| What you will want to do is take a couple of different | | | | The water is condensed from the atmosphere when |
| areas of science and write them down. For example, | | | | the water temperature is cooler then the dewpoint of |
| you could choose the following: earth science, weather, | | | | the air. Dewpoint is calculated from the relative |
| and plants. And then take each area and come up | | | | humidity and temperature of the air and is most easily |
| with 1-2 experiments for each. | | | | remembered as the temperature that water vapor |
| We will take earth as our first example. You can take | | | | changes state into a liquid. This is why we get dew on |
| a 2 litre pop bottle and fill it half with water. Then mix in | | | | the grass during the night time. |
| some soil and let the mixture settle out for 5-10 | | | | The final experiment we will look at is easy to do. The |
| minutes. The kids will see pebbles settle first. Sand | | | | kids will really enjoy this one. We are going to make a |
| normally settles next. Silt comes next. Then some dirt | | | | mold garden (on purpose). Take several pieces of |
| particles will float very long periods. Organic things like | | | | bread and sprinkle with water. Leave the bread out for |
| leaves and bugs will usually float. The lesson is just a | | | | several hours (overnight works best). Put the bread |
| brief introduction into geology. Make sure you are | | | | into a 2 litre bottle and cap it. Place the bottle in a |
| paying attention to your kids' reaction, especially if one | | | | sunny stop for a couple of days. What you will see |
| of them really seems to enjoy learning about dirt. | | | | starting to grow is mold. Don't open the bottom to |
| Next, let's take the weather. Something we all can | | | | avoid letting the mold spores out (can cause sickness). |
| learn from. Let's look at why the grass is wet in the | | | | Penicillin was discovered by a very similar experiment |
| morning. Take a 2 litre bottle and cut the top off. Fill it | | | | back in the 1930's. Make sure you share this fact with |
| about 2/3 with warm tap water. Feel the outside. Now | | | | the kids. |
| add several ice cubes and stir until melted. Now check | | | | Remember to have fun with the kids. They may |
| the outside of the bottle again. Notice any moisture (if | | | | surprise you at the last moment with their forgotten |
| not continue to add ice cubes). The water on the | | | | assignment but by being prepared you can turn it |
| outside is really forming from air surrounding the bottle. | | | | around. |