As you all know, this Thursday is Thanksgiving! Today, we are going to research the history of Thanksgiving, test out Squanto’s gardening methods, and learn how to track our daily diets! 

We all picture the first Thanksgiving as a day spent with the pilgrims and the Native Americans chowing down on a Thanksgiving feast. Did you know that there were actually several “first Thanksgivings?” 

Learn more about the American history of Thanksgiving!

What were the other “first Thanksgivings?” 

Did you know November is National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month? What a great time to learn more about Native American history and culture, especially as we celebrate Thanksgiving! 

More information on Native American histories and tribes:

While Thanksgiving is a great time to spend with family and celebrate an abundance of food, it is also important to remember the roots of Thanksgiving. We don’t often remember the Wampanoag’s point of view during the first Thanksgiving. Take some time to consider how the Wampanoag’s might have felt when the first white settlers arrived. 

Quickwrite: Write in the perspective of a member of the Wampanoag tribe when the white settlers arrived at Plymouth. How do you feel?

The Wampanoags were the Native American tribe that befriended the settlers and accompanied them in the “first Thanksgiving” meal. Squanto was one of the Wampanoags that is well known for aiding the settlers in their time of need. One way Squanto helped out was to assist them in growing corn by using fish. Check out Squanto’s gardening methods!

Hypothesize: How might fish emulsion help or harm the growth of a corn plant? Will it really make that much of a difference? 

YOU WILL NEED:

• Water
• Corn seeds
• Fish emulsion
• Milk cartons 
• Scissors
• Soil

YOU WILL DO:

1. Use the scissors to cut the top off of two half-pint milk cartons (ask an adult for help).
2. Fill both cartons with soil. 
3. Read and follow the directions on your corn seed packet to plant one seed in each carton. 
4. Push the corn seed 1-2 inches into the surface of the soil. 
5. Label one milk carton “Control” and one milk carton “Variable.” 
6. Your control plant will be watered only with plain water. 
7. Your variable plant will be watered with a mixture of water and fish emulsion. 
8. Follow the package instructions on the fish emulsion to dilute it with water. 
9. Water your Control plant with water and your variable plant with the diluted fish emulsion. 
10. Place both plants in the sun. 
11. Water both plants each day and record your observations in a daily log. 
12. Measure both plants’ growth each day and record. 
13. What differences do you see in the two plants? 
14. Create a graph at the end of your experiment to show the differences in growth. 
15. Reflect: How did the fish emulsion make a difference in the growth of the variable plant? Why do you think this is? 

Now that we’ve talked about GROWING food, let’s think about EATING food! 

Did you know that the average American eats over 4,000 calories on Thanksgiving day?! Wow! To put that in perspective, the average diet is only about 2,000 calories/day. ​

Watch this video to understand calories in a Thanksgiving Day Meal: 

Now, here’s an idea of how many calories you should have in a day:

Keep in mind that physical activity increases your caloric need! Think of your body like a car--let’s say your car holds 15 gallons of gas. You fill it up with 15 gallons. If your car just sits in the garage, it doesn’t lose any gas, but if you go for a drive, it burns gas. Is your tank still full after a 200-mile drive? No! If you want your gas tank to be full, you would have to refuel. It’s the same way with your body! For example, if my daily caloric need is 2,000 calories, and I burn 500 calories on a run, then I should actually consume 2,500 calories so my body still gets the calories it needs to stay fueled.

Here’s more information about what you can do to have a healthy, balanced diet:

How many calories are in your daily schedule? 

Are you eating a balanced diet? 

Create a food diary to see what your diet is really like! The point is not for you to count every calorie you eat--the point is that when we pay attention to what we put into our bodies, we are more conscious of what we are consuming. Being cognizant of the way you eat will help you make healthy choices for YOUR body! 

Predict: 

How many calories do you think you eat in a normal day? 

Do you think you have a balanced diet? 

What do you think you eat too much of? 

What do you think you don’t get enough of? 

Each day for one week, write down everything you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Each time you write down a food, determine whether it is a fruit, vegetable, grain, dairy, protein or fat. 

At the end of the week, look back at your food chart and reflect on your diet. About what percentage of your diet is protein? Fat? Does your daily diet look like the My Plate recommendation? Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? Being conscious of your diet is the first step to taking care of a happy, healthy body! 




Other References:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/02/lp286-03.shtml

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/thanksgiving/celebration.html#

http://www.tolatsga.org/Compacts.html#Wampanoag

Image and Video Credits, in order of appearance:

Brownscombe, J.A., 1914. The first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. Image uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 11/21/2016.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Thanksgiving-Brownscombe.jpg/1024px-Thanksgiving-Brownscombe.jpg File in the Public Domain. 

1910. Squanto teaching. Image uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 11/21/2016. 
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Squantoteaching.png File in the Public Domain. 

Franske, B., 2002. Traditional Thanksgiving. Image uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 11/21/2016. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/TraditionalThanksgiving.jpg/1024px-TraditionalThanksgiving.jpg File used in accordance with GNU Free Documentation License. Image was not changed. 

