The Crystal Garden

We recently grew a crystal garden in the Robins' class and it captured the interest of the children and adults alike. This is a really fun science experiment that would be really easy to recreate at home.

Ingredients:

6-7 Charcoal briquettes
A pie pan
6 Tablespoons salt
6 Tablespoons water
6 Tablespoons laundry bluing (This can be found in the laundry aisle at most stores)
1 Tablespoon ammonia
Food coloring

Directions:

For best results, break up briquettes into smaller pieces ( I used a hammer). Place pieces in the pie pan. Mix salt, water, bluing, and ammonia and spoon mixture over charcoal. We had extra so we saved it in a covered jar to use later on. After this was done, the Robins took turns using pipettes to add their favorite color to the charcoals.

Day 2:

The following morning, the Robins gathered around to see the beautiful crystal garden that had grown over night. Although we used many different colors, the garden was mostly blue and green. The Robins examined the crystals through magnifying glasses and drew their observations. We discussed the concepts of absorption and evaporation. We learned that crystals were growing because the salt in our mixture did not evaporate the same way as the liquids. (For a more in depth scientific explanation, visit http://www.mrsstewart.com/pages/explanation.htm). At the end of the day, we added the remaining mixture to the bottom of the dish, careful not to disturb the growing crystals.

Day 3:

Again, the Robins rushed into the classroom, eager to see if the garden had changed. It had! The children noticed crystals were growing up the sides of the dish. It was really tempting to touch the garden, but we learned that touching the crystals damaged them.

Day 4:

By day 4, some of the children started to lose interest, but a few asked what would happen to the garden over the coming weekend. We decided to make another batch of the mixture. We poured it into the dish before we left that Friday evening.

Day 7:

A week had gone by since the star of our experiment and the crystal garden had gone wild! So many changes had happened over the weekend. The coral like crystals had changed color and shape and now they looked more like a head of broccoli or cauliflower.

Day 8:

Our garden is still growing and changing! Be sure to ask your student about the crystal garden...

Thanks for reading!
Miss Crystal

T is for............

Turtle begins with the letter "T".  Miss Julie brought in her turtle
for show and tell.  The Robin's had so much fun watching it

eat (crickets) and the turtle even went for a walk at circle time.






At circle time we discussed the difference between a turtle and a tortoise.
A turtle is smaller, and  as shown above, you can hold a turtle.
A tortoise is much much larger.  A fun fact:  the biggest tortoise
ever measured had the shell size of our blue carpet we sit around at circle time.  WOW!



 Using sand and shells is a fun activity to use the children's imagination to make a turtle and write the word turtle.  The Robin's learned how to sing the work turtle so make sure to ask your child/children to show you.


T is for Tug-o-war

We learned a new game that really used our muscles and we practiced team building skills too.



T is for Tic-Tac-Toe

  Look closely.  The balls are the "O's" and foam blocks are the "X's"



Children increase brain power  and when learning activities are connected with movement.  This activity was an excellent example of children involving their whole body to practice logical thinking skills.



Miss Julie and Miss Crystal

CELEBRATE SPRING . . . UNPLUG!

It's Unplug and Get Outside Week

         

Spring has arrived and the sun is making appearances from behind the rain clouds!  Let’s celebrate by unplugging the televisions, computers, and video games and getting outside.  It’s estimated that children today are spending as much as 30 hours a week in front of a screen of one kind or another.  

                                                                                                              

 Do you know . . .

•  research in the Journal of Pediatrics showed that learning videos, such as Baby Einstein, received very poor marks in their effectiveness in helping brain development and may actually slow word learning? 

• Physical activity and movement help stimulate brain growth and facilitate key connections for learning?  Regular exercise and participation in all forms of physical activity are crucial for healthy brain development in children.

Follow these blogs to find fun, easy, inexpensive outdoor activities for the family

 http://canyoucomeoutsidetoplay.blogspot.com/

 

http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2012/03/50-simple-outdoor-activities-for-kids.html