February’s Challenge: Creative Chemistry!

Do a fun Chemistry Experiment with an artistic twist!

For general information on the challenge format, click this link!

If you have any suggestions for future challenges, please let us know through the form below! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMn_qafiZP7kCKGYAVJ_BhW9PczY38oZCC5rIbBfrgP4QGIg/viewform

Guidelines:

  1. Do a chemistry experiment that interests you!
  2. You can choose from the experiments below, or try something completely different and submit it!
  3. Be creative! Try to add an artistic element to your experiments.
  4. Feel free to work with family and friends!
  5. Send your submission to stemsubmissions@gearticks.com by February 28th (more submission details at bottom of page)

If you aren’t sure where to start… 

Sample experiments: 

Making Slime: 

Borax Slime: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/how-to-make-borax-slime-easy/

Oobleck: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/how-to-make-oobleck/ 

Fluffy Slime: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/fluffy-slime-recipe/ 

Magnetic Slime: https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-magnetic-slime-609155

Try to make your own slime recipe! 

Make your slime unique! Here are some ways to add color and texture: https://colormyslime.com/blogs/slime-blog/17-things-to-add-to-slime

Growing Crystals: 

Borax Crystals: 

Rock Candy: https://www.thespruceeats.com/rock-candy-521016

Salt Crystals: https://www.thoughtco.com/growing-table-salt-crystals-607663

Goodnow Library Winter Activity Kit: Make a Crystal Yeti with Borax! To reserve a kit, and more information visit: https://goodnowlibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/winter-activity-kits-ages-3-up-contactless-pickup-5/

Experiment: What cool shapes can you grow crystals on?

Chromatography:

Coffee Filter Chromatography: https://www.osc.org/colorful-coffee-filter-experiment-to-demonstrate-capillary-action/

Coffee Filter Chromatography Butterflies:

Science for Kids: Chromatography Butterfly Craft

Which markers made the prettiest colors?

Terms:

Capillary action: The movement of a liquid along the surface of a solid caused by the attraction of molecules of the liquid to the molecules of the solid; The movement of water within the spaces of a porous material due to the forces of adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension.

Solution: a homogeneous, molecular mixture of two or more substances

Solubility: relative capability of being dissolved

Bath Bombs:

How to Make Bath Fizzers • Explore Science While you Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

Terms:

Ph: A measure of how acidic/basic water is. The range goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. pHs of less than 7 indicate acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 indicates a base.

Endothermic: A chemical reaction or physical change is endothermic if heat is absorbed by the system from the surroundings. In the course of an endothermic process, the system gains heat from the surroundings and so the temperature of the surroundings decreases

Exothermic: If heat is released by the system into the surroundings during a chemical reaction or physical change. Because the surroundings are gaining heat from the system, the temperature of the surroundings increases. 

Library Resources

We are super excited to be working with the Lincoln Library! They have curated book and website lists for students of different ages to learn more about chemistry! Visit the library website to access these resources!

We are also partnering with the Goodnow Library in Sudbury! Their booklist can be found here: https://goodnowlibrary.org/gearticks-collaboration-stem-resources-for-kids/

General Guiding Questions/Suggestions:

  1. Which chemistry project did you decide to do?
  2. What substances were combined, and did a reaction occur?
  3. How did the substances change during your experiment? 
  4. Do some research on the science behind how your experiment worked.

Reflection Questions:

  1. What was your favorite part of the challenge?
  2. Did anything unexpected happen?
  3. What challenges did you overcome? 
  4. What did you learn?
  5. Did you have to change the ingredients and how did that change the results?
  6. How did you make your project colorful or creative?
  7. What was your favorite part of the experiment? 

If you tried a chromatography experiment: 

  1. Describe what happened to the ink as the water moved through it.
  2. What type of matter do you think the ink is in the other color you used?
  3. The separation of matter depends on the physical properties of the substances involved.  In this chromatography experiment, what physical property or properties were used to separate the matter?

To submit:

  • Send a picture of your creation and answers to the optional questions if you filled them out to stemsubmissions@gearticks.com by February 28th your creations will be featured on the GearTicks website!
  • Feel free to include any planning you did as well as your favorite part of the challenge!
  • Your submissions can be a google document, PDF, image, or just an email
  • If you want to upload work on paper, try downloading a PDF scanner like genius scan and send it via email

If you have any questions feel free to email hello@gearticks.com!

If you enjoy these STEM Challenges, you may be interested in FLL Explore. FLL Explore is a Lego Robotics program for kids ages 6-10. For more information, you can visit this page or email us!

Definitions from http://www.dictionary.com, https://www.usgs.gov/, https://chem.libretexts.org/