Healthcare Triage, 2014. How many calories are in your Thanksgiving dinner? Video uploaded from YouTube on 11/21/2016. https://youtu.be/PEWCUVnng6Q

USDA, 2014. ChooseMyPlate.gov. ​https://www.choosemyplate.gov/

​

Author: Maddie Van Beek

​What do you think of when you hear the word fall? Brisk air, warm apple cider, boots and scarves... We’ve done a few activities about leaves and why they change color, which is a huge part of fall scenery. If you missed these blogs, check them out here:
​
Leaf blog 1: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/why-do-leaves-change-color
Leaf blog 2: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/fun-with-fall-leaves-preserve-leaves-for-fall-projects


Another popular activity in the fall is pumpkin carving! Many families enjoy picking pumpkins from a pumpkin patch (or your local grocery store or farmer’s market) and then carving them for fall and Halloween decorations! Today we are going to learn more about pumpkins and explore a few different pumpkin science activities.


What is a pumpkin?
Pumpkins are part of the winter squash family. They can be eaten and are often used as fall decorations. Pumpkins are thought to have originated from North America, and are usually yellow to dark orange in color. You may not have known that pumpkins are a FRUIT (fruits have seeds, vegetables do not). Nutritionally, pumpkins are very low fat and high in vitamin A. Although pumpkins are usually 6-18 pounds, some pumpkins weigh over 75 pounds!

History behind pumpkin carving:
Pumpkin carving started as a tradition to ward off demons! They are often associated with witches, wizards, and Halloween folklore. Although many people carve scary pumpkins, feel free to carve any sort of fun shape or happy face into your pumpkin--make it your own!

Want to carve a pumpkin? Here’s what to do!


YOU WILL NEED:
A pumpkin
Adult help
Knife
Candle
Marker
Match


1. Ask a parent for help!
2. Use the knife to cut a circle around the stem of the pumpkin. The circle should be big enough to fit your hand through. Remove the top of the pumpkin.
3. Out come the guts! The “guts” of the pumpkin are the stringy innards and seeds inside the shell of the pumpkin. You need to scoop as much of this out as possible.
4. Save those seeds--they make a delicious healthy snack! Scroll to the bottom of this blog for an easy pumpkin seed recipe.
5. You may want to use a permanent marker to draw out your design on your pumpkin before cutting. This will make it easier to cut once you’ve started.
6. Use a sharp, long knife to cut your design out of your pumpkin. The knife needs to be long enough to get all the way through the wall of your pumpkin. Pop the cut-out pieces of your pumpkin out as you go and throw them away.
7. When you’ve finished your design, put a candle in the middle of your pumpkin. Light the candle and watch your design come to life! Happy Halloween!


Fun science, pumpkin style!


In a past blog, we learned how to make pumpkin slime! You may have made slime, or “oobleck” before, but in the spirit of fall, we used pumpkins for a fun seasonal twist! The slime that you create in this activity is a non-newtonian substance, which means it sometimes behaves like a liquid and sometimes behaves like a solid.
Check it out here: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/fall-fun-make-your-own-pumpkin-slime




Pumpkin Volcanos
You’ve probably seen baking soda and vinegar react in other activities, but today we’ll create a reaction inside a pumpkin for some spooky Halloween fun! Baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid. When acids and bases mix, they react and create carbon dioxide gas. In this case, you see the carbon dioxide gas produced by a mountain of foaming bubbles! Let’s try it out!


To learn more about acid-base reactions, check out our blog here:
http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/experimenting-with-eggs-acid-base-reactions-and-osmosis2648476


YOU WILL NEED:
Baking soda
Vinegar
Food coloring
A small to medium-sized pumpkin
Knife


Here’s what to do!
1. You may use your pumpkin from the previous pumpkin-carving activity, if you wish! If you haven’t yet carved a pumpkin, follow the directions below.
2. Use a knife (with the help of an adult) to cut a circle around the stem of your pumpkin. Make sure the circle is large enough to fit your hand through.
3. Remove the stem of the pumpkin and scoop out the guts!
4. Dump about a cup of baking soda inside the pumpkin. This is the base in your reaction.
5. If you want to make your pumpkin reaction even more exciting, add a few drops of food coloring to your vinegar.
6. Pour some vinegar inside the pumpkin and watch your pumpkin ooze colorful foam! (Remember, the bubbles form from carbon dioxide gas produced in the reaction between vinegar and baking soda). Try adding dish soap to make your reaction even foamier!


Reuse and Recycle: Grow a pumpkin out of a pumpkin!

YOU WILL NEED:
Small pumpkins (fresh, not rotted)
Dirt
Water
Knife


Here’s what to do!


1. Ask an adult for help to cut the top off of your pumpkin. Remove the stem.
2. Stuff the inside of your pumpkin with dirt.
3. Treat your pumpkin like a potted plant--water the dirt daily and wait for your pumpkin plant to start sprouting!
4. Once your plant begins to grow, plant the entire pumpkin in the ground outside. Dig a shallow hole and bury the pumpkin. Continue to monitor growth and water your plant. Soon enough, you’ll have your own pumpkin plant!


