Explore Ice!

Tomorrow we will be leading a special Messy Fingers program for preschool through third grade at the Millbury Public Library at 1pm.

Call to preregister (508) 865-1181.

Slime!

Every now and then the universe just seems to send you a signal and right now the universe is telling me....

SLIME!

We made slime today at our local science museum, the Ecotarium. That along with a handful of other slime moments, it seems like time to share Slime with you all.

To make your own slime, you will need:

Glue (clear is fun but any white glue is perfect)

Water

Borax (the 20 Mule Team kind)

Two cups

Popsicle stick

Mix one teaspoon of borax in one cup of water and set aside. Mix the glue and water in equal amounts - about a quarter cup of each one. Mix this well. (This is the point where I add a few drops of glow in the dark paint because I am just that kind of girl!)

Slowly add some of the borax into the glue/water mixture and stir slowly. This will start sticking to the Popsicle stick. Pull it out and ta-da you have slime. Squish it in, roll it, bounce it - store it in plastic bag or air tight container and it will last for months.

This is a chemistry moment and an example of polymerization. Putting the molecules of the glue into a three dimensional structure.

Animal of the Week

The Black-capped Chickadee was one of the common birds at our bird feeder this weekend when we were counting for the Great Backyard Bird Count. They not only are one of my very favorite birds, but they are the state bird of my home state, Massachusetts.

One of the reasons I love chickadees so much is the richness of their behavior and sheer awesomeness of their physiology. It was only a couple of weeks ago that I heard the males start mating season. Yep, male chickadees started to sing the familiar "pee wee" song that melts the hearts of female chickadees everywhere.

Like most birds, only the male sings. Both males and females call and the "chick a dee dee dee" is their call. Once the have eggs the male and female will whisper the call to each other.

Chickadees often hang out in flocks with other birds like Tufted Titmouses and Downy Woodpeckers. Mixed flocks like this will descend on a food source like a bird feeder and eat you out of house and home about the same time every day. Chickadees prefer suet, peanut butter and sunflower seeds. They need very high energy foods to keep them warm in the winter.

We do have other kinds of chickadees in the US including Boreal and Carolina Chickadees. To see pictures click on their names.

What's your favorite bird from your Backyard Bird Count?

Friday Fun Fact

Turtles breath through their butts in the winter.

No, really, I'm not kidding.

Some reptiles bury themselves in the mud and go into a torpor - where they are dormant - others like turtles are active in winter. Turtles are not as active in the winter because the temperature is lower, but they do feed and swim around.

Reptiles breath air just like we mammals do. But in the winter with ice covering the surface of most fresh water, s0 they cannot come to the surface. Turtles have sacs in their cloacas (the science word for reptile butt) with lots of blood vessels so they can take the oxygen directly into their blood from the water.

If you don't believe me, check this more detailed explanation.

Citizen Science

This winter we have seen some birds in our yard that we've never seen before - well never in our own yard before. How do we know this? We keep lists!

We've had a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Carolina Wren visit the feeders. The wren we've heard before but never seen.

This weekend is the Great American Backyard Bird Count. This is a fun way to actually do some science and collect data that will be used by scientists to learn about the habits of our local birds.

My friend, and fellow science lover, MamaJoules has a nice post about the GBYBC here.

To get your official rules and checklists, go here.

We are going to participate - what about you? If you can't participate, you can post your observations below.

Air

Air is invisible yet has properties we can see, touch and observe at very early ages. Even the youngest of children respond to the wind or will try to blow out candles. Air is all around us and is always pushing on your body. Your body pushes back equally so we don't feel the air pressure directly.

Wind has such clear effects on our environment. We can see it blow leaves, move trees, and move water. We can experience made-made wind by standing in front of a fan or make our own with our breath. Try some of these fun and easy games with air,

Straw races. Try blowing a cotton ball with your breath. Just blow on it. It will go pretty far. Now try blowing with a straw. The cotton ball can sail across the room. The straw helps to concentrate the force of our blowing. Try the same thing with other toys such as small balls or cars.

Launching: Make your favorite paper air plane. Try throwing it with your right hand and mark where it lands. Try with your left hand. Which launched better? Now try outside. Does wind affect your plane? Now challenge a friend. Try both of you adding a paper clip or a special fold in similar places. How does that affect your flights?

Parachutes: Take a piece of fabric that is about 12 inches square. Cut four 10 inch pieces of heavy thread or light string and tie to each corner of the fabric. Tie a weight to the four strings such as a washer, bolt, or small toy. Now drop it by standing on a chair or from the top of the stairs. What happens to the fabric? Can you fold the parachute in different ways that affect its float down? Does a change in the weight change the float down for the parachute? What if you made it out of different fabric?

Music: Some musical instruments use air to make music. What instruments do you have or could make that use air? Kazoos, harmonicas, recorders, flutes, trumpets and whistles all use air. Try making a jug instrument my blowing across a glass bottle or jug. Does the amount of liquid in the bottle matter to the sound?

Bath Time: Add a cup to bath time. Turn a cup upside down and slowly push it down in to the water being careful not to tip it sideways. A bubble or two might leak out but the idea is that water and air don’t occupy the same space. Water will push air out of the way if it can. What happens when you reach the bottom? Is the cup full of water or air? What happens when you let go? Try again with cups of different sizes and shapes.

Books:

Air is all around you by Franklin Branley

Kite in the Park by Lucy Cousins (of Maisy fame)

Up, Up & Away!:The Science Of Flight. By Barbara Taylor.

Feb Schedule

1. This Tuesday 10:30 - Millbury Public Library

We are going to play with AIR. We will make simple gliders, have cotton ball races and fling things off the balcony (always one of MY personal favorites!). You are welcome to call the library on Monday 508 865 1181 to reserve as spot or just show up on Tuesday.

2. Feb 24 (Note this is a THURSDAY) at 1pm

ICE - this is a program for preschoolers and their school aged siblings. There is a limit on the space of 20 kids and we will be going in and out so bring slings for the babies and wear boots!

Cheers!!
Michele