Mad Science!

Day two of 4-H Cloverbud Day Camp had our 5-8 year old day campers delving into the world of atoms and molecules.  Ok, maybe that's a little deeper then we actually went...but in a few years they will know what we did today had to do with atom and molecules.  Today it was just fun!

  We started our day by learning the word hypothesis and making raisins dance.  It may sound a little funny but with sprite and raisins we were able to see the carbon dioxide gas lock onto the raisins making them bounce up and down in the cup.  It was so very cool!

  Our next project was a little more personal.  We used marshmallows and toothpicks to find the blood racing through our bodies.  Now for some of us this was a little difficult until Ms. Casey got us up and moving making our blood race through our bodies.  When we sat back down after some really cool moving around, it was a whole lot easier to see the blood racing through our bodies when we placed the marshmallow on our pulse point and the toothpick started moving as our blood moved.

  After all that work it was time to take a break for a snack then we got a chance to play with our food. Each team had saucers of milk with a drop of four different colors of food coloring in it.  Miss Shea Ann handed us q-tips with a magic liquid on the end (dish soap) with a brief touch of the swab to the milk the colors spread and mixed around the plate.  It was so neat we touched the milk several times until we made mush of the colors and couldn't help but enjoy it.

  While working on colors it was time to use pipettes to make our very own colors.  Using cool scientific trays and red, blue, and yellow (primary colors) we learned how to make green, orange, and purple.  After making our own special shades of these colors we were able to save our favorite in a very special way.  Using little tiny rocks, Miss Shea Ann grew crystals of our favorite colors while we ate lunch. 

  After lunch we came back to start growing colorful magic orbs from what looked like ice cream sprinkles.  We put them in water and will check on them in the morning.  They are really cool.  

  After being scientific Mrs. T came in and did a different kind of science experiment.  After meeting Mr. germ we got a chance to see the germs on our hands and learn how to wash them away.  After having a little fun, and washing mr. germ down the drain we got a chance to make another healthy snack.  Today it involved a whole wheat tortilla, peanut butter, and banana.  Nummmmmmmy!  Today was all sort of fun.  Stay tuned for tomorrow as we get crafty with our 4-H experience.