Matter and Slime Unit Rationale: In this curriculum, the girls use chemistry, physics, and mathematics to explore substances and their states. Session One Focus On: Introduction to SCFG, Jell-O Girls start the semester with general rules and expectations and then jump into their explorations of matter and slime by exploring Jell-O! Girls learn that Jell-o can be a solid or liquid. Session Two Focus On: Bubbles Liquids and Elasticity Girls explore elasticity using bubbles. They create their own bubble solutions and bubble shape tools. How big can a bubble get? Why do bubbles come out as circles? What s inside a bubble that makes it so light? Session Three Focus On: Liquids Viscosity and Density Girls see that liquids can have different weights, or densities, by exploring how fast pennies travel through oil, corn syrup and soap. They also create cool homemade Lava Lamps using oil, water and salt. Session Four Focus On: Oobleck Solid, Liquid, and Viscosity Girls continue in their discovering of liquids, solids and how they behave. They make Oobleck and learn to describe how a liquid moves using the word viscosity. Session Five Focus On: Playdough Girls make the familiar substance Playdough! They explore different shapes to discover what the best shape to get Playdough to float is. Don t tell them it s a boat! Session Six Focus On: Bouncy Balls Elasticity Girls answer the question of why some balls bounce higher than others. They use glue, borax and water to create two types of bouncing balls and, as scientists, compare which bounces higher. Session Seven Focus On: Stickyometer Experimenting Girls conduct true experiments to discover which sticky substance is the most adhesive. They build stickyometers, measure the stickiness, record the results and share the discoveries. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 1
Session One Focus On: Introductions / Jell-O Question of the Day Activity One: Setting the Tone Activity Two: Jell-O! Reflection About this Session In this first session, you will set the tone for the entire program, providing the girls with a sense of physical and intellectual security, and with a sense that this will be a friendly, fun experience for them. You ll need to introduce the Science Club for Girls Code of Conduct, our guidelines based on safety, respect, and teamwork. With the girls, you ll create more specific expectations that the girls will agree to follow and you agree to uphold. 15 minutes 15-20-25 minutes Session Objectives By the end of this session, your girls will: 1. Agree to the rules and expectations of the club 2. Know the science/engineering topic they will be exploring during the semester 3. Perform their first science project as a group You ll also be introducing the idea that this is a Science Club, by focusing on the question, What does a scientist do? The experiences provide a partial answer to this question: Scientists use their senses to notice things, and then try to organize what that they notice. Before Clubs Begin Age Appropriate Definitions Find out from your Site Coordinator what additional first-day activities will be occurring at your site (all-club assembly? Name game? etc.), and any site-specific discipline policy. Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and prepare in advance of clubs. Create nametags for yourself and the girls. Set up stations for making Jell-O Solid Has definite shape and volume Liquid - Has no fixed shape but a fixed volume 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 2
Materials for This Session Activity 1: Introduction Per Club Per Group Per Girl Club Rules Poster Board Markers Activity 2: Jell-O Per Club Per Group (of 3-4 girls) Per Girl Ice Cubes Mixing bowl or large Tupperware Plastic cup or plate Hot pot or burner with a pot Large mixing spoon Jell-O snack cups Water Jell-O Paper towels Question of the Day (15 minutes) The Question of the Day is a great way to introduce the activity of the day and get the girls centered. It should be a regular starting routine of your club. The Question of the Day will usually be a question that kids and adults think about in everyday life or a question that can lead to answering a common question. Use it to get the girls talking but also focused. Question: What are we going to be doing in Science Club for Girls this semester? Convey to the girls that they are doing something unique and fun and that you are excited they are joining you! Activity One: Setting the Tone (15 minutes) Set the tone and create rules together that all the girls agree to follow. 1) Introduce and lead girls in the Science Club pledge. (This is a great opportunity for a Junior Mentor!) Explain to girls that each week of Science Club will begin with the pledge, which is designed to get them focused and excited about doing science together. Your Pledge can be found on the back of the Code of Conduct or in the Volunteer Handbook. 2) Introduce each member of your mentoring team. Be sure the girls know: Each team members name and a fun fact about them (connected to science, the curriculum topic or girls age) That Mentors and Junior Mentors will be working together to lead Science Clubs 3) Have each girl introduce herself. 4) Before moving to the Code of Conduct, make sure the girls understand a few things that are important to know over the course of the semester: Their science/topic for the semester that all projects will relate to. The type of scientist they are (Physicists, Biologists, Chemists, Engineers, etc.) At the end of the semester, the entire site will have a Science Fest and each club will teach others about what they learned. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 3
