend to blow a bubble with the pipette.
- Blow a pipette bubble and gently drop it right into the center of the square. And ...
TA-DAH! The round bubble you dropped into the cube “magically” turned into a bulging cube … a square bubble. Now that’s Bubble Magic!
*You can also use your bubble cube as a wand. Submerse it in the solution, lift it out carefully, and holding the handles, “pull” it through the air. Watch for a trail of connected spherical shapes!
Watch this project at : https://youtu.be/iY_0gSND-40?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu
Supplies:
- A piece of 8 ½ X 11 white cardstock
- Watercolor paints
- School glue
- Small bottle of black acrylic craft paint
- Small paintbrush
- Cup of water for rinsing your paintbrush
Directions:
- Print the half butterfly image provided (see below) onto your cardstock. Fold the cardstock exactly in half and then unfold to make a crease in the middle. (Alternate method: Draw a butterfly picture onto half of your cardstock with a pencil putting the exact middle of the butterfly on the crease.)
- Make black glue by adding black acrylic craft paint to a small bottle of plain school glue until a dark, black color is achieved. Mix well.
- Using the tip of the glue nozzle, trace a fine line of glue onto all of the printed lines of the butterfly picture. Don’t use too much glue! Put the glue on only the half of the picture with the copied lines. Leave the other half blank.
- Fold the paper in half again while the glue is wet and press together gently. Then open up the cardstock. The pattern you traced will now be duplicated on the other half of the cardstock.
- Let the glue dry. You can speed up the process by using a blow dryer on low heat to gently dry the glue.
- When the glue is completely dry, use your watercolors to color in all of the white sections. You can decide which colors to use!
Oops! My butterfly isn’t exactly the same on both sides. That’s okay! Real butterflies’ wings aren’t exactly the same on both sides, either! Just like with people’s faces, one side is slightly different than the other.
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/Gimm3roL-3Q
Supplies:
- Clean, clear jar with lid
- Thin glow stick
- Scissors
- Table covering or tray
- Glitter (optional)
Directions:
- With a grown-up's help, cut the tip off the glow stick.
- Place the open end of the glow stick in the jar and shake it back and forth so that it splatters. Turn the jar as you splatter.
- Add a small pinch of glitter, sprinkling onto the sides of the jar where the splatters are.
- Cover with lid and take into a very dark room.
Fireflies are not flies but beetles and do exist in Colorado! They hang out by permanent water sources like ponds, lakes, and streams.
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/LRNWJVQRFYw
Supplies:
- Embroidery or regular thread
- Piece of cotton fabric or item made of cotton
- Sewing needle
- Scissors
- Sharpie or other dark marker
Directions:
- Using a sharpie, mark dots on your fabric which will guide you as you sew your design.
- Thread your needle by pushing thread through the eye of the needle. Make a knot at the end of your piece of thread.
- Start on the wrong side of your fabric or on the inside of your item, and push the needle up through the fabric through your starting dot. Bring all the thread through, slowly, making sure the thread doesn't tangle.
- Go to the next dot in your design and push the needle down through that dot, bringing all the thread through again.
- Continue until your first design is complete. Finish your design by weaving your needle through the thread on the wrong side of the fabric several times, making a couple loops so the thread will be secure. Cut the thread.
- Re-thread for the next design or continue if you have enough thread on your needle.
- Enjoy your original design!
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/5tX-0F2bAsA
Supplies:
- Baking soda (1/3 c.)
- Vinegar
- Small bowl
- Golf ball or other small ball that sinks and doesn't float
- Tray
- Paper towels
- Warm water (1 cup)
- Plastic wrap
- Food coloring
Directions:
- Put a golf ball in a small bowl. Cover both the ball and bowl with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap hangs out over the edge. Push the plastic wrap down around the ball.
- Mix a third cup baking soda into one cup of warm water and add food coloring. Mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the small bowl and over and around the golf ball. Make sure you cover the ball with the baking soda/water mixture. You may need to spoon in some of the baking soda that sits at the bottom of the bowl of warm water.
