Friday, June 25, 2010

June 16: Combo Day

I've mentioned before that our "schedule" is a flexible one, so today we combined Project Day and Library Day since Mommy had plans to scrapbook on Library Day.  But don't worry...the boys didn't care because they got to play with Ian all day on Thursday. 

MIXING DAY --  I'm not what you'd call a science-minded person (so please excuse any inaccuracies as I describe things), but I enjoy little science experiments and think it's important for the boys to be exposed to as well.  Of course, when we mix things we get different results depending on what we're mixing. 

The first things we mixed together were vinegar (as much as you desire) and baking soda (about a Tablespoon).  If you've done this before, you know that it creates a high volume of fizz in a volcano-like eruption.  Koen's preschool teacher had done this for his class this spring and all the kids were impressed.  Not surprisingly, Koen and Tysen were impressed by this reaction and asked for it to happen again and again. 

Next, we mixed 1 cup of cornstarch with 1/2 cup water.  This was another idea from Disney's Family Fun magazine.  It creates an amazing substance that isn't quite solid and isn't quite liquid.  Tysen refused to touch it, but Koen enjoyed playing with it, trying to grab it, and letting it drip off his fingers.  (WARNING:  If you choose to make this substance, DO NOT save it to play with it later.  I kept it in a container to play with it another day and the stench made me gag.  It's better just to make a new batch!)

The final mixture project was making Ocean Waves bottles.  These didn't turn out as well as I thought they would, but the boys LOVED them.  They liked the color, how the water and oil made little bubbles when you shook the bottle and then separated again as you left it alone (not that they left it alone for long). 

The "recipe" had called for vegetable oil, but we used canola oil...I don't know if that was part of the problem, but I thought the water and oil mixed too easily?!?  I also tried to glue the cap on so we would have no accidental spills (can you imagine the clean up on that?), but Seth got the cap off easily when he was looking at it.  I reglued it, but maybe I need something stronger than Elmers.  Besides, Seth is so much stronger than the boys, it may have been his brute strength that busted the cap open!
In the picture...notice Hiro next to Koen's Ocean Waves bottle -- an almost constant companion.  Also note Koen's cool visor made in Children's Worship in Grandpa & Grandma Smits's church.  He rarely takes it off! 

Prior to making this fabulous mixtures, we had gone to the library and signed up for the summer reading program!  We read everyday anyway...why not get prizes for it?!?!

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