This is a major point even for kindergarteners to grasp. Your girls should be reminded throughout the sessions that they will teach and lead others including parents. Be sure the girls are calmly sitting in a circle or at desks. As much as it is possible, ask mentors and junior mentors who are not leading the activity to sit with the girls as well. Mentors in non-active teaching roles may have a tendency to sit separate from the girls and sit with each other, but get them mixed in right away, to support and model participation, and build relationships with girls. 5) Get the girls attention and make sure they are clearly focusing on you. Explain to them that before they can do any science experiments, they must all agree to follow the three rules of Science Club. Introduce the Code of Conduct. These are the 3 expectations that Science Club for Girls expects all participants to follow. 6) Guide the girls to create more specific rules and write these under each code of conduct. Ask the girls probing questions like, Why do you think this is a rule we ve made? Or What do we mean when we say to be safe in Science Club for Girls? The girls will offer very directive and obedient rules like, No touching dangerous materials. Or Don t talk when the teacher is talking. Think of ways to consolidate additional expectations so that you don t end up with a long list of do s and don ts. Add these to the Code of Conduct so that the girls have a voice in the rules as well. 7) Once done, ask the girls to put their thumbs up to signify that they agree to follow the rules. You can also have all the girls sign the rules sheet. Whatever you do, be sure that you have all the girls physically show that they can agree to follow the rules. You ll need this as back up as the sessions go on! 8) At this point, explain to the girls the consequence of not following a rule. Make sure girls know that not following rules can result in a call home, being taken out of Science Club, and that it also makes the club less fun because they might not be able to do all of the fun projects if things are unsafe. These are not used to scare the girls; rather, firmly structured expectations and consequences are a regular part of an out-of-school-time program. A great way to continue to involve the girls is to ask them, What happens when rules aren t followed? What happens when the rules are followed? Do groups have more or less fun when rules are followed? 9) Now, explain to the girls the benefit of following the rules. (Great experiments! Getting to know each other! Being curious! Fun!) Watch the clock. Be aware of the time since it is your first day. 10) Now, clearly go over the basic routine of the club. This involves: Where they meet each day there is SCFG (Cafeteria? Classroom? Gym?) What they are to do when entering the classroom (Sit on the rug? at a table? sit in a circle? some tables off limits? Get their journals from the bin?) How you will show that you are ready to begin (Hands-up? Peace signs in the air? Clapping rhythm?) Review the Science Club routine - Pledge (required for Clubs Grades K-3), Question of the Day, Activities, Clean up, Reflection Review how the club will end each session for reflection time (return to rug, back to tables? All areas cleaned up?) 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 4
Activity Two: Jell-O! (20-25 minutes) In this activity the girls will make and observe Jell-O a very tasty substance that changes from a liquid to not quite a solid. Details: Jell-O is actually a colloidal suspension - when it s set it is a liquid suspended in a solid, but it behaves a lot like a solid. For your own knowledge, the girls probably do not need such terms. Make two or three bowls of Jell-O depending on the number of girls in the club. There should be at least one adult with every group of girls. 1. Make the Jell-O according to the quick set directions. (You will need to have a hot pot with water already warmed have your JM start this while you are going over club rules). 2. Have the girls participate in stirring the Liquid Jell-O. Is it hard or easy to stir the liquid? 3. Let the girls take turns stirring while the Jell-O begins to set. (the fast set Jell-O should start to Gel enough to feel) 4. At this point tell the girls that the Jell-O will go into the fridge to keep setting and set it aside (keep it to make at home or give to the coordinator for tomorrow's club). 5. Do a cooking show switch and bring out pre-made Jell-O jigglers. 6. Give each girl a cup or plate with a Jiggler or two and let her play with it for a while. Don't let them eat it yet! 7. Encourage close observation: What does the Jiggler feel like? Is it still a liquid? Does it seem like a solid? How does it move? Does it stretch? Does it bounce? 8. Let the girls eat the Jell-O if they want (and if it hasn't fallen on the floor or desks 9. Clean up! Have the girls help you clean up the room. Reflection () Reflection is a time to bring your girls together and share their thoughts, expressions, and discoveries from today s club. It is an essential component of the Science Club for Girls experience. As a group, summarize the topic and question of the day, using the girls journal as a guide. Girls can then write or draw in their journals. Many girls will need help getting going, so offer your guidance in getting them to write or draw. Have them draw what the Jell-O looked like and what they looked like and did when observing the Jell-O. How were they scientists today? After clubs are done for the day, read what your girls wrote and write something back to them in the space provided. This is a valuable way for you to develop a dialogue with each girl. Be supportive in your comments, especially in the early weeks when girls are still getting to know you. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 5
