Here is a fun polymer demo to do with your class on a winter day!
You will need:
Water
A surface for building your snowman (Wax paper worked well)
Snowman adornments (I choose NON food items for lab safety reasons.)
Put the Sodium Polyacrylate into a clear glass container. Slowly add water unit the “snow” is of the desired consistency. (FYI- Adding a lot of water will make some SLOPPY snow to work with!)
A plastic knife makes a good tool for moving it around.
Have students take turns shaping the snow while you share awesome facts about polymers…long chains of molecules…super absorbent diapers..etc. Here are a few polymer links you can check out:
What is a polymer? http://www.pslc.ws/macrog/kidsmac/basics.htm
Polymer Plastic Bag Trick
Plastics and Polymers Book
Add snowman adornments found around the classroom or in the bottom of student lockers. Name your snowman and then set him in the classroom for student viewing. Students can make observations in their science journals before, during and after the demonstration, including in the weeks to follow when the Sodium Polyacrylate crystals will eventually dry off. (You could probably use them again, but I haven’t tried it.) Oh…and I STRONGLY recommend doing this as a teacher demonstration. I’m all for moving science from the teacher’s desk to the student’s desk…except in situations like this where a total MESS will be created!
Oh and One more thing. Did you have a chance to browse the FREE holiday ebooks on TpT this morning? They are posted in this week’s newsletter, so make sure you grab them! Here is one of the coupons from my addition to the book 🙂
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THIS FREEBIE!
Click to download this coupon and these other fun (and FREE) winter coupons for your class:
Due Date Extension
Late to Class Pass
Bonus Point
20% off the length of an assignment
Seat Swap
Leave class 3 minutes early
Plus four different Mystery coupons (prize revealed when QR Code is scanned)
Late to Class Pass
Bonus Point
20% off the length of an assignment
Seat Swap
Leave class 3 minutes early
Plus four different Mystery coupons (prize revealed when QR Code is scanned)
I hope you are enjoying some REAL snow like we are this week. Happy holidays to all my online teacher friends!