- Place the bowl in a flat place in the freezer. Freeze for at least 4 hrs.
- When frozen solid, place the bowl in warm water so the ice comes loose. Place on a tray and lift the volcano out of the bowl. Pry out the golf ball with a spoon and carefully remove the plastic wrap.
- Spoon on some vinegar and watch the icy volcano. This project is fun to do outside.
- Refreeze your volcano for another day, if there's anything left.
Watch this video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo3tfS85M4k&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Supplies:
- Tablecloth
- Paints (any kind, or water colors could work too)
- Paintbrushes (any kind)
- Paint tray
- Tissue paper or construction paper (three sheets of different colors or just white works too)
- Cardboard
- Glue or Mod Podge
- Yarn or string
- Scissors
- Dowel(s) or a coat hanger or a branch with yarn or string tied on.
- Scissors
Directions:
- Cover your workspace with a table cloth or newspaper.
- Spread out your tissue paper (or construction paper).
- Apply paint to the tissue paper in broad strokes, (no need to cover the entire tissue paper with wet paint.) After the first color is dry, add another color. Let dry again before adding another color. Add designs too, like swirls or zigzags. Let tissue paper dry.
- Take cardboard and draw large shapes like a star, crescent moon, square, circle, etc. Cut out the shapes.
- When tissue paper is dry, tear into smaller pieces (but not tiny pieces).
- Water down some glue or use Mod Podge to cover a cardboard piece, then place a piece of painted tissue paper onto the glued piece of cardboard. Trim any excess tissue paper. Paint glue over the tissue paper too. Repeat with several shapes and allow all pieces to dry.
- With a grown-up's help, poke a hole at one end of each cardboard shape. Using different lengths of string or yarn, string up your shapes.
- Hang your stringed shapes from your branch or dowel. If you're using two dowels, you can tie them together first by crossing them and tying string or yarn where they intersect.
- Adjust your hanging shapes along the dowel so that it's balanced when it hangs. Hang your mobile art up for all to admire.
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl79U5s4GrA&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
SUPPLIES AND INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup 49 Volume Hydrogen Peroxide (*3% solution, first aid quality, will work … it produces a smaller reaction)
- 1 TBSP liquid dish soap
- 1 packet (1 TBSP) Active Dry Yeast
- 4 TBSP warm water
- Plastic Cup for mixing yeast and water
- Food coloring
- Plastic soda bottle (*16 oz. - 1 liter)
- Washable or protected work surface
- Foil Tray with high sides and/or Larger cookie sheet or tray with sides
- Funnel (optional)
- *Safety goggles (*or … ski/snow goggles, swim goggles) … for general eye protection!
DIRECTIONS:
To make up a batch of hippopotamus toothpaste …
- Place the soda bottle in your tray(s) … on a washable, protected surface.
- Pour 150 ml (½ cup) of 40 Volume Hydrogen Peroxide into the soda bottle.
- Add 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap to the bottle.
- Pour the packet of yeast into the small cup.
- Pour 4 tablespoons of warm water over the yeast.
- Carefully swirl the cup around to further mix the yeast and water. *It should be the consistency of melted ice cream. Allow about 30 seconds. Add a bit more warm water, if needed.
- Dribble several stripes of food coloring down the inside of the soda bottle. This should produce stripes, just like you might see in real toothpaste.
- Pour the yeast solution into the soda bottle … and stand back! Watch the mixture expand and foam up.
(You might want to use a funnel for this!)
*Once the chemical reaction is complete, you should have (mostly) just soapy water and yeast. However, if you used the Volume 40 product, and some of the peroxide was unreached in the experiment, it could irritate skin and eyes. For that reason, it’s
recommended that you don’t play with the foam! And DON’T BRUSH ANY TEETH WITH THIS FOAM!
How It Works …
Each tiny foam bubble in this chemical reaction is filled with oxygen. The yeast is a catalyst, a substance that speeds up a reaction. It quickly broke apart the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide … and that created lots and lots of bubbles! Your experiment not only created bubbles, but also heat … that makes it an EXOTHERMIC reaction.
