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Monday, November 22, 2010

Seesawing Candle


Seesawing candle

Maybe you celebrate Hanukah, Christmas or Kwanza. Maybe you just like to stay up late to welcome the New Year. These winter holidays have a commonality--they often inspire us to light a candle to ward off the dark. Alas, short tapers are often cast aside. Before you get rid of them, try this.
You need:
knife
candle (used taper at least 3 inches long is best)
needle (long enough to fit through the width of the candle)
wax paper
two drinking glasses
matches

With adult supervision, carve away the tallow or wax at the bottom end of the candle to expose the wick. Carefully push the needle through the center of the candle. Leave enough needle sticking out each end to serve as a rod to hold up the candle.

Place a piece of wax paper on the tabletop, set the drinking glasses on the wax paper, and rest the needle across the rims of the each glass so the candle is between the glasses.

Light both ends of the candle, and give one end a slight push so the candle teeters like a seesaw. What happens?

Why it works: As Newton’s third law states, “For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.” When the tallow or wax drips off each end of the candle, it delivers a slight upward recoil.

The Mad Scientist Handbook Joey Green

Sunday, November 21, 2010

More on Newton's Third Law





The manga guide to physics / Hideo Nitta, Keita Takatsu TEEN 530 NITTA
The flying circus of physics / Jearl Walker 530 Walker
The cartoon guide to physics / Larry Gonick and Arthur Huffman 530 GONICK
Newton's 3 laws of motion DVD-ED 531 NEW88
All about motion & balance J DVD-ED 531.11 ALL856
Ace your forces and motion science project : great science fair ideas / Robert Gardner and Madeline Goodstein J 531.6078 GARDNER
Experiments with force and motion / by Colin Uttley J 531.6 UTTLEY
Forces and motion science fair projects : using water balloons, pulleys, and other stuff / Robert Gardner
TEEN 531.6078 GARDNER
Awesome experiments in force & motion / Michael DiSpezio J 531.6 DISPEZI
Force & motion / written by Peter Lafferty J 531 LAFFERT
Motion / [Ben Morgan J531.6 MORGAN
Newton and me / by Lynne Mayer E MAYER
Roller coaster physics J DVD-ED 531 ROL4
Lục và chuyên đông / Peter Lafferty INTL-VIE J 531 LAFFERT



Website:



http://teachertech.rice.edu/Participants/louviere/Newton from Rice University
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/newton.html NASA website
http://science.discovery.com/interactives/literacy/newton/newton.html Science Channel Website (lots of ads)
http://www.physics4kids.com/files/motion_laws.html Physics for Kids Website
http://www.crazyvector.com/newtons-laws-of-motion-illustrated-with-3d-animations-and-motion-graphics/

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Fun with Polymers!


Do you like goop, or putty? Did you check out the pink goop at the ice cream social? Fun stuff to play with right? Here’s how you can make some of your own.
Materials:
2 paper cups
4 tablespoons white wood glue, such as Elmer’s
Warm water
Food coloring (optional)
1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons borax powder (found in laundry section at the store)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Procedure:
1. In a paper cup, mix the glue, 4 tablespoons water, and a few drops of food coloring. Add 1 tablespoon borax and the cornstarch and mix well.
2. In another cup, mix 2/3 cup water and 2 teaspoons borax until the borax dissolves. Pour 2 tablespoons of the borax and water solution into the glue mixture and stir until it’s stiff.
3. Let the mixture set for a minute, then take it out of the cup and rinse with water. Blot the extra water with a paper towel and knead the mixture until it’s smooth. If you want it to be stiffer, add more of the borax and water solution.
What does your goop do? Try bouncing it, breaking it, stretching it. Does it keep its shape? Is it hard, soft or both?

Polymer is a funny word. A polymer is a chemical made up of many repeated parts (poly=many; mer=unit). The glue contains a polymer, polyvinyl acetate (PVA), which is made from many monomers (individual chemicals) of vinyl acetate. So the glue is a polymer to start with but when the borax is added, the chains cross-link to make even bigger—and stiffer—polymer chains. Cross links are like chemical bridges between polymer chains, linking them together. Knowing this what do you think would happen when you vary the amount of borax you add? Try it!