Pumpkin Seed Recipe:   
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pumpkin-seeds-recipe.html




References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin
http://thehomeschoolscientist.com/pumpkin-unit-study/


Image Credits
2009. Pumpkin 2007. Uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 10/23/2016.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d8/Pumpkin2007.jpg File in the Public Domain.


Schoenberger, 2007. CompetitivePumpkins. Uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 10/23/2016. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/CompetitivePumpkins.jpg/800px-CompetitivePumpkins.jpg File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. No changes were made.


Vishalsh521, 2011. Pumpkin flower. Uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 10/23/2016. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Pumpkin_flower.jpg/800px-Pumpkin_flower.jpg File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. No changes were made.

4. Now, start preserving your leaves. Remember to leave your first leaf unaltered. This is the control. The control has no alterations so you can compare your other preservation methods to the leaf with no changes.  The substance you use for preservation is your variable. Coat your second leaf with PVA glue, cover your third leaf with clear tape, and carefully paint your fourth leaf with clear nail polish. Make sure you cover the full surface on both sides of your leaves with your preservation materials. Remember, what you use to preserve your fifth and sixth leaves is up to you! (If you want to try even more preservation techniques for your leaves, check out these methods and see what works best!
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/a/preserving-autumn-leaves)

​5. Once leaves 2-6 are coated with their preservation materials, you must wait! Place the leaves with their labels on a surface where they won’t be disturbed, and check back each day for five days to record your observations.

6. When you check on your leaves, record your observations in your chart. What do they look like? Feel like? What techniques seem to be working? Which ones are not working as well? 

7. On day five, make your final observations. Rank the preservation techniques in order from best to worst. 

Extensions: 

Now that you know which technique works the best, go out and find more leaves to preserve! You can do all sorts of activities with your preserved leaves. Make a leaf book, leaf people, or leaf art! 

Google leaf people, leaf projects, or leaf art for all kinds of fun ideas! 

If you want to check out another fun leaf experiment, check out our blog on leaf chromatography: 

​http://discoveryexpress.weebly.com/blog/is-a-black-marker-really-just-black-is-a-green-leaf-really-only-green-these-are-the-questions-well-answer-today-using-chromatography


Image and Video Credits, in order of appearance: 

KentuckyKevin, 2014. Fiery autumn color 11-7-2014. Image uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 10/14/2016.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Fiery_Autumn_Color_11-7-2014.JPG File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. No changes were made. ​

References
http://www.science-sparks.com/2015/10/14/preserving-autumn-leaves/

Author: Maddie Van Beek

It’s officially fall! Thursday, September 22nd marked day one of a new season, and you may have already felt it in the weather. Fargo has been characteristically chilly this past weekend! With the fall season comes new colors in your surroundings. You’ll notice once-green, lush plants either dry out and turn brown, OR as they dry, they may transform into a vibrant yellow, red, or orange! How do you know what color the leaves will change? There’s actually a way to find out, and that’s what we will learn about today! Before we get going on our activity, let’s learn more about why leaves change color in the first place. 


Why are leaves green? Chlorophyll is a chemical in plants that helps photosynthesis occur. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants are able to absorb water and carbon dioxide and turn it into food. This could not happen without the help of sunlight! 


Here is a diagram of how photosynthesis occurs: ​

YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• What makes leaves green? 
• Describe what photosynthesis does? 
• What do leaves need for photosynthesis to occur? 
• What purpose does chlorophyll serve? 
• How do leaves change color? 

Now that you know the science behind the beautiful fall scenery, let’s move on to our activity! Your job is to determine the future colors of the leaves. Let’s get started! 
 
YOU WILL NEED:

• Fresh, green leaves (make sure they haven’t begun to change color and aren’t crunchy)
• Bowl
• Hot water
• Rubbing alcohol
• Coffee filter
• Scissors
• Clear glass or jar
• Plastic wrap
• Spoon or fork

Here’s what to do! 

1. Gather some fresh green leaves from your yard or somewhere outside. Make sure the leaves are all green. Your leaves should NOT be dry or crunchy. 
2. Bring your leaves inside and rip them into tiny pieces. 
3. Put the leaf pieces into the clear glass or jar. Pour rubbing alcohol over the leaf shreds until they are completely covered. 
4. Use a spoon or fork to mash the leaf bits up and stir them in with the rubbing alcohol. You may see the rubbing alcohol begin to turn green. 
5. Place plastic wrap over the mouth of the jar and secure it. 
6. Heat up a bowl of hot water. Carefully place the jar in the center of the bowl. The level of the hot water should be just above the level of the rubbing alcohol. 
7. Leave the jar in the bowl of hot water for at least 30 minutes. Swish the jar around every once in a while the stir up the leaves. You should notice the rubbing alcohol turning a very dark green. 
8. After 30-60min, you should be ready to move on! Cut a strip of coffee filter (or paper towel) so you have a long rectangle. 
9. Dangle the coffee filter strip into the jar of rubbing alcohol so one end of the strip is touching the surface of the rubbing alcohol and the other end rests over the edge of the jar. 
10. Now, just wait patiently. The rubbing alcohol will travel up the coffee filter strip and carry the green pigment with it. As the rubbing alcohol travels upwards, the once all-green pigment will separate into more than one color. You’ll see green (the chlorophyll) and another color such as yellow, orange, or red appear. 
11. Gather leaves from other types of trees and repeat the process to see if you can get other colors to appear! 