Clean Up …
It’s safe to use a sponge to wipe up foam from your table surface, and just wash the remaining liquid and foam from the bottle and tray down the sink drain.
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/N91i9ih62ZM?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu
Supplies:
- Watercolors
- Cup of water
- Paint brush
- Pencil
- Black crayon or oil pastel
- White watercolor paper or heavy cardstock
- Black cardstock or construction paper
- White school glue
- Glue stick
- Optional: popsicle stick or toothpicks to spread glue
Directions:
Oil Pastel & Glue Watercolor Stained Glass
- Lightly draw a stained-glass design with pencil on your white paper.
- Outline the stained-glass design with black pastel or crayon.
- Working section by section, wet a section of your design with a paintbrush and plain water. Dab watercolor in that section. Feel free to mix colors.
- Repeat for each section of your design, wetting the paper first, before adding paint.
- Let your design dry.
- Outline each section of your design with glue, inside the black lines.
- Spread glue in each section.
- Let your project dry.
- Finished!
Collage-style Stained Glass
- You will need a sheet of black cardstock or construction paper to be the background of your final project.
- Lightly draw a stained-glass design with pencil on your white watercolor paper.
- Working section by section, wet a section of your design with a paintbrush and plain water. Dab watercolor in that section. Feel free to mix colors.
- Repeat for each section of your design, wetting the paper first, before adding paint.
- Let your design dry.
- Cut out each section of your design.
- Lay out your cutout pieces on the black paper.
- Once you like the arrangement, glue down each piece to the black paper with a glue stick.
- Finished!
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu2UYBh1G3w&list=PLxg4vmuqrAtckvp9eurSG…
SUPPLIES:
- Coffee or Oats Can (empty)
- Thick Rubber Bands
- Medium / Large Hex Nut
- Paper Clips (Large and Small)
- Nail / Hammer
- Screwdriver
- Tape
- Pencil (*optional)
- Colored paper, tape, and stickers for decoration (*optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Poke a hole in the center of the coffee / oats can top and bottom using a hammer and nail.
- Enlarge the hole by tapping a screwdriver through the hole with a hammer.
- Tape your rubber band to the top of the large nut. Make sure it’s centered and very secure! (*Depending on the size of your can, you may need to knot two bands together so that there’s not too much tension on them.)
- Open up a small paper clip and thread it through one loop of the rubber band. This will be your “needle.”
- From the inside of the can, very carefully “thread” the paper clip (with the rubber band attached) through the hole in the bottom of the can. There may be sharp edges, so be careful! Slip a large paper clip through the rubber band loop to secure it in place. Remove the paper clip “needle.”
- Place the paper clip “needle” through the remaining loop of the rubber band and carefully pull it through the hole in the coffee / oats can lid. (If the hex nut has moved closer to one side of the rubber band, move it back so that it hangs on the center of the can when stretched.) (*If necessary, place the pencil between the lid and can to temporarily hold everything in place.)
- Slip another large paper clip through the rubber band loop to secure it in place. Remove the paper clip “needle” and the pencil. Make sure the lid is attached securely to the can!
- If you’d like, decorate your can with colored paper, tape, and stickers. Time for testing! On a flat, smooth surface, gently roll your can away from you. Just before it mysteriously begins to roll back, summon your super powers and call the can back to you. A little “hocus pocus” or “abracadabra” will convince your audience of the magic.
*Troubleshooting : Be sure to use thick rubber bands that will store up enough energy to cause the can to roll back to you. Also check that your hex nut is not touching the side of the can. If it is, use a shorter rubber band or knot your rubber band. If just one band is too short and tight, knot two rubber bands together. You can also thread an extra hex nut onto the outside top and bottom of the can as spacers if your rubber band(s) are too long. Experiment and you’ll get it just right.
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/Hk1OthEqSfs
Supplies:
- Boxes
- Paper
- Any random materials – bottle caps, beads, egg cartons, cds, etc.