More Polymers


Here are some more places and books to investigate polymers:



Oobleck, slime & dancing spaghetti: twenty terrific at-home science experiments inspired by favorite children's books by Jennifer Williams J 507.8 WILLIAM

Plastics and polymers science fair projects: using hair gel, soda bottles, and slimy stuff / Madeline Goodstein TEEN 507.8 GOODSTE

The Earth's resources / Richard and Louise Spilsbury J 333.7 SPILSBU

The way toys work : the science behind the magic 8 ball, etch a sketch, boomerang, and more / Ed Sobey and Woody Sobey. 688.728 SOBEY

Plastics and polymers science fair projects, revised and expanded using the scientific method
Author: Goodstein, Madeline P. Y540.78 GOO 2010

Title: Materials science
Author: Ward, D. J. (David John) J620.11 WAR

Plastics & polymers
Author: Mebane, Robert C. J547.7 MEB

Investigating Solids, Liquids, And Gases With Toys by Jerry Sarquis

Lucky Science: Accidental Discoveries From Gravity to Velcro, with Experiments by Royston M. Roberts

Mistakes that worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones 609 Jones
Toys! : amazing stories behind some great inventions by Don Wulffson 688.7 Wulf
Polymer Websites:
http://pslc.ws/macrog/kidsmac/index.htm website for the University of Mississippi’s Polymer Science Learning Center

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/education/plastics National Geographic’s website about Polymers

http://scienceprojectideasforkids.com/2010/polymer-slime-facts Website by science author Jan VanCleave

http://web.mit.edu/Invent/iow/sillyputty.html MIT’s website on the invention of Silly Putty

http://www.sciencekidsathome.com/science_topics/amazing-polymers.html

http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/videos/index.php Three videos from Science Bob on making slime.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Spider and the Web





Ever watched a spider catch its prey? How do they know the difference between food and debris blown into the web? Try this and see if you can figure it out.
Materials:
An occupied garden spiderweb
Tuning fork (or fork with long tines)
Small block of wood
Directions:
Explore your garden or nearby park until you find a web with a spider in it.
Hold the tuning fork by the handle and tap it against the wood block. The fork should hum.
Place one prong of the fork against a strand of the web. What does the spider do?

So did you get any stray webs on your hands, or face? Would you like to inspect the web closely? Try this.
Materials:
Can of clear spray lacquer (available in hardware stores)
8-inch square sheet of stiff black paper
Directions:
Look around your yard or nearby park for a spider web. Touch the center of the web lightly with a leaf to be sure that the weaver is no longer around. Find a web with no spider.
Spray the web with lacquer several times, allowing it to dry between applications.
Spray the web once again. While the web is still wet, hold the black paper up against it and lift the web onto the paper. Gently pull away any support strands.
Spray the web and paper with one more layer of lacquer and allow it to dry.
Follow the same procedure with other webs. Look for different sizes and shapes.

For more science information and ideas see the science fair website: http://www.schoolsciencefair.blogspot.com/. The science fair will be this spring. Anyone interested in helping please contact Amy Oliver via email (amyroliver@gmail.com). No science experience necessary; curiosity and a sense of adventure are preferred

Books about spiders and other bugs




Want to find out more about bugs and spiders? Here are a few resources to help you find out more available at Fernwood, SnoIsle or King County Libraries:

Scholastic's the Magic school bus creepy, crawly fun! J DVD-ED 781.23 MAG164
Bug zoo by Nick Baker J 595.7 BAKER
Science fair winners. : bug science : 20 projects and experiments about arthropods: insects, arachnids, algae, worms, and other small creatures by Karen Romano Young
J 595.7078 YOUNG
Spiders : learning to love them by Lynne Kelly 595.44 KELLY
Up, up, and away by Ginger Wadsworth E 595.44 WADSWOR
Amazing insects and spiders by George C. McGavin J 595.7 MCGAVIN

Spiders up close = Las arañas / Katie Franks ; traducción al español, Ma. Pilar Sanz.
Spanish & English INTL-SPA E 595.44 FRANKS