Session Two Focus On: Bubbles Liquid and Elasticity Question of the Day Activity One: Blowing Bubbles Activity Two: Stretchy Bubbles Reflection About this Session In this session the girls will observe and play with bubbles. The goals of this session are to encourage the girls to make very close observations and explore a little bit about elasticity of the bubble solution. The soap solution used contains glycerin which will make the bubbles stronger and you'll be able to blow them bigger. Before Clubs Begin 15 minutes Session Objectives By the end of this session, your girls will: 1. Observe bubble shapes and properties 2. Begin to learn and think about things that are elastic 3. Learn what shape a sphere is Age Appropriate Definitions Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and prepare in advance of clubs. Set out nametags. Cover tables with newspaper to minimize messes. If bubble solution is not already mixed, make a batch: o 1 part glycerin o 2 parts detergent (no additives, such as bleach) o 10 parts water Elastic stretchy, springy, flexible Sphere A shape like a ball Materials for This Session Activity 1: Blowing Bubbles Per Club Per Group Per Girl Bubble Solution Straw Newspaper - LOTS! Shallow tin pan Paper towels Plastic eye dropper with the end cut off Activity 2: Stretching Bubbles Per Club Per Group (2) Per Girl Extra bubble solution Soap window frame average size Very large and very small soap frames 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 6
Question of the Day (15 minutes) Where do you see bubbles? What is a bubble? Bubbles might be seen in the bathtub, when you wash your hands, in waves at the beach, in soda. What do these bubbles have in common? In what ways are they different? What is inside a bubble? What is a bubble made of? Activity One: Blowing Bubbles () In this activity, the girls take a close look at some bubbles, in a fun but more or less controlled atmosphere. 1. Set up some guidelines before you create a wet, sloppy mess and mayhem. Set up a signal to stop the action (turning off the lights or clapping works well). Let the girls know that they ll have a chance to blow bubbles and have fun with them, but that they need to listen for instructions. Clean up is very important! Make sure you leave enough time to clean up all of the mess. 2. Divide the girls into separate groups with one JM or Mentor per group. Demonstrate blowing one bubble in the pan. (Put one end of the straw directly in the solution, hold the other end to your mouth, and blow gently, creating just one bubble.) Explore the bubble, as a group. What is its shape? What sorts of colors do you see? (Look for a while and you should see swirling colors.) Roughly what is its size? 3. Hand out materials so each girl can make her own bubble. Challenge the girls to make just one. Invite them to find out and then discuss: What is the tiniest bubble you can blow? What is the biggest bubble? (Try it a few times). What shape is a bubble? Can we change the shape of a bubble? (If you press on it with a wet hand and then move your hand up and down, you can stretch it out.) Other fun things to notice and examine: Watch the swirling colors. Can you tell by watching the swirls when a bubble is about to break? (The colors relate to the thickness of the bubble. When the top surface becomes so thin that a hole is formed, it will pop). Can you blow a bubble inside a bubble? How about a bubble inside a bubble inside a bubble? What happens when the bubble gets so big that it touches the wall of the bigger one? NOTE: When you discuss the above experiences with the girls, be aware that having all that bubble solution in front of them may distract them. You can insist (in a friendly way!) that the girls put their straws down and sit on their hands as you discuss each idea, sandwiching the discussions in between explorations, or call out the different challenges, or walk around and present the challenges to small groups of girls. 4. After exploring single bubbles, ask the girls to make multiple bubbles, blowing a bunch of bubbles that touch. Look at the places where the bubbles meet. Can the girls make bubbles with four sides? Five? Six? Use your hands to show the angles formed by the bubble sides. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 7
