About
this Daily Classroom Special:
Science to Go provides easy yet meaningful
science activities for grades k-8. Science to Go was written
by Barbara Smith, Magnet Coordinator at Harvard Elementary, Houston
(TX) and former Teachers Network web mentor.
Bubble Fun
Objectives:
- Make measurements.
- Using standard
and non-standard measurements.
- Make observations
and record data.
- Graphing.
Problem:
Which brand of dishwashing soap will make a bubble solution that
will blow the biggest bubbles?
Hypothesis:
I/We think ____ brand will blow the biggest bubbles, because....
Materials:
- water
- 3 brands
dishwashing soap
- glycerine
- eyedropper
- 3 containers
to hold solutions
- straws (one
per child)
- ruler or
meter stick
- sponges for
cleanup
Procedure:
- In one container,
gently mix water, first brand of soap, and glycerine, in the following
proportions:
10 parts water
1 part dishwashing soap
20 drops glycerine per gallon of water/soap mix
- Pour about
a tablespoon of this bubble solution on a table and smear it into
a solid plate-sized wet spot.
- Dip straw
in solution, then touch it to the wet spot on the table.
- With straw
at a 45 degree angle, gently blow a bubble on the table. Keep
blowing until it pops.
- Quickly
measure the soapy ring left on the table, where the perimeter
of the bubble is still apparent.
- Record data.
- Blow and
record at least 3 bubbles with this solution.
- Repeat with
other brands of dishwashing soap.
Results:
Record bubble data, determine averages for each brand, graph the
results.
Conclusion:
Was your hypothesis right or wrong?
Which brand made the largest bubbles?
What does this have to do with "real life"?
Extensions:
Have children test regular and "ultra" types of soap.
Build different geometric figures with pipe cleaners, dip in solutions
and observe results.
Test different variables: straw size, amounts of glycerine, water
temperature, solutions without glycerine, dry v. wet table, size
of spot on table, speed of bubble inflation, type of soap or detergent.
Websites
to try:
The Bubblesphere Recipes,
games, history of bubble-blowing.
APOD: November
8, 1999 - Lunation Astronomy Picture of the Day, AMAZING slide animation of the moon's
changing appearance over a month's time. See the shadow move, and the
moon's wobble. Takes a while to download, but well worth it!
You
Rule School General Mills' site for students. Science Room, contests,
recipes, games. A bit commercial, but has a lot for kids to explore.
Science experiments are VERY simple, but the career and MIR space station
links are decent. Requires registration and sign-in. |