Reader's Digest Insects and spiders by Matthew Robertson 595.7 ROB Fernwood Library
Spiders! by the editors of Time for Kids with Nicole Iorio J 595.44 SPIDERS
Spiderology by Michael Elsohn Ross J 595.44 ROSS
Spiders spin webs Yvonne Winer E 595.44 WINER
Everything bug : what kids really want to know about insects and spiders by Cherie Winner J 595.7 WINNER

Someone saw a spider : spider facts and folktales by Shirley Climo 398.2 CLI Fernwood Library

Simon & Schuster children's guide to insects and spiders by Jinny Johnson 595.7 JOHN Fernwood Library


Spider Websites















Thursday, September 9, 2010

Opportunity to visit Mars!

Did you know we are set to launch another rover to Mars in 2011? How would you like to be a part of history and include your name on this rover? Use the link below to check out the website and add your name if you like (parent permission required). Then check out the map to see what states and countries have the greatest participation. Do a little more poking around and play a few games. Cool stuff!

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/index.cfm

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Grapes, good golly!

Hey guys!
We hope you've been enjoying the summer. We figure you might have hit a lull in activity, so thought we'd see if we could help. We found a couple of things to try at home, just ask an adult for permission first, and have a "grape" time!

Sparking Grapes

You need:
White grapes
Knife
Microwave-safe plate
Microwave oven
  1. Slice the grape down the center toward the stem, but not all the way through. The two halves should just be attached by a tiny piece of grape skin.
  2. Place the two grape halves face down on the plate.
  3. Set the microwave for 20 seconds. Turn it on and watch the sparks fly.

What happened? The oven produces microwaves, which are a type of electromagnetic radiation. All electromagnetic waves create a changing electric field, which will cause electrons to move. (Electrons are negatively charged particles located around the nucleus of the atom and everything in the world is made up of atoms, so everything has electrons.) Moving electrons through a thin conductor will give you light just like a filament in a light bulb. In this activity the thin flap of grape left is a conductor, and the microwaves make electrons move through it.

It's Not a Shoe Box! It's a Catapult!

You Need:
Duct or packing tape
Long plastic spoon
Shoebox
Rubber bands
Grapes (or any small item)
Outdoor area

  1. Tape the bottom of the spoon to the end of a shoebox. The concave part of the spoon should face along the side of the box.
  2. Loop one end of the rubber band around the spoon and tape the rubber band to the middle of the spoon. Tape the other end of the rubber band to the side of the shoebox. Make sure you've got a good stretch on your rubber band, so there's tension. (To increase tension, use a smaller rubber band, or loop it around the spoon a couple of times.)
  3. Use one hand to hold the shoebox. Use the other hand to load the grape on the spoon and pull back on the spoon. Let it go and launch the grape. How far did it go?
  4. Adjust the position of the rubber band so it stretches farther, creating greater tension. How does this change the launch? What happens if you use more than one rubber band?

What's going on? Whether they're built to launch grapes at targets or boulders at castle walls, all catapults work because of elastic materials. Here you're using the elasticity of the rubber band to store energy in your catapult. You put the energy in your catapult. You put the energy in the rubber band by pulling the spoon back with your hand. That energy goes into the grape and becomes kinetic energy. So the grape flies!

ideas from Smash It! Crash It! Launch It! 50 Mind-Blowing Eye-Popping Science Experiments

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Watch for the date of our next Science Fair!




Stay tuned for the date for the 2011 Science Fair!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Springtime fun with variables


Peeps, a traditional springtime treat are everywhere in stores now. These marshmellow chicks can be fun to test variables on. How does a Peep react to cold? to heat? to being immersed in boiling water?


Below is a website where these variables were tested in a somewhat scientific manner. You can make science a lot of fun by using creativity and pursuing questions that interest you.



Monday, March 8, 2010

Miscellaneous Science Fun


Here are some science fun suggestions that don't fit into the other categories.