Examine the shapes of the bubbles. Are these multiple bubbles all the same shape? What ranges in size do the girls see? Can you create bubbles that are the same shape as any crystals (or shape patterns)? Do the swirly colors behave like/different than the swirly colors in the single bubbles? Are any bubbles inside others? Multiple bubbles sometimes remind people of different types of objects (igloos, colonies, snowballs, beehives, tents). Do these multiple bubbles remind the girls of anything? If so, what? What about the bubbles is like these other objects? (Shape, size range, proximity?) Activity Two: Stretchy Bubbles () In this activity, the girls explore the elasticity of bubble solution. NOTE: For this activity, it might be best to demonstrate one or two of the steps before letting the girls try on their own just so they know what some possibilities are. Work in small groups if possible, with the JM leading one. You may need to collect the straws so you can transition to the next activity. 1. Point out to the girls that soap film is stretchy, like a rubber band. Tell them you ll use a special tool to take a look at this quality: a bubble window. 2. Take a bubble window frame and dip it in the soap solution. Make sure you collect enough solution so that when you pull the frame apart, solution stretches in between them, creating a pane. 3. Hold the frame with bubble solution inside so that the window is horizontal. Gently bounce the structure up and down. What happens to the bubble solution? Let the girls play and explore on their own. Here are more suggestions: Try twisting the window frame. Try holding the window from one hand, so that one straw is suspended under the other, (The pane is vertical.) Twist the frame; scrunch the solution; stretch it out again; let go. Watch what happens with the bubble solution with each try. Hand out a second set of window frames. some are very large, and some are small. Does the bubble solution act the same way in these frames as the original ones? Reflection () Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Ask the girls to recap what they have explored and noticed about the way bubbles are made, and the way that bubble solution acts (bubble structure). Summarize groups of statements: Janie and Tanisha both noticed that bubbles have different shapes. We all saw that bubble solution is very stretchy. Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 8
Session Three Focus On: Liquids Viscosity and Density Matter and Slime Question of the Day Activity One: Penny Races Activity Two: Lava Lamps Activity Three: Colorful Density Tower Reflection About This Session In this session the girls will start to think about the properties of liquids by observing and experimenting with liquids of different densities and viscosities. The girls will test how thick liquids are by timing how long it takes a penny to fall through and observe density with a colorful tower and lava lamp 15 minutes 20-25 minutes Optional 15- Session Objectives By the end of this session, your girls will: 1. Learn that some liquids are thicker than others viscosity 2. Learn that some liquids are heavier than others density This session has the potential to be messy so make sure you put down newspaper, remind the girls of the signal for Stop!, and make sure to leave enough time at the end for cleanup. Before Clubs Begin Age Appropriate Definitions Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and prepare in advance of clubs. Set out nametags. Put Newspaper on the tables and remind the girls that since you will be working with liquids that can spill they need to be very careful and listen closely to all instructions. Also make sure to tell the girls that although some of the liquids might look good to eat, in today's session there is NO Eating or Tasting! Fill the three soda bottles (or large jars) with equal amounts of water, dish soap, corn syrup. Density: A measurement of how much a given amount of something weighs. Things that are less dense than water will float in water. Things that are denser than water will sink. Viscosity a measurement of how thick something is 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 9
Materials for This Session Activity 1: Penny Races Per Club Per Group Per Girl water Dish soap (yellow if possible) Corn syrup pennies 3 large jars or 2L soda bottles Activity 2: Lava Lamp Per Club Per Group (2-3) Per Girl Water Clear jar, glass or large cup Oil salt Food coloring Question of the Day (15 minutes) What does chocolate syrup do when it s put in milk (before it mixes)? Why does it sink? Some liquids are heavier denser than others. When you put heavy chocolate syrup into the lighter milk, it sinks just like a heavy stone will sink in water. Can the girls think of any other examples like this? (Salad dressing...) Source: http://www.kidzworld.com/article/756-the-ins-and-outs-of-burping Activity One: Penny Races (20-25 minutes) In this activity, the girls drop pennies through liquids of different thicknesses to see how fast they reach the bottom. The goal of this activity is to have the girls start thinking about the properties of liquids they see every day in their lives. The girls will observe different viscosities/thicknesses by dropping pennies through water, dish soap and corn syrup. 1. Show the girls the bottles of water and dish soap and tell them you will be having Penny Races. If you drop a penny in the water and the dish soap, which penny will reach the bottom first? Record Guesses. 2. Race 1: Water vs. Dish soap Have two girls volunteer to come drop the pennies. Make sure the rest of the group watches closely they are the judges of the race! On a count of One...Two...Three, Everyone Drop the pennies and record the results. (Repeat if you want, the race will go fast). 3. (Optional have a volunteer or one of the girls actually time the fall of the pennies with a stopwatch) 4. After the race: why did one penny fall slower? 5. Race 2: water vs. the corn syrup. Guess which penny will take longer to fall before the race. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 10