Image and video credits, in order of appearance:


Jongleur100, 2007. Country lane. File uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 9/25/2016. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Country_lane.jpg/800px-Country_lane.jpg File in the Public Domain. 

At09kg, 2011. Photosynthesis. Uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 9/25/2016.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Photosynthesis.gif/800px-Photosynthesis.gif
File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. No changes were made. 
​

References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn_leaf_color
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophyll
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis
http://www.howweelearn.com/science-experiments-for-kids/

Author: Maddie Van Beek

​Everybody sweats. Whether you are hot, nervous, or working hard, you may notice your skin forming droplets of water, or perspiration. What happens to that perspiration after you sit for a few minutes? It vanishes! But do the water molecules really just disappear into nothingness? No, of course not! Although we may not see the water droplets any more, the water molecules have simply evaporated. Evaporation is just one of the steps in the water cycle.

When water evaporates, it changes from a liquid into a vapor. Therefore, evaporation is the process of water moving from the earth and into the air. One form of evaporation is called transpiration. While evaporation is the movement of water from the earth’s surface into the air, transpiration is the movement of water from plants into the air. Transpiration is kind of like a plant’s way of sweating.
Not only does transpiration cause plants to release water into the air, but it actually allows plants to absorb water from the ground through their stems. The water is transferred from the ground into the plant’s stem up through little tubes called xylem.  In the image below, the xylem tubules are shown in red.

Picture a bunch of minuscule straws sucking water out of the ground. This process delivers water and nutrients to the plant. The water travels up the xylem and leaves the plant through tiny holes called stomata. One of the stomata from a tomato plant leaf is shown below (they look like little mouths!).

Stomata may open or close to let gases in or out. For example, stomata open to take in carbon dioxide and let out oxygen. Unfortunately for the plant but luckily for us, stomata also releases water vapor. The number of stomata a plant has varies widely and depends on its environment. Trees in the rainforest have larger stomata that are open more often compared to the stomata of cacti in the desert. Trees in the rainforest need more water because they lose almost all of what they absorb, while cacti in the desert need less water, since they retain water for much longer. 

​Activity #1
How does the number of stomata influence a plant’s water loss? Let’s find out!
 
What you will need:
-Two cups
-A piece of 4x8 inch poster board
-Scissors
-Pencil
-A hole puncher
-Marker
-Tape
-Water
What you need to do:
1.Fold the piece of poster board in half.
2.Place one of the cups upside-down on top of the poster board.
3.Use your pencil to trace around the mouth of the cup.
4.Keep the poster board folded, and carefully cut out the circle you traced (You will have two identical circles).
5.Use the paper puncher to punch two holes in one of the circles.
6.Punch about twenty holes in the second poster board circle.
7.Fill both cups with equal amounts of water.
8.Use the marker to mark the water level on both cups.
9.Tape the circle with two holes across the mouth of one of the cups.
10. Tape the circle with twenty holes across the mouth of the other cup.
11. MAKE SURE the tape does not cover any of the holes, and check that the tape has secured the poster board to the edges of the cups.
12.Set the cups in the sun where they will not be disturbed.
13.Check your cups in three days.
 
Which cup has less water? Why?
 
Activity adapted from Transpiration: The Water Cycle in Plants posted on Education.com by Janice VanCleave.
 
Activity #2
Let’s find out how xylem work!
 
Have you ever seen those pretty rainbow-colored flowers? Where on Earth do these flowers come from?! Here’s the secret: They are dyed! The xylem in the stems help transfer the food coloring up the stems to the leaves of the flower. Try it out! 

​What you will need:
-A cup
-A piece of celery (or a white flower, if you have one!)
-A knife
-Blue or red food coloring
-Water
 
What you need to do:
 
1.Cut the bottom end off of a stalk of celery. Leave the leaves attached to the top.
2.Fill a cup with water.
3.Put about four drops of blue or red food coloring in the water. Make sure the color is rich and not too diluted.
4.Carefully place the celery, bottom end down, into the cup.
5.Leave the celery in the food coloring overnight.
6.If you started earlier in the day, check back every hour or so to record observations.
 
What happened to your celery?
 
How long did it take for the food coloring to start traveling up the stem? To the top of the stem? The leaves?
 
After the experiment is over, look at the bottom of the stalk. Can you identify the xylem?
 
 
 
 
Image and video credits, in order of appearance:
 
 
Tedfloyd 1996.  Natural Water Cycle.  Uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 6/19/2016. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Natural_water_cycle_1.jpg  File used in accordance with the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication license. 
 