Movie Science by Jim Wiese J778.53


Sandbox scientist : real science activities for little kids by Michael E. Ross 372.3504 ROSS


Bubble monster and other science fun by John H. Falk 507.8 BUBBLE


How to fossilize your hamster : and other amazing experiments for the armchair scientist by Mick O'Hare 507.8 OHARE


365 simple science experiments with everyday materials by E. Richard Churchill J 507.8 CHURCHI


Rocket science : 50 flying, floating, flipping, spinning gadgets kids create themselves by Jim Wiese J 507.8 WIESE


Balloons : building and experimenting with inflatable toys by Bernie Zubrowski J 507.8 ZUBROWS


While you're waiting for the food to come : a tabletop science activity book : experiments and tricks that can be done at a restaurant, the dining room table, or wherever food is served by Eric

Muller J 507.8 MULLER


You gotta try this! : absolutely irresistible science by Vicki Cobb and Kathy Darling J 507.8 COBB


Football and Science

Hey, so the SuperBowl is over and it will be a while before the Seahawks take the field, but that's no reason to stop thinking about football. A statistics class at the University of Washington wanted to know if a football travels farther or stays in the air longer when it is filled with something other than air. Check out the link to the Seattle Times report for some good science.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011238040_heliumfootballs03m.html

Doesn't it make you wonder how to make a baseball travel farther, or a soccer ball go faster or how to get the volleyball just over the net?

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

The Sweetest Rainbow!


With spring approaching, we can all look forward to seeing a few rainbows. How would you feel about drinking one? Try this at home and let us know how it goes.
Line up five glasses. Add 1 tablespoon (15 g) of sugar to the first glass, 2 tablespoons (30 g) of sugar to the second glass, 3 tablespoons of sugar (45 g) to the third glass, and 4 tablespoons of sugar (60 g) to the fourth glass. The fifth glass remains empty.
Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of water to each of the first 4 glasses. Stir each solution. If the sugar does not dissolve in any of the four glasses, then add one more tablespoon (15 ml) of water to each of the four glasses.
Add 2-3 drops of red food coloring to the first glass, yellow food coloring to the second glass, green food coloring to the third glass, and blue food coloring to the fourth glass. Stir each solution.
Now let's make a rainbow using the different density solutions. Fill the last glass about one-fourth full of the blue sugar solution.
Carefully layer some green sugar solution above the blue liquid. Do this by putting a spoon in the glass, just above the blue layer touching the side of the glass, and pouring the green solution slowly over the spoon. If you do this right, you won't disturb the blue solution much at all. Add green solution until the glass is about half full.
Now layer the yellow solution above the green liquid, using the spoon. Fill the glass to three-quarters full.
Finally, layer the red solution above the yellow liquid. Fill the glass the rest of the way.
Tips and science stuff: With this demonstration you are exploring density. The liquids you have layered are all miscible or mixable and will eventually bleed into one another. If you stir up your solution what happens? Try not to add extra water to dissolve the sugar, instead warm the water in the microwave (30 seconds should work) or start with warm water. Want more fun? Use sweetened juice mix instead of sugar for a tasty treat.

The science fair is coming! Check out the questions around campus or on the science fair blog (http://schoolsciencefair.blogspot.com/). Come visit with a mentor after school Monday through Thursday or during lunch recess Tuesday through Thursday starting 23 March. We want your help and participation. Sign up to mentor kids, set up or clean up for the 16 April event or bring your own idea. Contact Amy Oliver amyroliver@gmail.com.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Kitchen Science Experiments Suggestions

Here are a few suggestions for science experiments in the kitchen!

Kitchen science by Shar Levine & Leslie Johnstone J 507.8 LEVINE

Reading Rainbow: How to make an apple pie and see the world J DVD HOW118
Based on a book of the same title by Marjorie Priceman

Kitchen science by Chris Maynard J 507.8 MAYNARD

Science projects about kitchen chemistry by Robert Gardner J 540.78 GARDNER

Simple kitchen experiments : learning science with everyday foods by Muriel Mandell J 641.3 MANDELL

Science experiments you can eat by Vicki Cobb J 507 COBB

Lotions, potions, and slime : mudpies and more! by Nancy Blakey J 790.1922 BLAKEY