- Scissors
- Adhesive – glue, stickers, etc.
Directions:
Use these found, recycled items to make your own creation.
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/Zc1PUl5WCSw
Supplies:
- One plastic bottle along with its lid, about the size of a disposable water bottle (it can be a drink bottle, shampoo bottle, catsup bottle, mustard bottle, or any other clean, plastic bottle.) You can experiment with bottles of different shapes and sizes!
- Two chopsticks, new pencils, sturdy skewers, or any other straight sticks of equal size; they must be long enough to fit at least halfway along the edge of your bottle and then hang off the end by 4 to 5 inches.
- Thick foam board OR plastic carton(like a whipped cream tub or kitchen wipes container) OR two disposable plastic spoons
- Rubber bands of different sizes
- Duct tape or packing tape
- Scissors
- Paper
- Ruler
- Permanent marker
Directions:
- Line up your two sticks on opposite sides and along the length of your clean bottle; tape into place using the duct tape or packing tape (or use rubber bands if you have no tape.)
- Slide a rubber band over the ends of the sticks. Your rubber band should be taut without falling off but not so tight that it bends your sticks inward. If your rubber band is too big, try doubling it. It helps to loop the rubber band around each stick so it doesn’t fall off.
- Trace and cut a 2 inch X 3 inch template from the paper. Then use the paper template to trace 4 rectangles on the sides, bottom, or lid of a plastic container and cut them out.* The plastic should be soft enough to bend. Bend each piece in half; then use narrow pieces of duct tape to hold the pieces together with the curves flaring in opposite directions and all the bends in the middle.
- Slide your curved, taped plastic carton pieces or your taped spoons or your joined foam pieces between the sides of the rubber band. This is your paddle! At this point, you can tape the paddle to the rubber band.
- Try it out! You can sail your paddle boat in the bathtub, in a pond or quiet stream, or in a swimming or kiddie pool. Wind the paddle within the rubber band. Do it several times, but don’t wind it so much that it snaps. With the paddle still wound, set your boat gently in the water and let it go!
(Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/aFYJ9Aga7VY?list=PLxg4vmuqrAte4QgWzVQ7oInsSnnMkwcil)
* Caution: Some plastics become sharp when cut. Get an adult’s help if you need it!
Alternate method: Using a wire cutter or strong scissors, trim the handles of two plastic spoons so that they are 2 ½ inches long; use a narrow piece of duct tape to hold the spoons together along the short handle with one spoon facing up and one spoon facing down.
Second alternate method: Cut two 3 inch squares out of thick foam board and cut a slit just to the middle of each so that they can slide together.
The Science behind this Project:
The wound rubber band stores energy. The more you wind it the more energy is stored. The term for stored energy is “potential energy.” When you release the rubber band, the “potential energy” is converted into “kinetic energy,” or the energy of motion.
More experimentation:
Does the boat go faster or slower if the paddle is moved closer to the boat?
Does the boat go backwards if the paddle is wound in the other direction?
Does a big boat go faster or slower than a small boat?
When your boat is in the water, can you spot other forms of kinetic energy caused by the boat’s motion?
Can you think of other examples of potential and kinetic energy?
More ideas:
Make a balloon powered car
Make a rubber band helicopter
Supplies:
- 8 ½ x11” sheets of colored cardstock or heavyweight construction paper
- Scissors
- Colored dot stickers or other small stickers- optional
- Scraps of colorful/decorative papers- optional
- Hole punch
- Glue stick
Directions:
- Fold an 8 ½ x 11” sheet of cardstock or heavy construction paper in half OR cut the sheet to a smaller size, then fold in half, making a strong crease on the fold line.
- Holding onto the folded side of your paper with one hand, give the top of your paper a decorative trim. Still holding the folded side with one hand, begin cutting 1” in from the open side, starting at the bottom of your paper. Let the outside edge guide your cutting line. STOP when you are about 1” from the top of your paper. Turn the corner with your scissors and cut across the paper, toward the fold. STOP about ¼” from the fold!
