Winter STEM Fun

The middle of winter is the perfect time to get cozy in your house and learn about science!  Check out these fun winter STEM activities that are sure to keep you busy on a snowy day!  Have fun, and, as always, if you try out any of these activities, send us pictures!

Foamy Snow
What you need:
Two bowls
Measuring cup
Baking soda
Tablespoon and teaspoon
Dish soap
Vinegar
Water

Instructions:
​1. Put one cup of baking soda in each bowl.
2. Put three tablespoons of water in each bowl.
3. Add one teaspoon of dish soap to (only!) one bowl.
4. Mix well.
5. Make snowmen with your fake snow.
6. When you're done playing, pour vinegar over your creations and see what happens!  Did the added dish soap make a difference?


Detect Static Electricity with a Homemade Electroscope
An electroscope is a device that can detect whether a material is charged or uncharged with static electricity
What you need:
Metal hanger
Glass jar
Straw
Scissors
Cardboard
Tape
Hot glue gun
Pliers
Aluminum foil
Piece of styrofoam or an inflated balloon
Piece of wool or wool sweater
Pen or pencil

Instructions:
1. Cut about three inches off of the straw.
2. Trace the opening of the jar on the cardboard and cut out the circle.
3. Punch a hole through the center of the circle that fits the straw.
4. Secure the straw in the center of the cardboard with hot glue.
5.  Cut the straight part off of the metal hanger.
6. Twist one end of the wire into a spiral.
7. Insert the straight end of the wire into the straw.
8. Make a small hook at the straight end of the wire.
9. Cut out two 1-inch long, teardrop shaped pieces of aluminum.
10. Cut a hole at the top of the aluminum pieces.
11. Flatten both aluminum pieces and hang them on the hook on the wire.  Make sure they touch each other.
12. Place the wire with the aluminum pieces in the jar and tape the cardboard lid onto the jar.  You have made an electroscope!
13. Rub the styrofoam on a piece of wool.
14. Hold the styrofoam close to the coiled part of the metal wire on your electroscope.  Don't let it touch the wire.  What do you observe?
15. Move the styrofoam away from the coil.  What happens?
16. Touch the styrofoam to the leftover piece of the metal hanger, then bring it close to the metal coil on the electroscope again.  What happens this time?
17.  Rub the styrofoam on the piece of wool again.  This time, touch it to the metal coil.  How does touching the metal coil change your results?
18.  Try rubbing other materials against the wool and see what happens!

Colorful Patterns in Melting Ice
What you need:
Water balloons
Water
Freezer
Oven mitt
Small plates
Cup
Table salt
Water dropper or syringe
Food coloring, preferably liquid
Workspace that can get wet
Towel
Optional: Flashlight

Prep instructions:
1. The day before you plan to do this activity, fill water balloons with water, tie them each with a knot, and freeze them overnight (or for at least a couple of hours!)  Freeze at least two balloons for each person doing the activity.
2. Just before you do the activity, fill a cup with water and add food coloring.

Instructions:
1. Put on oven mitts to retrieve the frozen water balloons from the freezer.  Peel off the balloons so that you have two ice balls.
2. Place each ice ball on a small plate and put them next to each other.
3. Sprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon of salt on the top of each ice ball, add a few drops of your colored water to moisten the salt, and watch what happens.
4.  Wait a few minutes.  What happened?
5. Drip more colored water over the top of the ice ball on the left.  Do you think one ball will melt faster?  Which one and why?
6. Keep watching, and intermittently drip water over the left ball.  Does one ball melt faster?
7.  Occasionally sprinkle more salt on the top of both ice balls, followed by a few more drops of colored water to wet the salt.
8.  Keep observing.  Can you see patterns appear in the ice?
9.  Optional: Hold a flashlight behind your melting ice balls and see how the patterns light up!