6. Final race dish soap vs. corn syrup. Repeat these races as many times as the club needs to get a good view of what is happening. 7. Why did the pennies in Corn Syrup and Dish Soap take longer than water? If the liquid is thicker, then the penny will have a harder time moving and take longer to fall. 8. Clean up! Make sure any spills get wiped up before moving on to the next activity. Activity Two: Lava Lamps () In this activity, the girls make their own lava lamps or salt volcanoes using water, oil, salt and food coloring. This activity introduces the idea of density. Oil will float on top of the water because it is less dense, and salt will sink through both liquids. The mixture of water, oil and salt looks kind of like a lava lamp, but is much easier and safer to make. The girls can do this in groups of 3-4 and then take turns putting in more salt and playing with the layers. 1. Ask the girls what they think will happen if you pour water and oil into the same jar? 2. Pour around 3 inches of water into the jar. 3. Now pour 1/3 cup oil into the jar. Watch as it separates. Is the oil on top or on the bottom of the water? 4. Put a drop of food coloring into the jar (really only 1!!!, too many will make it very hard to see what happens in the next step!!). What happens? Is the drop in the oil or in the water? Does the drop spread out or stay together? 5. Shake salt onto the oil while you count to 5. COOL! What happens to the food coloring and the salt? 6. Add more salt to see it again and again and again. 7. Explanation: The oil floats on the water because a drop of oil is lighter than a drop of water. Oil and water also do not mix (even if you shake them they will separate again, like salad dressing!). When you shake the salt into the oil, it starts to sink and carries a blob of oil with it. When the salt gets to the water it will start to dissolve. As it dissolves it will release the oil which will then float back up to the top of the water. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 11
Activity Three (Optional): Colorful Density Tower Density differences allow you to layer the four liquids you've been working with into a beautiful colored tower. Girls can make the towers in small groups or as a class depending on how many jars or cups you have. 1. Put a few drops of different colored food coloring into the water, corn syrup and dish soap. 2. Pour around a half inch of the colored water into the cup or jar. 3. Next ask the girls what they think will happen if you pour in corn syrup, will it stay on top or sink to the bottom? Pour in a half inch or so of corn syrup. Allow it to settle and observe. 4. Repeat for the oil and the dish soap. You now have a beautiful density tower! The heavier liquids sink to the bottom and the lighter ones float on tip. Reflection (15-) Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Which of the three liquids was the thickest? Why does oil float on water? Draw a picture of the lava lamp and label the water, oil, and salt. Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 12
Session Four Focus On: Oobleck Solid, Liquid, Viscosity Matter and Slime Question of the Day Activity One: Oobleck Activity Two: Guided Experimenting Reflection About This Session In this session the girls make Oobleck, a combination of cornstarch and water. Oobleck acts like both a solid and a liquid depending on how you touch it. Stir it slowly with your finger and it will feel like a thick liquid, but tap on it and it feels hard like a solid. The girls will have some time to play and experience their Oobleck and then they will do a guided experiment adding more cornstarch and water to see how the substance changes. Before Clubs Begin 15 minutes 15 minutes 25 minutes Session Objectives By the end of this session, your girls will: 1. Explore a substance that acts like both a solid and a liquid 2. Learn more about viscosity 3. Use their observation and description skills Age Appropriate Definitions Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and prepare in advance of clubs. Set out nametags. Suspension a mixture of two materials where one is spread out equally into the other Variable Something which can be changed in an experiment to test for new results Materials for This Session Activity 1: Oobleck Per Club Per Group Per Girl Cornstarch Disposable bowl Water plate Paper towels Newspaper Activity 2: Guided experimenting Per Club Per Group (2) Per Girl Same as above Results chart 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 13