 
Kelvinsong 2013. Botana curus X xylem and phloem 400×. Uploaded from Wikimedia Commons on 7/3/16.  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Botana_curus_X_xylem_and_phloem_400%C3%97.png. File used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

 
Photohound, 2007.  Colorized electron microscope image of a stoma on the leaf of a tomato plant.  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tomato_leaf_stomate_1-color.jpg.  Image released into the Public Domain.
 
Runnels, Lisa.  Daisy Flower.  Uploaded from publicdomainpictures.net on 7/3/16.  http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=33863&picture=daisy-2.  Image released into the Public Domain.

Author: Maddie Van Beek

Happy Easter! I hope you all had a great time with family or friends. There are lots of different Easter traditions out there, but one eggcellent tradition is decorating eggs!


Where did this tradition come from?
It’s hard to determine exactly when people started decorating eggs, but it has been going on for centuries, whether to celebrate the Easter holiday or the approach of spring. All over the world, different cultures decorate eggs in their own way. One country especially well-known for their intricately decorated eggs is Ukraine. Check out the picture below!

​

EGG GEODES
Check out our blog from last year on creating egg geodes for super cool crystallized Easter eggs!

Activity link: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/sedimentation-and-crystallization-how-to-make-egg-geodes


​
DRAGON EGGS
Make dragon eggs for another unique take on your typical Easter egg decorating.

Check out this activity from Instructables for more information: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-gorgeous-Dragons-Egg/


​
OTHER EGGCELLENT ACTIVITIES
Since you already have the eggs out, here’s some more science with eggs!


Dissolve an egg shell and learn about osmosis: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/experimenting-with-eggs-acid-base-reactions-and-osmosis


Make an egg float in salt water and learn about density: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/floating-egg


Think you can’t fit an egg in a bottle? Think again! http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/nature-abhors-a-vacuum-how-to-put-an-egg-in-a-bottle


​
FAIRY GARDENING
Now that you’re done decorating INSIDE, let’s get OUTSIDE and have some fun!


In the last few weeks you have learned about planting bulbs (http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/plant-your-own-flower-bulbs) and creating flower seed bombs (http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/spring-flower-bombs). This week, you’re going to go on a nature walk and create your own fairy garden! A fairy garden is basically just a tiny little garden made from anything you can find in nature. You can build little homes, bridges, whole villages, or whatever you feel like creating!


Here’s an example of a fairy garden that my family made at my Grandma’s house:

We used blue buttons to create a little river under the bridge and a brass button for the door handle. The garden gnomes were conveniently there when we started building! Feel free to add your own personal touches to your garden as you build.


Below is a link all about the plant kingdom. You may recognize this website from our flower seed bomb blog. Use this website to gather and identify different items for your fairy garden.


http://scienceinvestigators.wikispaces.com/The+Plant+Kingdom


YOUR TASK: Build a fairy garden (in whatever shape or form you choose) using at least one of each of the following materials:

* Flowering plant (you don’t need the whole plant, just a piece of it)
* Non-flowering plant (you don’t need the whole plant, just a piece of it)
* Angiosperm
* Gymnosperm
* Leaf from a tree
* Stem
* Root
* Seed


If you’re not sure what some of these materials are, check the plant kingdom link again for more information before you start gathering.


YOU WILL NEED:
* Bag for gathering
* Hot glue gun for building (if desired)
* Extension cord for glue gun


Here’s what to do!
1. Find an area where you can gather. The woods is a great place, but even your back yard will do! You’ll be surprised at all the different materials you can find.
2. Gather a variety of building materials.
3. Find a space to build your fairy garden. You might want to find a sheltered area such as under a tree so your fairy garden does not get ruined from the weather.
4. Dump out your materials and record your finds. Check the list--did you find at least one item that fulfills each category? If not, get back to searching! Categorize your finds by writing down each item and then grouping them together. What did you find the most of? Least of? What was the most difficult to find?
5. Plug in your hot glue gun, if you plan to use one. Make sure you have an adult to help you, as hot glue guns can get VERY HOT. You definitely don’t have to use a glue gun if you don’t want to. If you’re building outside, you will need an extension cord for your glue gun.
6. Start building! Use your imagination to build whatever you want.
7. Don’t forget to have fun and take pictures!


References
http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/easter-symbols
http://mentalfloss.com/article/49566/5-theories-about-why-we-dye-eggs-easter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg

Author: Maddie Van Beek

It’s now officially spring! In honor of the beginning of the season, we are going to talk about planting flowers!


A few weeks ago, we learned how to plant flower bulbs (http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/plant-your-own-flower-bulbs).


This week, you are going to use shredded paper and wildflower seeds to create flower bombs.


Before we start shredding and planting, let’s learn a little bit more about flowers!


How does a plant grow?

Follow-up questions:
* Why is a seed coat important?
* What is a seed mostly made of?
* What parts does a baby plant have?
* How does germination happen?
* What jobs do roots and leaves do for the plant?
* How do seeds travel?




What are the different parts of a flower?