- Repeat the cutting from the bottom of your paper, always moving over about 1” from your previous cut before beginning. You can make your vertical and horizontal cuts straight or decorative. Making lines and curves, play around with each sculpture you create, giving your pieces some variety!
- When you have made 3-4 cutting lines, depending on the size of your paper, open up your paper and lay it on a flat surface. You can decorate your paper, front and back, using stickers or scraps of paper.
- Turn your paper into a 3-D sculpture with a few folds: Beginning on one side of your sculpture, fold the top “leg” TOWARD the center, creasing a new fold at the end of your scissor cut (where you stopped about ¼” from the main fold line). The next “leg” should be folded BACKWARD in the same manner. Continue, folding each leg ... front, back ... in this alternating pattern. Do the same thing on the other side, BUT the top “leg” will be folded backward. Continue the folding pattern ... front, back, front.
- Display your 3-D sculpture by working with the “legs” and folds to make it stand. Make a few more, varying the size of your paper, cutting lines, and decorations to grow your piece into an artistic stabile (a freestanding abstract sculpture) that POPS!
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPxBwVPqYR4&list=PLxg4vmuqrAtckvp9eurSG…
In this project, you make two different paper airplane designs and then test out each one to determine which one will fly the furthest.
Supplies:
- Two pieces of paper for airplanes
- Markers or crayons to decorate
- Pencil and paper to record your results
Directions:
Plane Design #1- Classic Glider
- Fold your paper hot dog style.
- Lay the paper out in front of you, portrait style.
- Fold the top-right corner to the center crease, lining up the edges and creating a triangle.
- Do the same thing with the left corner.
- Fold the right side again, along the crease.
- Do the same thing with the left side.
- Fold the plane inwards, in half, so the previous folds are on the inside.
- Fold back one side so the edges align.
- Flip and repeat with the other wing.
Plane Design #2- Speed Glider
- Fold your paper hot dog style.
- Lay the paper out in front of you, portrait style.
- Fold the top-right corner to the center crease, lining up the edges and creating a triangle.
- Do the same thing with the left corner.
- Fold the point of the plane down, creating a fold along the bottom of the corner triangles. The tip should be about ⅓ of the page from the bottom of the paper.
- Fold the top-right corner to the center, about one inch above the tip.
- Repeat with the left corner. This should create a small triangle at the point.
- Fold the small triangle up.
- Flip your plane over so that your folds are on the table.
- Fold your plane in half, left side onto its right, so the edges line up.
- Fold the top wing down so your edges align.
- Flip and repeat with the other wing. Once you have completed your planes. Test them out in an open space, like your backyard or the park. Make a chart and compare each of your planes and how far it flew each time.
Watch these airplane projects at: https://youtu.be/QdronFgR0Yc?list=PLxg4vmuqrAte4QgWzVQ7oInsSnnMkwcil
Supplies:
- Pattern or picture of design
- 4ft of craft lace
- Key Ring
- Scissors
- Pony beads
- 35 green
- 15 blue
- 6 yellow
- 4 orange
- 2 black
Directions:
- Tie your craft lace to your key ring, leaving two legs of equal length.
- Look at the top line of your pattern, and find pony beads to match that line. If you’re using the bird pattern, the first line will be 3 green beads.
- String those beads onto one of the legs of craft lace, in the order you see them on the pattern. (This may not matter for the first line, but it’s important later on!) Push the beads up to the top of the craft lace, next to the key ring.
- Now, string the other leg of craft lace through beads in the opposite direction of the first leg. Pull the craft lace all the way through. Reposition the line of beads so that they form the bottom side of a craft lace triangle, with the keyring as the triangle’s top corner. When you’re done, you should have to two equal lengths of craft lace again, one on either side of the line of beads.
- Repeat steps 2-4 with every line of your pattern.
- When you’re done, tie a knot in the craft lace at the bottom of your design, and trim any excess length. Good job!