Question of the Day (15 minutes) What do you think quicksand is? How does it work? As a mentor explain what quicksand is and solicit any experiences the girls have had with it. Quicksand is a soupy mixture of sand and water where the sand is actually floating in the water. It looks like a solid, but when you step on it, the grains of sand move in the water and you can sink in. Quicksand forms when water floods an area of loose dirt or sand and the grains of sand begin to move and become suspended in the water. The good news about quicksand is that you can float on the water/sand mixture as if it were water if you find yourself caught in quicksand don't struggle, just lay back and float your way to safety. Activity One: Oobleck (15 minutes) In this activity, the girls make Oobleck. Oobleck is a suspension - a mixture of two substances, one of which is finely divided and dispersed in the other. Oobleck is like quicksand but instead of sand it is cornstarch dispersed in liquid water. If you push slowly on the Oobleck your finger will sink right in it as if it was it s a liquid, but if you slap or punch it, it feels like a solid. When you punch the cornstarch quicksand, you are forcing the long starch molecules closer together. The impact of this force traps the water between the starch chains to form a semi-rigid structure. When the pressure is released, the cornstarch flows again. Cover the tables in Newspaper! Have the girls put on a smock if they have one. Give each girl a bowl with ½ cup cornstarch and slowly pour in ¼ cup water. Stir with your hands, adding a little bit more water if needed to make a thick liquid. This is Oobleck! Let the girls play with it for a few minutes. Have the girls describe what the oobleck feels like. What happens if you push slowly on the oobleck? What happened if you hit it? Can you stir it? Can you punch it? Can you pick it up in your hand? What happens if you squeeze it? Give the girls a while to play around with their Oobleck before moving on to activity 2. Activity Two: Guided Experimenting (25 minutes) In this activity, guide the girls through adding more cornstarch and water to experiment with the texture of the Oobleck. What will happen/what will it feel like if we add more cornstarch? Record the girl's guesses. Add around ¼ cup more cornstarch and observe/play. What happens? Was your guess right? Now what happens if we add much more water? Record the girl's guesses. Try adding more water and observe/play. Clean up. ** Do not pour Oobleck down the drain. The Cornstarch will clog the drain!** 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 14
Have the girls put their bowls of oobleck into a large trash bag and throw it away. OR put the oobleck into sandwich ziplock baggies for the girls to take home. Make sure all of the desks, chairs and floor are clean before you move on to reflection. Reflection () Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. What two materials are in the Oobleck? Have you felt anything else like Oobleck? Do you think you could walk on Oobleck? Have the girls draw their Oobleck. Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 15
Session Five Focus on: Playdough Question of the Day Activity One: Making Playdough Activity Two: Playdough Boats Reflection About this Session In this session the girls will learn how to make their own playdough, observe its properties and then use the playdough to challenge their problem solving skills. 15 minutes Session Objectives By the end of this session, your girls will: 1. Make their own playdough 2. Practice measurement skills 3. Challenge their problem solving abilities Before Clubs Begin Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and prepare in advance of clubs. Set out nametags. Materials for This Session Activity 1: Making playdough Per Club Per Group Per Girl Flour Plastic bowl Hot water Plastic baggie Cream of tartar spoon Salt and oil Newspaper and paper towels Activity 2: Playdough boats Per Club Per Group (2-3) Per Girl Large bowl/tub/pan of water pennies 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 16
Question of the Day (15 minutes) Have you ever helped cook or bake with your parents? What things did you do? Guide the girls to understand recipes, ingredients, and measuring are part of cooking and baking. Use an example like putting a cup of salt into cookies instead of sugar to get them to see the importance of measuring. Let them know that today they will be following a recipe and combining measured ingredients like a baker. Activity One: Making Playdough () In this activity the girls make their own playdough and observe some of its properties Put down newspaper before starting to make the playdough! Remember no eating in the lab! Recipe: (for each girl to make in a plastic bowl) ½ cup flour 1 Tablespoon cream of tartar ¼ cup salt Mix these together then add: ½ C Warm water (with a few drops of food coloring optional) ½ Tablespoon oil. Mix all the dry ingredients in a plastic baggie and then add oil and warm water. Mix at first by kneading the bag and as it starts to get harder and not stick to the bag, take it out to knead and play with your hands! If it s too sticky to come out of the bag add a little more flour. Describe how the playdough feels. Compare to the Oobleck from last week? What happens if you hit it? Push on it? Squeeze it? Pull it? Does it stretch? Can you make it into a ball? A cube? A snake? Have fun exploring the playdough! Activity Two: Playdough Boats () In this activity, the girls make boats out of their playdough and see how many pennies they can carry. 1. Have the girls make a piece of their playdough into a ball. Will it sink or float if they put it into the tub of water? Guess and try it out. 2. Can they make the playdough into a shape that will float? (If they struggle ask them about other things that float like boats can they make the playdough into a boat shape?) Why does the playdough float better if it s more spread out? 3. Once they have a floating playdough boat, have a contest to see how many pennies everyone's boats can hold up before they sink. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 17
