Spur-of-the-Moment Science

It usually starts with one kid doing something interesting...
It usually starts with one kid doing something interesting…
Pretty soon, other kids join in.
Pretty soon, other kids join in…
Before you know it, there's a crowd.
Before you know it, there’s a crowd.
And, just that quick, we learn something new!
And, just like that, we learn something new!

Last week, a few students were playing in the sandbox and they built a mountain. They thought it would be cool to turn it into a volcano. We had vinegar on hand from dyeing Easter eggs earlier in the day and one of the parents brought some baking soda to help make our chemical reaction. One of the students suggested using up some of the leftover food coloring to see if they could make it look like lava.

If you want to make a baking soda volcano at home, Anne Marie Helmenstine offers up some good tips for using the scientific method to test out your volcano.

–Photos by Sheila and words by Garrett