Since we just got back from spring break this week, I wanted our science to be very hands on and exciting! I have always loved to do color science so that is exactly what we did!!
Before each experiment, they always made a prediction! They drew what they thought would happen and then wrote a sentence or two explaining their prediction!
First was the Walking Rainbow
Materials
7 mason jars
6 pieces of paper towels (not the brown school kind)
Food coloring
Water
First, place the jars in a row, where all of your kids can see them but where they can stay for awhile and not be disturbed!
Then fill the first, third, fifth and seventh jar with water.
In the first and seventh jar add red food coloring! (You will need about 20 or more drops to make it a vibrant red)
In the third jar add 10 drops of yellow and in the fifth jar add 10 drops of blue.
Fold the paper towels pieces like you we’re making a fan. Add one going from the first jar to the second jar, the second to the third and so on.
Ask them what they think will happen and have them draw it and write about it.
These pictures are what it will look like when you set it up and get there predictions.
These are pictures of the experiment after about 2 hours.
Here it is at the end of the day!
Then I had them draw and write about what actually happened!
The next experiment we did was Rainbow Milk!
Materials
Milk
Food coloring
Qtips (2 per person)
Dish soap
Plates (I used plastic plates)
Pour milk into their plates until the bottom can not be seen.
In the center of the plate, add a drop of red, yellow, blue and green food coloring. Do not put them on top of each other.
Ask them to make a prediction about what will happen if they dip one of their qtips into the milk. Have them draw and write about it.
Here they are just dipping the plain qtip into the milk! Nothing really happened!!!
Now ask them what they think will happen if they dip their second qtip into dishwashing liquid and then dip it into their milk!
Have them draw and write about their prediction!
Here is a video showing what happens! Have them draw and write about the actual results!!!
Here are some pictures of how their rainbow milk turned out!
Aren’t they awesome!!
The last experiment of the day was mixing colors!
We read the book Mouse Paint. We discussed what happened when the colors were mixed together!
Materials
6 cups per child
Food coloring
Water
Place all 6 cups on their desk.
Fill three with water.
Put red food coloring in one.
Yellow in another.
Blue in another.
Then have them pour a some of the red water into an empty cup and then add some yellow! What happened?
Then have them repeat with the yellow and blue water.
Then repeat using the red and blue water!
Have them record their results!
How exciting was this! Not an expensive science afternoon! The kids loved it!