Reflection () Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Draw the shape of the playdough that sank and the shape of the playdough that floated on the water. Do you like the oobleck or the playdough better? Why? Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 18
Session Six Focus On: Bouncy Balls - Elasticity Question of the Day Activity One: White Glue Balls Activity Two: Blue Gel Glue Balls Activity Three: Bounce Off! Reflection About this Session In this session the girls will explore chemical reactions and properties of different substances by making their own bouncy balls. Today they will make two bouncy balls from two different types of glue and test to see which one bounces higher and next week they will continue the investigation using rubber. Option 1: To make more time for bouncing contests at the end, measure out the glue into baggies or cups and mix the borax solution ahead of time this way it won't take as long to measure and make the bouncy balls and there is more time for bouncing and comparing. Option 2: Have the girls practice measuring skills by putting together all of the materials themselves. This might not leave as much time for bouncing at the end of the session. (Bouncy ball recipes taken from: http://pslc.ws/macrog/activity/ball/ - level 1 page) Before Clubs Begin 15 minutes Optional Session Objectives By the end of this session, your girls will: 1. Learn about chemical reactions 2. Make their own bouncy balls 3. Practice their observation skills Age Appropriate Definitions Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and prepare in advance of clubs. Set out nametags. Great source: http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_mixture. html Elasticity a measure of how well a material can return to its original shape when you stretch it. Example: Rubber band very elastic when you pull it, it will snap back into its original size. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 19
Materials for This Session Activity 1: White glue balls Per Club Per Group Per Girl Elmer s White Glue (24 T) 2 T measure Plastic cup Borax (2 T) ½ t measure Stirring rod or spoon Water Plastic baggie Activity 2: Blue glue balls Per Club Per Group Per Girl Blue gel glue (24 T) 2 T measure Plastic cup Borax solution (2 T borax) ½ t measure Stirring rod or spoon Water Plastic baggie Question of the Day (15 minutes) Why does a basket ball bounce so much better than a bowling ball? Or worse than a bouncy ball? The basketball is made of an elastic material so that when it strikes the ground it will become a little bit flat but then return to a round shape. When it returns to the round shape, it pushes back on the ground and bounces up. A bowling ball is made from a material that is not elastic and will not spring back when you throw it at the ground so it doesn't bounce as much. Activity One: White Glue Balls () In this activity the girls will make their own elastic material (bouncy ball) out of white glue and borax. Two non bouncy materials when combined become a material that will bounce. Put newspaper on the tables before making bouncy balls. Before making the bouncy ball, have the girls observe the two materials that will be used. Does the glue bounce? Does the borax bounce? (Try it out on a plate.) These two materials don't bounce on their own, but when they are combined there is a change in their structure and you get a bouncy material! 1. Measure 2 tbsp of glue into a plastic cup. 2. Add approximately 1/2 tsp of Borax powder to the glue. 3. Stir vigorously until the mixture clumps and sticks to the stirring rod or stick. 4. Remove the clump of polymer from the stick. Hold it under running water and shape into a ball. 5. Pat the ball dry and bounce it on the table top. Describe the texture, color, smell, and other observable characteristics. Try bouncing it on other surfaces. 6. Put it in a plastic baggie labeled with the girl's name and save for the bouncing contest. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 20
Activity Two: Blue Gel Glue Balls () In this activity, the girls make another bouncy ball out of Blue Gel Blue and borax. Again before making the ball: Do either of these materials bounce on their own? Do you think this ball will bounce better than the white glue ball? 1. Measure 2 tbsp of glue into a plastic cup. 2. To prepare borax solution, add approximately 1/2 tsp of borax powder to 1/2 tsp of tap water. Stir until powder is wet. 3. Add the wet borax to the glue. 4. Stir vigorously until the mixture clumps and sticks to the stirring rod or stick. 5. Remove the clump of polymer from the stick. Hold it under running water and shape into a ball. 6. Pat the ball dry and bounce it on the table top. Describe the texture, color, smell and other characteristics of this ball. Try bouncing it on other surfaces. Activity Three (Optional): Bounce Off! Have the girls come up with a way to measure which ball bounces higher. While they compare them also think about how they bounce on different surfaces, if you just drop the ball or if you throw it and what they sound like when they bounce. Reflection () Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Which glue ball bounced the highest? Draw a picture of the two bouncy balls and label which one bounced higher. Did how you dropped the ball (or if you threw it) change how high the ball bounced? Did bouncing on different surfaces make a difference? Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 21