For more information about the growth process of a plant, check out our blog on bean seeds and germination: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/a-plant-is-born-seed-germination



Here’s even more information on the plant kingdom, if you want to learn more!
http://scienceinvestigators.wikispaces.com/The+Plant+Kingdom


Flower Bombs

Aside from flower bombs being a fun activity, these make great gifts for anyone who enjoys flowers! Another reason flower bombs are cool is that they are easily transportable and allow you to spread flowers to hard-to-reach places. They also make planting fun and easy.


YOU WILL NEED:
* Multi-colored paper
* Food processor
* Bowl
* Muffin tin or other tray
* Water
* Strainer
* Wildflower seeds (found at local grocery store or plant nursery)


Here’s what to do!
1. Select the paper that you want to use for your flower bombs. It’s fun to pick a few different colors if you want your flower bombs to be multicolored. You can even add glitter if you want!
2. Rip up the paper into tiny pieces and put the scraps into a bowl.
3. Add water. Stir up the paper shreds and mush it together. Add food coloring or glitter (optional).
4. Put your colorful paper mush into a food processor. Blend it up!
5. You’re now left with paper goop. Put a strainer in your kitchen sink and dump the paper goop into the strainer. Apply pressure to the goop to squeeze out that extra moisture.
6. Scoop the paper goop into a muffin tin, ice cube tray, or jello mold. Sometimes you can even find trays with fun shapes to use! Below you can see an example of someone who used heart shapes:

7. Fill each section of your tray half full with goop.
8. Now it’s time to add your seeds! Rip open the bag of wildflower seeds and carefully sprinkle onto each section.
9. Once you’re done sprinkling seeds, scoop the paper goop on top of each section so that the seeds are sandwiched in the middle of the two layers of goop.
10. Gently pat the goop down until the surface of each section is fairly level.
11. Wait 24 hours for your the paper goop to dry.
12. Flip the tray and tap the bottom. Out come your flower bombs! You now have dry paper with seeds safely secure inside. Once it rains, the moisture will seep into the paper and reach the seeds!
13. Now that you have your flower bombs made, choose a few spots to place them. The cool thing about flower bombs is that you don’t have to bury them--you just pick a spot and wait for rain. Put one in a sunny area, one in a shady area, and one in your home (in a pot of dirt). Since your indoor flower bomb won’t get any rain, make sure to water it daily. Predict which flower bomb will produce the most flowers and/or grow the fastest. Observe the growth process for each flower bomb and record your findings.


Looking for more activities with plants or gardening? Check out our other blogs here:
http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/learn-about-the-different-biomes
http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/biodegradable-gardening
http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/theres-more-than-one-way-to-make-a-new-plant
http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/plant-transpiration


References
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Seed-Bomb/
http://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/garden-craft-seed-bombs

Author: Maddie Van Beek

It’s almost spring! Soon you’ll see flowers blooming all over the place. Today you’re going to become a gardener and plant your own flower bulbs!


What is a bulb?
A bulb is like a plant’s lunch box. It’s completely packed with nutrients for your plant to draw from. Check out the image below for an example of a bulb.

What’s the difference between bulbs and seeds?

The biggest difference is that seeds are baby plants that haven’t grown yet, while bulbs are mature plants that have already grown up before. The process that a plant goes through to sprout from its shell is called germination. We learned about this when we watched beans grow: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/a-plant-is-born-seed-germination.


A bulb has already gone through germination and become a mature plant. When the plant is out of season, the bulb lies dormant. When the time is right, the bulb uses its stored energy to grow again.


For more information, read the link below and create a t-chart to help define the differences between seeds and bulbs.

http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-seeds-and-bulbs/


There are two main types of bulbs: hardy bulbs and tender bulbs. Hardy bulbs are planted in the fall, survive the cold winter, and bloom in the spring. Tender bulbs are planted in the spring and bloom in the summer. The bulbs you are going to use today are tender bulbs.



Soon after being planted, a bulb produces roots. When the time is right, the bulb uses its stored energy to create a stem, leaves, and flowers. The bulbs below have already produced their shoots:

Now that you know about bulbs and how they grow, you are going to plant your own!

YOU WILL NEED:
* Flower bulbs (you can find these at most home improvement stores, or even your local grocery store)
* Clear pots or large containers
* Rocks
* Sand
* Pebbles
* Water


Here’s what to do!
1. Select three containers. Fill one half full with rocks, one half full with pebbles, and one half full with sand.
2. Place a flower bulb on the surface of each container. Make sure the root side is facing down.
3. Pour water into each container until the water level reaches the base of the bulb.
4. Make a prediction, which bulb will grow the best? Will there be a difference between the three?
5. Place all three containers in an area where they will get plenty of sun. Make sure to continue to add water whenever the water level goes down. Your plant needs plenty of hydration to grow!
6. Write down your observations each day. Record the first day that you see roots produced.
7. Record the first day that a stem pops out from the bulb. Measure the height of the plants each week. Which plant seems to be doing the best?
8. Create a graph to chart your plants’ growth.


