General Science Extension Activities Lesson 1
Physical Changes
Paper Chain – 02:17
Cut strips of paper and have students staple them together in a chain. They can make patterns, write letters in their name, create a countdown, and more.
Origami – 03:51
Folding paper is a great physical change and builds fine motor skills. There are simple animals suitable for young hands, such as dogs, cats, and fish. (See appendix page 7 for a simple cat.)
Paper Airplanes – 02:34
Decorate beforehand and practice folding to get the best flight.
Paper Snowflakes – 04:40
This is a great exercise in symmetry and cutting skills.
Paper Fans – 03:00
Accordion folding can be a little tricky, but it’s a simple pleasure for kids to make a fan!
Chemical Changes
Baking Soda & Vinegar – Balloons – 02:00
Students can smell the vinegar before and after! The sharp smell disappears as it becomes salt water after reacting with baking soda. Use a small soft-drink bottle: put vinegar in the bottom, scoop a small amount of baking soda into a deflated balloon, stretch the balloon tightly over the bottle top, then dump in the baking soda and watch the balloon inflate. Air is created by a chemical change!
Baking Soda & Vinegar – Hidden Color – 04:00
Prep: lightly cover the bottom of 2–3 cookie sheets with baking soda. Drop random drops of food dye around the baking soda, then cover with more baking soda. Using small cups of vinegar and droppers, students find the surprise colors by creating a chemical reaction.
Diet Coke and Mentos – 01:30
Classic chemical reaction — best done outdoors!
Fake Snow – 02:00
Put approximately ¼ cup of baking soda in a bowl and add 3 cups of shaving cream. Mix with your hands! You can reduce the measurements and do them individually.
Browning Apples Experiment – 05:04
Leave out cut apples and watch them brown (a chemical reaction with air). Dip some pieces in lemon juice or water to turn it into a comparison experiment.