The science chef : 100 fun food experiments and recipes for kids by Joan D'Amico and Karen Eich Drummond J 641.3 DAMICO

Liquids in action by Peter Mellett, Jane Rossiter J 532.0078 MELLETT

Magic School Bus: Gets Baked in a Cake by Linda Beech J 540 BEECH

Science Fair Ideas


Do you remember a spectacular sunset? Have you ever wondered what makes the sun and sky seem to change color, or why some sunsets are more colorful than others? Here is a way to use the science of light, called optics, to make your own sunset at home.
1. Fill a small, clear plastic or glass container with water.
2. Place the container about 6 inches from a white wall or background.
3. Shine a flashlight through the water toward the background. Is the light you see on the background the color of the sun in the middle of the day?
4. Now, add a few drops of milk to the water. What color is the light now? Add a few more drops of milk.
5. Experiment with different amounts of milk. Which is your favorite sunset color?

What’s going on: Light is made of waves. White light, from the sun or a flashlight, is made up of different colors, each color having a different wave length. The particles of milk solids scatter the blue and green light, the shortest wave lengths, and only the yellow, orange and reds, the longer wavelengths, pass through. When the sun is low in the sky, the light passes through more atmosphere (and particles) before it reaches us, so more of the blue and green light is scattered, and we see the familiar reddish sunset.

Post what you did with the experiment. Which variables did you change – the amount of milk, the type of light, the shape of container? Can you use what you have learned to explain why the sky looks blue?
Fernwood’s science fair is on the horizon! Projects will be presented 16 April 2010. If you’re interested in helping with the event contact Amy Oliver at AmyROliver@gmail.com.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Science Fair Documents and Information


Our Science Fair is coming soon! Are you ready to do an experiment and prepare a poster for the Science Fair?

SAVE THE DATE - FRIDAY, APRIL 16th from 6:30 to 8:30pm in the Fernwood Gym!

Registration form for entry in the Fernwood Science Fair: Due to the Fernwood School Office by Friday, March 26th.

http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B5rlgHJl1FKtNmIwYjRkNTYtMzA5NS00ZjgwLWE0YTgtOTdmOGQ3OGJmMDc2&hl=en

Poster Guidelines: Here's how to do it!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

More Websites to Check Out


Hey, looking for a little more inspiration? Want some new ideas? Check out these websites and let us know what you think!

http://www.pbs.org/parents/sid/activitiesIndex.html

http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodcookingchemistry/tp/kitchenscienceexperiments.htm

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/

This one is really cool. So many different kinds of science represented with lots of ideas of things to do. Highly recommended.

http://www.nationallabday.org/resources

Have 2 minutes? Check out this local girl's video that won her $1000 in the "I am what I learn" contest sponsored by the dept. of education. Jordan is an eighth grader from Sammamish who raises chickens. What can you learn from a chicken? Watch and see.

http://www2.ed.gov/iamwhatilearn/index.html

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Cold Weather Science

Well, the weather outside is cold and damp, so you are stuck inside and wishing you could be doing something more interesting. Maybe you are looking outside at the cold and ice, and you wonder to yourself…

Start with a Question: I wonder how fast I can cool my cocoa if I put it outside?

Investigate: Put some warm water (why waste cocoa?) outside and see how quickly it cools. Try a variety of samples with various containers, locations, and other variables you can think of (sun or shade, stirring or blowing, etc.).

Observe and Collect Data: Use a thermometer, watch, notepad and pencil to record how cold the water gets, and how long it takes, and what variables you changed for each of your samples (size of container, location, weather conditions, etc.).

Analyze: Did the water cool? How quickly? Did all the samples behave the same way? Were any of the variables important?

Interpret the data and draw conclusions: Do you think your cocoa would cool down if you put it outside? How long do you think it would take? Are there things you can do to speed it up?

Test it: Use the results to figure out the fastest way to cool your cocoa and see if it works. Challenge someone to a cocoa cooling contest and apply what you have learned to see who can cool their cocoa the fastest.