Option 2
1. Fill three containers half full with rocks, pebbles, or marbles. You choose, but make sure you use the same for all three.
2. Select three different types of flower bulbs.
3. Place a bulb in each container. Fill the containers with water until the water reaches the bottom of the bulb.
4. Check the water level of your containers each day and add water when necessary.
5. Observe your plants each day. Record the first day that roots are produced in each container.
6. Record the first day that you see a stem start growing. Measure your plants each week. Compare the rate of growth for your three plants. Record your measurements and make a graph to track your plants’ growth.


Check out our blog on bean germination for another fun gardening activity: http://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/a-plant-is-born-seed-germination


References:
http://www.kidsgardening.org/node/12167
http://www.thekidsgarden.co.uk/teachkidsaboutplantingwithseedsandbulbs.html
http://buggyandbuddy.com/science-for-kids-planting-a-bulb-w-free-printable-science-invitation-saturday/

Author: Maddie Van Beek

We all know that trees and plants make our world prettier and provide us with fruits and vegetables. But did you know that we actually NEED plants to live? Through the process of photosynthesis, plants take in the carbon dioxide that we give off and convert it to the oxygen that we desperately need to survive! How does this whole process work? 




This diagram explains the basic components of photosynthesis: 

Plants not only need carbon dioxide, but also use water and sunlight to complete the photosynthesis process. 




Check out our blog on xylem to understand how water gets from the ground to the leaves of a plant:

Photosynthesis reaction equation:

This catchy song will help you remember the basics of photosynthesis!

Follow-up questions: 

• What happens during photosynthesis? 
• How is chlorophyll involved in photosynthesis? 
• What do xylem do? 

Try defining this important vocabulary in your own words: 

• Chloroplasts
• Chlorophyll
• Photosynthesis
• Xylem

You now know everything you need to complete our basic photosynthesis experiment, but if you want to learn EVEN MORE, watch the video below!




This video explains the complexities of photosynthesis! You’ll know more than you ever wanted to know about how photosynthesis works. 

Activity



YOU WILL NEED:

• Spinach leaves
• Hole punch
• Tweezers
• 10cc syringe (no needle)
• Water
• Baking Soda
• Soap

Here’s what to do!



If you like visual instruction, watch this video to see how to complete the experiment: 

1. First, you need to create your bicarbonate solution. Do this by combining 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 and 1/4 cups of water. Stir the baking soda in until it is completely dissolved. 
2. Next, use the hole punch to punch holes in your spinach leaves until you have about 20 spinach leaf discs. 
3. Remove the plunger from the syringe, and place the spinach discs into the syringe. 
4. Use the tweezers to push the discs down as far as they can go. Be careful not to crush or damage them. 
5. Once you have all the leaf discs in the syringe, replace the plunger. 
6. Put the tip of the syringe in the bicarbonate solution and pull back the plunger to suck up 10ccs of the solution. The baking soda solution is a source of bicarbonate ions, which is one source of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.  
7. Cover the end of the syringe with your finger, and then pull the plunger upwards as far as it can go to pull the air out of the leaf discs. Alternate pulling the plunger out and pushing it down (remember to keep the end covered with your finger the whole time to create a vacuum). Pushing the plunger down is forcing the bicarbonate into the leaf discs and pulling it up will remove any air from spaces in the leaves.
8. Continue to do this until you see the leaf discs start to sink. Once all your leaf discs have sunk, squirt out the baking soda solution into a sink, making sure not to allow the leaf disks to plug the syringe.
9. If you have trouble getting your leaf discs to sink, you can add a small drop of soap to the bicarbonate solution and try again. The soap makes the leaf less hydrophobic and will help it more easily absorb the solution.  
10. Next, add more baking soda solution. You should suck up about 10 ccs, as you did in step 6.  Swirl your syringe around to make sure the leaf discs aren’t stuck to the sides or to each other. 
11. Place your syringe upright in a well-lit area. Either artificial or natural light will work. 
12. Wait to see how long it takes for the leaf discs to float. Record the time when the first disc rose to the surface. Wait until at least 5 leaf discs have risen back to the surface. Record the time it took for 5 leaf discs to float. If you are patient enough, record the time that it takes for all your leaf discs to float. What’s the point of this? You just watched photosynthesis occur!  The oxygen created inside the leaves by photosynthesis is making the leaves float again.  
13. Practice making graphs! Create a line graph to show how long it took for the discs to float. I would put time along the x-axis and number of leaf discs along the y-axis. You could do this by hand, or you could use Excel to create it electronically. If you need help using Excel, refer to our blog on heart health for instructions. 

Follow-up questions:

1. Would this experiment have worked with normal tap water? Why or why not?
2. What was happening when the leaf discs sunk?
3. Why did the leaf discs float at the end? 
4. Create a diagram to show the steps of your experiment and how it relates to photosynthesis. 

If you had fun learning about photosynthesis, you might also like our blog on plant transpiration.



References:

• <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XV9FOWleErA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
• https://blog.udemy.com/photosynthesis-experiment/

Author:  Maddie Van Beek

Chromatography is the separation of a material into its individual components. Sometimes a mixture appears homogenous, but is actually made up of several different substances. Chromatography allows us to separate those substances. Why would we want to separate components of a material in the first place? Chromatography allows us to view the individual parts of a mixture, thus making it easier to analyze. For example, investigators sometimes use chromatography to identify unknown substances at crimes scenes. Another example of separating a mixture using chromatography would be separating common table salt, NaCl, into Sodium (Na) and Chlorine (Cl). The separation is completed by passing the mixture through a solution using a medium.

