By Ishika Desai
The Fourth of July is a memorable event marking the independence of the United States. It is home to many core memories of children and holds great importance in their childhood. Because of this, this day can be used to incorporate many fun STEM activities to continue the festivities of the event.
The first activity that can be done is the classic soda and mentos experiment, which is suitable for all age groups and requires minimal supervision. Independence Day is all about firecrackers and the thrill of seeing sights like fireworks. This experiment will create a similar environment, only with a mixture of STEM. In order to successfully do this experiment, one must have a bottle of soda and Mentos. Simply place the mentos in the soda, back away quickly, and watch the soda bottle erupt with fizz. This experiment is a simple way to introduce basic chemistry, as the input of the mentos breaks the bonds in the soda very quickly, releasing carbon dioxide and causing an explosion.
The second activity would be exploding chalk bombs. Building off the same theme of eruption, this activity also uses chemistry. To make this experiment, combine one cup of vinegar with one cup of cornstarch in a Ziploc bag. Add food coloring to the bag that is on theme with Independence Day and then put the Ziploc aside. Then put 1 tbsp of baking soda in a small square of tissue paper or toilet paper and gently fold it to prevent it from shaking out. Open the Ziploc bag and place the baking soda wrap in it and quickly close the bag. Then, gently shake the Ziploc and place it on the ground; you should see the bag explode. In terms of supervision for this, it would be advised as you would want to ensure that the bag does not explode in a dangerous location and that children do not get sprayed with the contents.
The last activity highlighted in this article is Independence Day-themed slime. This is also another form of chemistry and involves Non-Newtonian fluid. To make this, you would need to put glue in a bowl along with on-theme food coloring. Then, in a separate bowl, mix one teaspoon of borax with water. After this, slowly pour in the borax solution into the glue solution and mix until the slime begins to take shape. Then, begin to knead with your hands until it is not sticky anymore.
As stated above, Independence Day is a memorable event for children, and incorporating STEM can stimulate their minds, all while having fun.
Works Cited
“4th of July STEM Activities | Celebrate Independence Day.” Hess
UnAcademy, 22 June 2023, hessunacademy.com/july-stem/.
Comentarios