Hi-ya Sassy-Sci peeps! Ulysses and I are super excited to be back sharing a few weather activities straight from our lab to yours!!
So far this summer, we have spent our lazy days chilling by the springs wearing our brand new Sassy-Sci T-shirts, but there have been a few days where the weather has not cooperated. And we filled those days with science!
These three weather activities in a jar never fail to brighten up a rainy afternoon (or morning) with some serious science fun. And we thought that you all would enjoy them, too!
Let's dig in...
3 Weather Activities You Can Do In A Jar This Summer
All you need is a Mason jar with a lid, some water, ice, shaving cream, and a bit of food coloring. Oh, and a match - all things you probably have lying around your house somewhere.
So start the scavenger hunt and then come back and we'll get the science fun started!
#1 - Clouds in a jar
Did you know you can make clouds in a jar? Well, really, it's more like fog, but this is a cool one to try out!
You will need the following:
- Mason jar with lid
- Warm water
- Ice
- Match
Here’s what you need to do:
- Fill the jar about halfway with very warm water.
- Place the jar lid upside down on top of the jar and fill it with ice. Wait a few minutes.
- (Adults only) Remove the lid and light a match. Hold the match over the opening for 3 seconds and then drop it into the jar and quickly replace the upside down lid.
- Watch the air in the jar very closely - a "cloud" of fog will appear within a few minutes!
#2 - Tornado in a jar
Sound the alarm - you are about to have a tornado in your kitchen! But don't worry, you won't have to head for shelter, this one is safely contained in a jar.
You will need the following:
- Mason jar with lid
- Warm water
- Colored ice cubes (You can make this by adding a few drops of food coloring to water and then using that for making ice.)
Here’s what you need to do:
- Fill the jar about two-thirds of the way with warm water.
- Add a colored ice cube and quickly screw on the lid.
- Swirl the jar around a few times and then set it on the counter and watch what happens. In a few moments, the spinning ice cube will form a vortex inside your jar!
#3 - Rain in a jar
Have you ever seen a food coloring rainstorm? No? Well, you are about to create one!
You will need the following:
- Mason jar
- Shaving cream
- Blue food coloring
- Warm water
Here’s what you need to do:
- Fill the jar halfway with warm water.
- Squirt a shaving cream cloud on top of the water. (Note – You can pack the shaving cream in a bit before adding an indention in the center so that the food coloring won’t run over the “cloud”.)
- Slowly add 20 to 30 drops of blue food coloring in the center of the shaving cream cloud.
- Watch and wait for the food coloring “rain” to fall out of the bottom of the shaving cream “cloud”.
Wrapping It Up
Well, there you have it - 3 weather activities in a jar for those steamy, stormy days! If you are looking for some more summer science fun, check out these posts from a few years back:
- How to grow a butterfly {A Zoology Project}
- The Edible Cell Calzone {An Anatomy Project}
- How to grow herbs from cuttings {A Botany Project}
Hope you have a fantastic summer!