How is this done?

Chromatography includes a stationary phase and a mobile phase. The stationary phase is the component that DOES NOT move, and the mobile phase is the component that DOES move. There are four different types of chromatography, but today, we will be focusing on paper chromatography. In paper chromatography, the stationary phase is a strip of paper, and the mobile phase is a solvent. The solvent (mobile) travels through the paper (stationary) using capillary action.

 

Capillary Action is what causes the water to “climb” up your paper. Because of cohesion within liquid molecules, and adhesion between the liquid and the solid, capillary action allows liquids to move against the forces of gravity.

The spread of the water helps separate the different components that make up the mixture. Each component may have slightly different properties, which is what allows them to flow at different rates or travel varying distances from the original starting point. 

Rf# = D#/DT

D# = Distance one of the components traveled from its starting point. 

DT = Total distance traveled by the solvent.

The important thing to remember when measuring is to measure from the starting line to the MIDDLE of the ending point. 

As the solvent moves through the paper, the components of the mixture are separated, because they travel at different rates. For example, some components are more soluble, so they travel more easily with the solvent. Other components are more absorbable, so they do not travel as far. Eventually, all components cease moving and are absorbed by the paper. When the components are absorbed, they have separated from one another and can be clearly identified. 

At this point, you can calculate the retention factor (Rf) of each component in the mixture. 

For example, in the diagram below, the component #1 traveled 2cm. The total distance that the solvent traveled was 8 cm. Rf1 = 2cm/8cm. Rf1 = 0.25

Try using chromatography to separate the different colors in a black marker!

YOU WILL NEED:

Paper towels

Water soluble black markers--Ex. Crayola. Bring three different brands to compare.

Scissors

A clear cup

Water

Pencil

Tape

YOU WILL DO:

1.  Cut a strip of paper towel about two inches wide and as tall as the cup you are using.

2.  Wrap one end of the paper towel around the pencil and tape it in place. When you lift the pencil horizontally, the paper towel hangs from it. 

3. Fill the clear cup with about one inch of water.

4. Draw a line with one of the black water-soluble markers about two inches from the bottom of your strip of paper towel.

5.  Set the pencil across the mouth of the cup so the paper towel is now dangling inside the cup

6. MAKE SURE the paper towel reaches the water, but that the black line is NOT submerged.

7. Watch the water climb up the paper towel--what happens?

8. Write down your observations as the colors separate.

9. When the solvent reaches the top and the colors are fully absorbed, measure the Rf.

Your results might look something like this: 

Try using different colors and compare the results!

 

Extension: Mystery Marker!

Have a friend select one of the three black markers and draw a line on a strip of paper towel, just as you did before. Now, it’s your job to solve which marker your friend used!  First, go through the chromatography process (above) with the mystery mark.

Next, go through the same process with all three markers. Compare the Rf and range of colors to identify the mystery mark! 


Fall Chromatography

You can even use chromatography to predict the colors that leaves will change in the fall! Just like black markers have more than one color, leaves have more than one pigment. Use chromatography to separate the pigments and find their “true” colors.

 

Let’s try it!

 

YOU WILL NEED:

1.    Green leaves (make sure they haven’t changed colors and aren’t too dry)

2.    Rubbing Alcohol

3.    Plastic Wrap

4.    Paper towels

5.    Pencils

6.    Tape

7.    Scissors

8.    Clear Cup

9.    Tap Water

10.  Shallow pan (a brownie pan would work well)

 

YOU WILL DO:

1.  Tear the green leaf into tiny pieces and drop the pieces into the clear cup.

2.  Pour enough rubbing alcohol into the cup to cover the leaf pieces.

3.  Cover the top of the clear cup with plastic wrap.

4.  Fill the shallow pan with hot tap water.

5.  Place the covered clear cup in the pan full of hot tap water.

6.  Wait for the alcohol to absorb the leaf pigments. It may take about 30 minutes for the alcohol to turn green.

7.  Just as you did in the marker experiment, cut a strip of paper towel the same height as the clear cup and tape the end of the paper towel to the pencil.

8.  Remove the plastic wrap from the cup and place the pencil over the mouth of the cup so that the paper towel is dangling inside the glass. Make sure the end of the paper towel is barely touching the green alcohol.

9.  Check back periodically for about 90 minutes and write down your observations.

Repeat the experiment using leaves from different trees so you can compare the pigments, just as you compared different brands and colors of markers.

References

•  http://chemlab.truman.edu/CHEM100Labs/Older%20Versions/PAPER%20CHROMATOGRAPHY.pdf

•  https://soinc.org/sites/default/files/uploaded_files/crimebusters/Chromatography1.pdf

•  http://www.exploratorium.edu/afterschool/activities/index.php?activity=172&program=952

•  http://www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/chromatography/paper.html