Around this time of year, the Prez and I like to hold our annual Arctic Blast Extravaganza!! We turn the lab into a winter wonderland and share a few of our favorite arctic science activities!
It is the middle of summer and you are no doubt dying for a respite from the heat. And we figured that you just might want to join us in throwing the coolest party in town!
So, this week we wanted to invite you into our lab and give you some tips for planning your own summertime Arctic Blast Extravaganza!!!!!
Let's begin . . .
Every year, we invite the neighborhood children (and their parents) into the lab for the afternoon for a cool science party.
The Prez and I drape the lab tables with white cloths, we dress up Socrates and Aristotle as arctic adventurers, and we loop pictures from Train's and Blaisey's trips to the Arctic on the tracking screen.
All this really sets the mood! But what really turns an ordinary party into and Arctic Blast Extravaganza is the Arctic science activities we have set up at different stations!
This year we are going to mix up magic snow (actually this is a classic one we do year after year), make a few edible glaciers, and paint a few icy crystals!
This first Arctic science activity is a must! It's unbelievable simple!!
If you don’t have snow in your area (and let's face it, most of us don't in the middle of July) this experiment is perfect because it even feels a bit cool to the touch!
Basically, you mix a box of cornstarch with a can of shaving cream and WAH-LAH!!
You have magic snow to play with until your heart's content!
We are trying this arctic science activity out for the first time this year - the idea came from a friend of ours in her glacier study post. She shares about how to make an edible glacier using a can of sweetened condensed milk, cornstarch, a cereal box, chocolate chips or nuts, and icing.
You being by making the “glacial ice.” Mix one can of sweetened condensed milk with 1-2 TBSP of cornstarch. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it thickens. Then, pour the mixture into a bowl and let it cool to the touch before using it in your edible glacier. The Prez is going to whip this up in the kitchen before a single party-going slide into the lab.
At the party, the children will cut out pieces of cereal box cardboard to form a mountain. Then, They will place edible rocks made from chocolate chips or nuts all over the mountain using icing to loosely attach the different pieces.
Once they are satisfied with their mountain, the children get to place a glob of the glacial ice on tipity-top of their mountain and observe what happens!
And last, but certainly not least in the arctic science activities category - ice-crystal paintings. Well, they are not really ice crystals - they just look like ice crystals!
For these creations, you will need Epsom salts, hot water, food coloring, and paper. Mix equal parts of
the Epsom salts and hot water together until most of the Epsom salts have dissolved. Add a few drops
of food coloring and mix well. Then, set this mixture out on the table.
Once the children arrive, have them use the mixture to paint a snowflake design or ice storm on the paper. As it dries, the ice crystals will form!
Whew! I am getting chilly just thinking about having another successful Arctic Blast Extravaganza.
We hope that you guys will enjoy these arctic science activities, too!! If you do throw your own Arctic Blast Extravaganza, be sure to share a pic with us on Instagram and tag it with #SassySci (or @sassafrassci arctic party) and the Prez and I will check it out!
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