If you decide to do this experiment, share it with us! Post as a comment what you did, what your variables were and what results you got, or what you observed.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

January Nights Can Dazzle

by Rodney Ash / Special to The Seattle Times



January is one of the coldest months and thus not the kind of weather that encourages you to linger outside. However, if there is no wind and you bundle up, you can enjoy some truly spectacular sights.



Mars reaches opposition on Jan. 29, shining at just a little brighter than magnitude -1 (the smaller the number the brighter the object), making it the third brightest starlike object in the night sky. Look for it in the east just after sunset, reaching zenith about midnight. You will quickly recongnize it by its orange hue. It makes an excellent target for the next three months.

Jupiter is sinking low into the west, and Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, shines in the southeast. Also in the southeast, soon after dark, look for the constellation Orion the hunter. He is recongnized most readily by his three belt stars. Of the 20 or so brightest stars visible in the night sky, two of them are in Orion. Orion's right shoulder is the red super giant Betelgeuse. It clearly has a red hue and shines with a luminosity of 105,000 times that of our sun. Next find the blue super giant Rigel, which marks Orion's left foot and shines at a luminosity of 66,000 times that of our sun. It shines with an almost ice-blue light, particularly on cold winter nights, belying the fact that itis one of the hotter stars visible.



Rodney Ash is a member of the Seattle Astronomical Society. Star Watch appears the first Thursday of each month in NWWeekend.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Science of Sports


If sports are your thing, you are still conducting scientific experiments every time you try new ways to hit a baseball farther, shoot your basketball higher, ride your bicycle faster, and do new tricks on your skateboard!

Here are some books that explain the science in sports:

Home run! : science projects with baseball and softball

Goal! : science projects with soccer / Madeline Goodstein.

Science projects about the physics of sports / by Robert Gardner

Sports science projects : the physics of balls in motion / Madeline Goodstein

Experiments with motion / Robert Gardner

Wheels! : science projects with bicycles, skateboards, and skates / Madeline Goodstein

Slam dunk! : science projects with basketball / Robert Gardner and Dennis Shortelle

Bicycle science projects : physics on wheels / Robert Gardner

Why a curveball curves : the incredible science of sports / edited by Frank Vizard

Sports science / Shar Levine & Leslie Johnstone

The leaping, sliding, sprinting, riding science book : 50 super sports science activities / Bobby Mercer

The magic school bus. Super sports fun [videorecording]

Sports science : 40 goal-scoring, high-flying, medal-winning experiments for kids / Jim Wiese

Experimenting with science in sports / by Robert Gardner

Check out these website about the science of skateboarding http://www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding/webcast.html http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0701-science_of_skateboarding.htm

Science of Hitting/by Ted Williams

Physics of Hitting a Baseball link http://www.swing-smarter-baseball-hitting-drills.com/physics-of-hitting-a-baseball.html

Watch the video of Eyes of Nye: 106 Sports on DVD from King County Library

Watch Alan Alda's Scientific American episode "On the Ball" from PBS online at http://www.pbs.org/saf/1206/video/watchonline.htm or from the library as a downloadable e-audio book.

Backyard Science Fun


Here are some suggestions for getting started if you like to experiment with science outdoors. These titles are available through both Sno-Isle Libraries and King County Libraries - check them out!

Backyard laboratory / [from the editors of The New Book of P opular Science]J 507.8 BACKYAR

Backyard science / Shar Levine & Leslie Johnstone J 507.8 LEVINE

Backyard science / Chris Maynard J 507.8 MAYNARD

More nature in your backyard : simple activities for children / by Susan S. Lang, with the staff of Cayuga Nature Center J 508 LANG

The backyard camp-out book / by Douglas Love J 790.15 LOVE

Nature ranger / by Richard Walker J 508 WALKER

The amateur naturalist : explorations and investigations / by Charles E. Roth J 574.078 ROTH

Woodswalk : peepers, porcupines & exploding puff balls! : what you'll see, hear & smell when exploring the woods / Henry W. Art and Michael W. Robbins J 508.352 ART

Backyard pets : activities for exploring wildlife close to home / Carol A. Amato ; illustrated by Cheryl Kirk Noll J 508 AMATO

Just add water : science experiments you can sink, squirt, splash, sail J 546.2207 JUST AD