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/T6w5u62hrp0?list=PLxg4vmuqrAtckvp9eurSGEI2DwSb1wI6o
Supplies:
- A container filled with water
- Various objects of different sizes and weights - examples: beads, rocks, pennies, small plastic toys
Directions:
- Drop in objects and observe the effect on the water
- Discuss what you see. Do you notice a ripple? Does it make a splash? What happens if you drop in lots of objects at once?
- Discuss how our behavior and actions also have an effect on the world around us.
- Make a list of acts of kindness you can do.
- Spread the ripple effect of kindness!
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHM_X3wcmfQ&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Supplies:
- 2-3 purple cabbage leaves
- 4 cups water
- Blender
- Strainer
- Bowl
- Paper towel
- Several clear containers or cups
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Optional: liquid dishwasher detergent, fruit juice, clear soda or carbonated water, soap, salt, other kitchen substances (with grownup approval)
Directions:
- Tear 2 to 3 leaves off the head of a purple cabbage, tear leaves into smaller pieces.
- Put cabbage leaves into a blender with about 4 cups of water and with a grownup's help, blend on high until the liquid is very purple with a few chunks remaining.
- Strain cabbage juice into mesh strainer lined with paper towel, over a large bowl.
- Pour the cabbage juice into a container or pitcher. This purple cabbage juice is now your pH indicator.
Purple cabbage juice contains a compound called anthocyanin. Anthocyanin will turn pink when mixed with acid, blue-green when mixed with a base, and purple when mixed with a neutral substance, such as water. - Take 3-4 additional clear containers: add a spoonful of baking soda to one cup; add a few spoonfuls of vinegar to a second cup; add a bit of water to a third cup.
- Ask your grownup if you can use a small amount of dishwasher detergent into an additional cup.
- Now, you'll add some cabbage juice to each of the four cups you've prepared, even the one that's just water. When the purple cabbage juice is mixed with vinegar, what happens? (You should see the mixture turn pink.) Why? Vinegar is an acid. Pour cabbage juice into the container with baking soda, then also the cup with the dishwasher soap. What is happening to these two solutions? (Baking soda is a base, so it will turn bluish-purple. The dishwasher soap mixture should turn a vivid blue-green because dishwasher soap is very basic, or alkaline.) What happened when you added cabbage juice to just water?
- Line your four cups up on the counter. You will use these color results to compare other substances you want to test to see if they are acids or bases.
- Pink indicates an acid. Place this cup to the left. Purple (water) is neutral. Place this one in the middle. Blue-green is basic. Place this cup to the right of the purple cup. If you used dishwasher detergent, place this cup to the very far right. It’s one of the most alkaline substances you will find in a kitchen.
- Now, try adding purple cabbage juice to other substances you want to test.
- Compare the colors of your test mixtures and place them between the cups, where you think they should go. Soon, you will have a spectrum of acids and bases and you can compare the acidity of two substances, such as vinegar vs. orange juice.
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nB1UzYZf4s&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Supplies:
- Cotton balls
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup water
- Large mixing bowl
- Food coloring
- Baking sheet
- Small bowls or cups
- Either cooking spray or tin foil
- An adult to help with the oven
Directions:
- Mix 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of water in the large bowl.
- Get your baking sheet ready by spraying it with baking spray or covering it with tin foil.
- Divide the flour and water mixture into 4 to 6 small bowls or cups, depending on how many colors you want.
- Add 5 to 8 drops of food coloring to each cup and mix well. Remember that you can make different colors by mixing the food coloring; red and yellow make orange and blue and red make purple.
- Dip each cotton ball into a cup. Be sure to cover the whole cotton ball with the mixture – make it nice and thick.
- Set the coated cotton balls on your baking sheet.
- Let an adult help you with this part. Bake your cotton balls in a 300 degree oven for about 45 minutes.
- After that, take the cotton balls out and let them cool completely – at least an hour. They should have a nice, hard, crunchy shell.
- Find a small hammer, a toy hammer, or even a rock. Take your cotton balls outside and - SMASH THEM WITH THE HAMMER! That’s right – smash away.