Session Seven Focus On: Stickyometer - Experimenting Question of the Day Activity One: Making a Stickyometer Activity Two: Testing Food Glues Activity Three: Graph the Results Reflection About This Session In this session the girls will test the stickiness of different sticky foods by using a stickyometer they will make themselves. While making the stickyometer and testing the foods is lots of fun, the goal of the session is to learn about setting up a simple experiment and recording experimental data. (Adapted from https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/resou rces/k-8/scienceactivities/characteristicsofmaterials/building/astickyometer.pdf ) Before Clubs Begin 15 minutes 15 minutes 25 minutes Optional Session Objectives By the end of this session, your girls will: 1. Practice measuring 2. Set up a simple experiment 3. Record guesses and results 4. Measure the stickiness of different foods Age Appropriate Definitions Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and prepare in advance of clubs. Set out nametags. Hypothesis a guess about what the result will be when you do an experiment Data The results of your experiment Materials for This Session Activity 1: Making a Stickyometer Per Club Per Group (3-4) Per Girl Tape Large plastic cup String 5 smaller Styrofoam cups ruler pencil Activity 2: Testing food glues Per Club Per Group (2) Per Girl Honey 4 paper plates Pancake syrup pennies Fluff Jelly 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 22
Question of the Day (15 minutes) Since you can t eat glue, what do you use to stick food together? Frosting? Peanut butter? Or some other kind of sticky food. There are lots of sticky foods out there let s list some! Sticky rice, cream cheese, marshmallows, melted popsicle, etc. Activity One: Making a Stickyometer (15 minutes) In this activity, the girls will construct a Stickyometer - a highly scientific device for measuring how sticky a food is. Materials like glue, tape, and paste are called "adhesives". Adhesives are used to stick two things together. For an adhesive to work, it must stick well to both materials being stuck together. For example: If you use paste to attach a feather to a piece of cardboard, the feather will stick well only if the paste sticks well to the feather and to the cardboard. Adhesives stick to materials by getting into the tiny dents, holes, spaces, pores, crevices, nooks, and crannies of the material that we normally cannot see without a microscope. The adhesive then hardens or gets tangled and caught in the tiny spaces of the material causing the adhesive to stick. For certain materials, it is easier for an adhesive to do this. That's why certain adhesives stick better to some materials than others. Cover the tables with newspaper! 1. Measure 6 inches of string and tape it to one of the small cups as a handle. Measure 4 pieces of string 9 inches each and tape it as a handle on each of the other 4 cups. 2. Turn the Large cup upside down and tape the pencil on top. Now place the ruler perpendicular across the pencil to create a Seesaw like structure. Have someone hold onto the ruler for now so it doesn't fall off! 3. Hang the cup with the short handle on one side and one cup with a long handle on the other side (the cup with the long handle should just touch the table), tape the handles to the ruler. Put a plate under the cup with the long handle. Your Stickyometer is now ready for testing! Activity Two: Testing Food Glues (25 minutes) In this activity, the girls use the stickyometer to test how sticky different foods are by seeing how many pennies it takes to unstick a cup that has been glued to a plate with the food. Make sure each group has a results chart to record their data. (At the end of the session) 1. Before testing: Guess rank the foods from Stickiest to Least Sticky. This is your hypothesis, now go ahead and test if you are right! 2. Use a spoon to spread a thin coating of honey onto bottom of the cup with the long handle and stick it 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 23
to the paper plate. 3. Now, whoever is holding onto the ruler can let go. Start putting pennies, one at a time, into the cup with the short handle. Count together! When the cup pulls away from the plate, stop and record the number of pennies in the results chart. Set aside the honey cup and plate 4. Put a clean long handled cup and paper plate onto your Stickyometer. Now test the pancake syrup and record how many pennies it could hold. Repeat with Fluff and Jelly. Don't forget to fill in your results chart! 5. Clean up! Make sure that all cups, plates and newspaper go in the trash and that any spills are wiped up well with water and paper towels. 6. Go over your results charts which one had the most pennies, which one had the least? Which one is the stickiest based on your results. Activity Three (Optional): Graph the Results Graph how many pennies each food could hold. What kind of graph do you think will show this best bar graph? Line graph? Show the girls both Or pick whichever you prefer Reflection () Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. What are some other foods that we talked about in the question of the day that we could have tested with our stickyometer? Do you think these foods would stick more or less if we left them to dry on the cup and plate before we put in the pennies? Draw a picture of the stickyometer. Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day. 2016, Science Clubs for Girls Matter and Slime, v4 Page 24