Homeschool Chemistry Fun
Weaving Chemistry Projects into your Homeschooling Day
The world of chemistry is a fascinating subject that naturally causes awe and wonder. Although it can seem rather complicated, chemistry, simply put, is the study of matter and how it interacts. This can be easily incorporated into daily life and can be thoroughly enjoyed by both parents and their children.
A few ideas for fostering inspiration that can serve as a starting point for further study are:
Electron Attraction
With a simple balloon and piece of paper, you can use “the force.” Rub a balloon against your hair and hold the balloon close to small pieces of paper on the table. Watch them jump!
Chemical or Physical?
Look around your home. Think of various kinds of changes that occur all the time and ask your children, “Is this a chemical change or a physical change?” Some examples would be:
- rust on a penny (chemical)
- ripping a paper (physical)
- ice melting (physical)
- burnt toast (chemical)
- alka-seltzer (chemical)
- pencil and eraser (physical)
Chemistry Games
Inventing new games can be a relaxed, yet effective way to let chemistry principles sink in. Kids seem to be drawn to guessing games. A simple idea is to collect a list of "chemicals" like salt, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and cream of tartar. Line them up on the table and have the children guess the identity of each item. Encourage them to use their senses, deductive reasoning, and simple child-led experimentation to arrive at their conclusions.
Board games are another entertaining way to reinforce learning. Here is a wonderful, printable game that enforces states of matter. It has lots of variations and can be used for different ages.
Invisibility
Mix equal parts baking soda and water. Use this as a paint to write a message on paper. You can use a paint brush, swab, or finger to write your message. Then to reveal the writing, either paint grape juice over the message or hold the paper up to a light bulb or other heat source. This will turn the writing brown.
Good Ol’ Vinegar and NaHCO3
Children never tire of this one. Combine equal parts vinegar and baking soda and watch the chemical reaction. You can explain that the little bubbles they see are actually carbon dioxide. Since carbon dioxide is heavier than air, it flows downward, giving it the lava effect. Consider adding food coloring or building volcanoes out of clay or dirt around it for added enjoyment.
Inconspicuous Learning
Always leave a few chemistry tools and toys lying around. Try leaving a chemistry set on the kitchen table. Natural curiosity will take over and learning is inevitable. Don’t forget to leave cool chemistry books just lying around. Try "Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work," by Janice VanCleave. The experiments in this book require little preparation and produce the "Wow" effect with children. Another great visually rich read is "Chemisty (DK Eyewitness Books)," by Ann Newmark and Laura Buller. The couch and the bathroom are great spots to leave the books for kids to find.
Messy Day
Make gak, oobleck, flubber, or silly putty. These mixtures are great for kinesthetic learners and can be made from household ingredients. Flubber, for example, can be made in minutes.
Flubber Recipe
- 1 cup school glue
- 1 cup liquid starch
- food coloring of choice
Thoroughly incorporate the food coloring and the glue. Add the starch, a little at a time, as you contantly mix with your hands. When it's smooth and rubbery, you've got flubber!
Little Miss Muffet
Heat a cup of fresh milk to hot but not boiling and add 3 Tb of vinegar. It's amazing to witness the separation between the curds and whey. This is the opportune time to explain that milk is a colloid, which is a suspension of small particles in a medium. In this case, milk fat globules are the particles and water is the medium.
Kitchen Fun
What more natural way to discover chemistry than in the kitchen? Discuss chemistry as you go about meal preparation. Relevant conversations might include explaining that popping corn is a physical change or that ice cream is a colloid. These are simple conversations that build real knowledge.
Chemistry is fun, but it’s also a powerful way to instill a sense of adventure in your children. Paying attention to natural learning opportunities and taking advantage of those moments is a great way to start. By incorporating simple activities and experiments into your homeschool, you can create a rich learning environment for your children.