Extra fun:
Use more cotton balls to make a baked sculpture. Use the same dipping method, but keep the sculpture in the over a little longer – about 55 minutes. You can make and smash a crunchy monster!
To watch this project visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvw4q6cr6xY&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Colorful Experiment #1
Supplies:
- Milk
- Plate
- Liquid Food coloring
- Dish Soap
- Q-tips
Directions:
- Pour the milk into a plate until you cover the bottom surface.
- Add drops of food coloring in middle of the milk in the plate.
- Coat the Q-tip in the dish soap and dip it in the milk. Watch what happens!
The science behind this reaction has to do with the way the soap molecules and the fat from the milk are interacting. Fat is hydrophobic, a type of molecule that repels water. By adding the soap, we are breaking up the hydrophobic fat particles and holding it inside the soap.
Colorful Experiment #2
Supplies:
- Hard coated candy
- Plate
- Warm water
Directions:
- Put the candy pieces in the plate. You can place them around the edge, or any other design you can think of!
- Add some warm water to the plate, making sure that there is enough to cover the bottom of the plate. Watch what happens!
The science behind this interaction has to do with the warm water dissolving the color coating on the candies.
Each of the candies has a slight difference in the sugar content, which means they have different densities; they all take up a different amount of space. The reaction we are seeing here is called stratification, where water splits due to differences in the density of the materials.Try cold water and even different kinds of candy. What happens?
Watch these projects at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9geJ7KdXqK0&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Black Lives Matter and so we celebrate Black Voices in stories for children. These picture books are available at the Pikes Peak Library District. Click on the pdf link below to see the booklist.
Shadow Art
Supplies:
- Animal toys
- Blocks
- Large paper
- Marker
- Watercolors or crayons
Directions:
- Set up toys and blocks in a sunny area outside, preferably on a hard surface.
- Put a large piece of paper next to the toys and position it so that the shadows of the toys can be seen on the paper.
- Trace the shadows with a thick, black marker.
- Try tracing several times throughout the day to track how the shadows change shape as the sun travels across the sky.
- Add watercolors or crayons to make your shadow art come to life!
Nature Crowns
Supplies:
- Two long strips of paper 1 - 2 1/2 inches wide
- Colorful paper
- Cardstock
- A pencil
- Scissors
- Glue
- Stapler
Directions:
- Draw petal and leaf shapes on your colorful paper. You can create templates for your petal and leaf shapes by drawing on a thick paper, cutting out the shapes, and tracing it onto the colorful paper.
- Cut out flowers and leaves.
- Use glue and/or stapler to attach the long strips of paper.
- Glue on flowers leaves.
- Wrap your crown around your head to find the right length for you and then glue or staple it together.
- Your nature crown is now ready to wear!
Time Capsule Envelope
Supplies:
- An envelope
- Paper for writing or drawing
- Markers or colored pencils
Directions:
- Decorate your envelope, write Summer Solstice 2020, and a include a future date when the envelope can be opened.
- Take some time to write about what today means to you. What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
- Take a walk and collect some nature treasures to include in your envelope, draw a picture, add in anything else you’d like!
- Put in a safe place to store until it can be opened again.
Watch these projects at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy4f4OV_KJ8&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Supplies:
- 18 gauge jewelry wire
- 200 or so beads (pony beads, jewelry beads, or any beads that will fit on your wire)
- Small wire cutters
- Small pliers or other tool for bending the wire
- Piece of string or ribbon for hanging
Directions:
- With the wire cutters, cut two lengths of 18 gauge wire about 24 inches long and 6 to 8 more shorter pieces about 3 inches long.
- Wrap the two long pieces of wire around a round bottle or jar that has a circumference of about 7 inches, then release the wires. They should fall into a loose spiral.
- Using the small pliers, twist one end of each spiral into a small circle. This is so that your beads will not fall off.
- You’ll need 65-75 beads to fill the length of each of the two spirals. If you work with a partner, you can each choose beads for one spiral. (These will be sun catchers when you’re finished, so make them pretty!)
