Worms

Supplies

Worms (in LA: Purfield's Pro Tackle 12512 Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 397-6171)

Concept: Hands on exploration with Earthworms. Use your sense of touch and sight to observe worm head and tail movement. Can you identify the head/tail? What is the small section on the worm that is different than the rest? Can they survive being split in two?

Extension: Compare these invertebrate (have no backbones) to other invertebrates.

Wormy Facts: Earthworms bodies are made up of ring-like segments called annuli. The segments are covered in setae(small bristles), which the worm uses to move and burrow. The worm's first segment contains its mouth. Earthworms breath through their skin. They also have a brain,5 hearts, and mouths. Worms eat a third of their body weight daily. The familiar-looking bulge seen near the first third of the earthworm’s body is clitellum. The clitellum is a series of segments that are swollen to form a saddlelike structure in the anterior portion of the oligochaete. The function of the clitellum is mucous secretion during copulation and cocoon formation after copulation. Lastly, contrary, to the common myth; if split in two, two will not grow.

Application to Real World: While burrowing worms consume soil and extract nutrients from decomposing organic matter (leaves and roots). Earthworms are crucial to soil health since they carry nutrients and minerals from below to the surface through their waste and their tunnels aerate (air/ventilate) the ground. Earthworms are a source of food for many animals (birds/rats/toads). They also are frequently used in residential composting and as bait in commercial and recreational fishing.

Oobleck

Supplies

newspaper
measuring cups
1 c. of dry cornstarch
large bowl
green food coloring
1/2-1 c. of water

Procedure: Cover you table or counter with newspaper (if possible complete experiment outside). Put the cornstarch into the bowl or pan. Add a few drops of food coloring. Add the water slowly, while mixing. Continue to add water until all of the oobleck feels like a liquid when your mixing it. You will have perfect consistency when you can tap on the surface of the oobleck and it feels like a solid. If too powdery, add more water. If too wet, add more cornstarch. Play and experiment. What happens when you squeeze a handful?

Extension: Make other sensory experiments (flubber, play dough, silly putty, mud, handmade sand).

Application to Real World: Discuss matter and various solids, liquids, and gases we have/use in our daily life's.

Volcanoes

Supplies:
vinegar
baking soda
red food coloring
liquid dish soap
play dough
paper plates
Dixie cups
measuring utensils

Play Dough Recipe
2 c. flour
1 c. salt
1 c. colored water
1 tsp. alum (optional to preserve)

Alternate Play Dough Recipe
1 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
1 Tbsp. cream of tartar
1 c. water
1 Tpsp oil
Optional: add vanilla or peppermint extract before cooking. Smell is our strongest link to memory.
(mix and cook over skillet on low/medium heat for 3-5 minutes)

Concept: Vinegar causes the baking soda to bubble and turn into a gas (carbon dioxide). The dish soap slows down the chemical reaction to form the lava.

Procedure: Place Dixie cup on center of paper plate. Use play dough to form base of volcano. Have student measure 1 Tbs. of baking soda. Place into Dixie cup inside crater of volcano. Squirt one squirt of liquid soap into crater of volcano. Take volcanoes outside for eruption time. Let students pour one Dixie cup full of vinegar into volcano (can be repeated by adding more vinegar).

Extension: Experiment with different materials to form volcano. Add more or less dish soap, baking soda, vinegar and observe.

Application to Real World: Why do volcanoes erupt? A volcano is a vent through which molten rock escapes to the earth's surface. Unlike other mountains, which are pushed up from below, volcanoes are built by surface accumulation of their eruptive products - layers of lava, ashflows, and ash. When pressure from gases within the molten rock becomes too great, an eruption occurs. Volcanic hazards include gases, lava and pyroclastic flows, landslides, earthquakes, and explosive eruptions.

Balloon Blow Up

Supplies

1. empty plastic bottle filled half way with vinegar
2. 1 Tbs. of baking soda
3. balloon(s)

Procedure: Place balloon on funnel. Have students measure and pour 1 Tbs. of baking soda into the funnel. Have students gently remove balloon from funnel. Set balloon with baking soda aside. Use funnel in bottle and let student pour about 1/2 the bottle with vinegar. Use marker to mark measurement on bottle. Carefully place balloon over mouth of bottle, make sure the baking soda does not pour into vinegar, yet. On the count of 3, have students lift balloons and let baking soda fall into the bottle.

Concept: Chemical Reactions- Carbon Dioxide gas. Tip the bottle upside down and let all the ingredients fill the balloon. Touch the bottom of balloon to feel how cold these chemicals get.

Extension: Use yeast to replace baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to replace vinegar to make a different gas (oxygen). This experiment makes heat. It does not produce as much gas, but is much warmer.

Application to Real World: Why do helium balloons rise? Helium rises because it is less dense than the air. If it is less dense, then it will rise above the air until it meets a gas lighter than it. There are other gases lighter than air. You should experiment with other gases inside balloons.