Finally, the day we had all been waiting for- Chemistry Day.
We read the story of Bartolomew and the Oobleck. Then we followed a recipe to make our own oobleck.
I scoop of cornstarch, 2 scoops of water. For the most part, we got what we were trying for.
Once we had our oobleeck mixed we explored with it for some time.
After getting to know the substance, we made predictions for what some common household items would do if dropped in oobleck. Would they sink or float?
This was a great exercise in the scientific process. The boys and girls learned the importance of accuracy in measuring and recording results.
Next it was time to make Elephant Toothpaste.
This was a little anti-climatic because in order for the experiment to be safe for children, I had to use a more diluted peroxide. We had a typical reaction, just not as BIG as we had hoped for.
The good thing about this version is that the children can touch the results and actually feel the warmth of the exothermic reaction
Finally, it was time to make our last entry in our science journals.
We each wrote about our favorite experiment of the day. Many listed Elephant Toothpaste, which just goes to show that in that which I perceived as a disappointment, they found wonder.
Mad Scientist Camp was a blast! We will definitely do this again next summer. We already brainstormed some new experiments!
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