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uk

Welcome
Hi! Im Soozy - science teacher, mum of two, and founder of CuriosiTots. The aim of this booklet is to provide a few ideas of activities to try over the summer with your children, and to give you some ways to start them thinking scientifically about what is happening. Even someone with a good background in science can be flummoxed when trying to explain things to a young child, since they are still lacking so much of the background knowledge that we depend on. I hope that the questions I have included with each activity will guide you to help your child make observations and try to form conclusions about what is happening. For the less scientifically literate parents, I have also included a brief explanation of the science behind each experiment. The activities and associated questions are aimed at ages 3-4 but can be enjoyed by older and younger children too. If you enjoy this booklet, why not think about joining a weekly CuriosiTots class. For further information you can look on the website below, or email info@curiositots.co.uk to enquire about a free taster session.

www.curiositots.co.uk / info@curiositots.co.uk

Contents
Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 9 Painting with water Make a model water cycle Measuring shadows Making a rainbow Making a pinhole camera Roll things down hills

Page 10 What is CuriosiTots?

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You will need

Painting with water

A paintbrush largish is better A pot of water A sunny day Somewhere to paint (patio, wall, garden shed etc)

What to do Get the kids painting with water. Artistically or just aiming for good coverage, it doesnt matter. Try to get some in direct sun and some in the shade. Then watch as the water evaporates and they can paint again. What to ask Where has the water gone? Do you think it goes faster in the sun or in the shade? Why do you think that happens? What is different about the sun and shade areas? The science Water molecules in liquid form are held together by relatively strong forces called hydrogen bonds. These are attractions between the slightly positive hydrogen atoms and the slightly negative oxygen atoms in H2O. For the water to evaporate, these bonds have to be broken. This takes energy, which in this case is provided in the form of heat from the sun. Therefore the water in the sunnier areas evaporates quicker. 3 www.curiositots.co.uk / info@curiositots.co.uk

Make a model water cycle

You will need

A large bowl A mug or small glass Water Clingfilm

A sunny day Marker pen or sticker String / large elastic band

What to do Place the mug or glass in the bottom of the bowl. Add water around the outside of the glass to about 2/3 up its side. Mark the level of the water on the side of the bowl. Cover tightly with clingfilm and secure with string or elastic. Put the bowl in direct sunlight and come back after 30 minutes. What to ask What has happened to the water level in the bowl? Where has the water gone? How has water got into the cup?

The science In this experiment, the water in the bowl represents seas and lakes, the condensation that forms on the clingfilm is the water vapour in clouds, and water that collects in the mug represents rainfall. The model lacks a way for the rain to return to the lakes and seas but remains a good way to explain where rain comes from.

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You will need

Measuring shadows

A stick or other long thin object An area that gets the sun most of the day Chalk or other method of marking length of shadow Ruler or measuring tape

What to do Place your stick/doll/child somewhere that gets sun for most of the day. Draw a line in chalk to show where the shadow lies. Measure it if you like. Repeat every hour or two (with the object in the same place).

What to ask What shape is the shadow? How does the length of the shadow change? When is the shadow the shortest? Where is the shadow pointing and where is the sun? The science Light travels in straight lines. A shadow is formed when the light is unable to travel through an opaque object. As the sun rises, the angle at which light is hitting your object changes. At midday when the sun is almost directly overhead, the object does not block much light. Try looking at your stick end-on to show that it looks much smaller.

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Make a rainbow
You will need

A glass of water Large piece of white paper (or several placed together)

Sunny windowsill CD Garden hose / mister sprays

What to do 1. Fill a glass to the top with water and place on a windowsill in bright sunlight. A rainbow should appear in frontplace white paper to see it better. You may need to fiddle and move the glass around. 2. The shiny side of a CD will show rainbow colours 3. Stand with your back to the sun and make a fine mist with a garden hose or sprays. What to ask What colours can you see? Where do you think the rainbow comes from? When do rainbows happen normally? The science White light is made up of all the colours in the spectrum. Each colour has a slightly different wavelength. When the light goes from air into water it bends and each wavelength bends a slightly different amount, dispersing the colours. The bending effect can be seen by putting a straw or spoon in a glass at water and looking at it at an angle. www.curiositots.co.uk / info@curiositots.co.uk 6

5
You will need

Make a pinhole viewer

Tape PVA glue Aluminium foil Craft knife A sunny day

Clean, empty Pringles tube Marker, ruler Drawing pin White tissue paper

What to do Cut the tube into 2 pieces, about 2 inches from the metal bottom end. Use the drawing pin to make a hole in the middle of the metal end. Carefully glue the tissue paper to the clear lid. Put the lid on the short piece of tube. Tape the long piece back on top then wrap aluminium foil twice round the tube. Look through the tube in bright light, cupping your hands around the end of the tube to keep it dark.

Long section

Plastic lid

Short section with metal base

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What to ask What can you see? What do you notice about it? What happens if you move nearer to the object youre looking at? Can you see better in bright or dim light?

The science Light bounces off the object you are viewing in all different directions. The pinhole lets through only a small portion of these light rays, creating a sharp image. Rays from the top of the image must slope down to go through the hole, and so hit the bottom of the screen, creating an inverted image.

Light rays

Image on screen

The diagram shows only the rays coming from the top and bottom of the tree, but the same principle applies to each point on the object. The eye works in a similar way, creating an upside-down image on the retina which is then put the right way up by the brain.

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Roll things down hills

You will need

A variety of objects that may or may not roll / slide A hill or ramp

What to do Your choice of objects will need to depend on the smoothness and steepness of your hill or ramp. Toy cars, insides of toilet rolls, plastic cups are all good for short smooth ramps. Grassy hills will probably need heavier items. Try to let your child experiment for a little and then encourage them to make predictions. What to ask Do you think this will roll further / faster than the last thing? Which is heavier? Which is smoother? Which is bouncier? Do heavier things always go slower? Is it fair if I throw this one but only drop this one? Why do they fall down? Why dont they keep on going forever? The science This experiment is about the opposing forces of friction and gravity. Gravity in this instance is pulling the objects towards the ground. Friction may be between the object and the ramp, or internal friction within the objects (eg car wheels sticking). The key ideas here are that something is making the object move without a push, and something else is making it stop. 9 www.curiositots.co.uk / info@curiositots.co.uk

What is CuriosiTots? CuriosiTots is a weekly class which will engage your childs inquisitive nature. Original stories, role-play and simple experiments are combined to introduce preschool children to the fundamentals of science. We develop basic skills such as questioning, observation, numeracy, finding patterns and making comparisons. The activities are designed to also develop listening and communication skills, confidence, and social skills such as taking turns. Who is CuriosiTots for? Most children will be ready to join a class between the age of 2 and 3. If your child can sit and listen to a story for 5 minutes and can follow simple instructions then they can enjoy and learn from CuriosiTots. If they are constantly asking "WHY?" then you will benefit too! Isn't age 2 a bit young to be learning science? CuriosiTots isn't about learning facts and figures. It's about equipping children with skills that will help them make sense of the world. Babies start to categorise things and gain an understanding of cause and effect before they are 1. Between 1 and 2 they learn that making different choices can affect the outcome, and start to experiment with those choices to find underlying principles. They can be helped to find these rules about how the world works through structured activities and by teaching vocabulary to help them express what they discover. Where can I find out more? Look on our website, or email us to book a free taster session.

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May 2013 11 www.curiositots.co.uk / info@curiositots.co.uk