- When the spirals are full: Using the small pliers, twist the top end of each wire into another small circle to hold the beads on.
- Loop the piece of string or ribbon through both spirals at the top so they hang together.
- Now, using the small pliers, attach one end of each of the short pieces of wire along the length one of the two spirals and fill each one with beads, leaving enough wire to attach the other end to the second spiral. Space the shorter pieces out evenly. These should make what looks like a spiraling ladder with beaded rungs along the length of the ladder. It helps to have a partner to hold the spirals for you while you work.
- You have made a beautiful DNA Sun Catcher! Hang your DNA double helix model in the window to remind you how beautiful and unique you, and each of us, are.
THE SCIENCE: DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid. Long strands are connected by genetic material to form a double helix. Inherited traits from your ancestors are located in your DNA. DNA is found in all living organisms.
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuTVAt31POw&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Supplies:
- Paper, any color
- Cupcake liners, large and small
- Markers
- Glue
- Buttons or stickers
- 5" pieces of pipe cleaners or twist ties
Directions:
- Flower: flatten a cupcake liner. Fold it in half and trim around the edge of the liner, cut the edge so that it's scalloped like a flower petal. On the colored paper, using a marker, draw a stem. Glue the center of the back of the flattened, cut liner at the top of the stem. For a leaf, cut a flattened cupcake liner into small slices. Cut the edges of two slices, making them more pointy at the end like leaves. Glue onto the stem of your cupcake liner flower.
Cut a smaller cupcake liner and glue to the center of your flower. Add a button or sticker to the very center of your flower. Bend edges of flowers outwards for a 3-D effect. - Dragonfly: fold a quarter of a liner in half and in half again to make a long skinny triangle. Cut the edge again in a curvy way. Open it up and cut it down the middle. Cut each piece down the middle again. Take two small pieces and glue onto the paper to make the wings, add a piper cleaner bent double and twisted together for the body, leaving the ends free for antennas. Glue onto paper between the wings.
- Sideways Butterfly: Take a quarter of a cupcake liner and fold once. Cut a curvy edge. Pinch the liner piece in the middle so that it sticks up in the center. Do another. Glue both onto the paper just at the edges and place two twisted pipe cleaners cut short, or twist ties below the wings, leave the ends free to be antennas. For a front facing butterfly, take four quarters of a cupcake liner and cut wavy edges. Place and glue on the paper, with two on each side, add a pipe cleaner in the middle, leaving the ends as antennas.
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmHgRfJ-FPk&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Supplies:
- Balloon
- Legos (may vary):
- (1) 1x2 window (no glass)
- (2) 2x10 flat plates
- (1) 2x12 flat plate
- (6) 3/4" wheels
- (3) 2x2 axles
- (1) 2x2-2x1 tall sloped grey brick
- (1) 2x1 tall white brick
Directions:
Assemble Lego pieces to create a car.
Tips: make the car lightweight, long, and build a tall stand for the balloon to attach to. Insert the balloon into the window (or whatever you create to hold the balloon), inflate the balloon, place on flat surface, and let it go! Measure to see who's car has gone farthest.
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF4_xMovgG0&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…
Supplies:
- One small block of dry ice (about 1 lb.) broken into large pieces. (Do not touch dry ice with bare skin, it will burn!)
- Large bowl on a tray
- Table covering
- Warm water
- Dish soap
- Food Coloring
- Paper (any kind)
Directions:
- Pour warm water into the bowl.
- Add 2-3 squirts of dish soap (it may help to stir the solution gently at this point although I didn't).
- Add a chunk of dry ice using tongs or garden gloves.
- As bubbles rise up, add food coloring (2-4 colors).
- Lay paper over the colorful bubbles and press gently into bubbles. Add a different color and repeat with another piece of paper.
- Keep adding warm water and chunks of dry ice. Or start over with a fresh batch.
- Enjoy your wonderful bubble art!
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=852TC3_bSbU&list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5…