Today's co-op theme was science experiments! This was such a hit last semester, we decided to do it again. Which means we (moms) had to come up with even more fun experiments to do.... I guess it was sort of a Science Fair for us mothers! Thankfully God has made a very interesting world, and there never seems to be an end of cool science to learn.
My station/experiment was about the difference between baking soda and baking powder. (Did you know baking powder has an added acid in it, so it begins to react (fizz) when any liquid is added? That's why we have to mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately until right before we bake muffins!)
We also taste-tested corn muffins, one batch made with just baking soda and one made with baking powder, to see the differences in texture. Strider said he felt like he was on the tasting lab of "America's Test Kitchen." That made my day.
The other moms had separate experiments for groups of kids to rotate through as well... I didn't get to see any of them first-hand, but from what I heard (and these pictures which Strider took), it appears there were experiments about the freezing nature of salt, the floating nature of salt-water, putting a sharp stick through a balloon using vegetable oil, .... and.....
the perennial favorite: Mentos exploding in a Coke bottle!
Two weeks ago our co-op topic was about electricity, and the kids got to see how to make a battery out of vinegar (or a lemon or a potato), a nail and copper wire. I love this stuff!!
And the kids do, too!
