Amy Oyler - Pop, Sizzle, Boom!: 101 Science Experiments for the Mad Scientist in Every Kid

The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you for your personal use only. You may not make this e-book publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the authors copyright, please notify the publisher at: http://us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.

TO KATIE AND MAIZY,

for whom the brightest sparks of curiosity have led to a lifetime of discovery.

TO NATHAN,

whose love and support has encouraged our inquisitive minds to bloom.

A.O.

Kids are natural-born scientists who see the world through a lens of curiosity and wonder. They want to get out and see the world, to dig deep in the earth and see what they can find. They want to mix ingredients and create bursts of color-changing chemical reactions. They want to engineer their own race tracks, launch their own rockets, and build their own telescopes to look to the moon and stars above. To them, the world has no limits, so theyre more than willing to embark on an adventure of limitless scientific discovery.

Just as scientific curiosity spans the ages, so too do the experiments in this book. Youll find experiments fit for the youngest little explorer (theyll love Frosty the Snow Can in ), and others that will ignite the fire of curiosity in the most seasoned young scientist. (What kid doesnt want to try Grow a Giant Carbon Snake?) Allow your kids to do as much as their ages will naturally allow, to build upon their confidence as young scientists and to keep them fully engaged.

Parents are the key to making this book come to life. For that reason, the book is designed with parents needs in mind. Most of the experiments, for example, use common household materials, or items that could easily be found at a hardware store. The instructions are easy to understand and lively art helps to fuel your childs imagination and set the tone for this exciting learning voyage. Use the time indicator on the left-hand side of the page so that you know ahead of time which experiments are right for you and your child. You dont have to be a science expert to help your child learn: that part is done for you. After each experiment, youll find a helpful blurb that explains the science in clear terms. In some instances, a Take it Further section is added to help extra-curious kids (or their parents) go even deeper with their learning and exploration.

Treat this book as a guide and flip through the pages with your child to see where his or her interests take you. Follow your childrens curiosity and help them get to the bottom of their own burning questions about the world around them. Your children are about to follow in the footsteps of world-famous scientists as they embark on their own thrilling adventure through the popping, sizzling, exploding wonders of science!

Happy Exploring!

AMY OYLER

blogger, scientist, mom

30+ MINUTES

Everyone loves the classic fun of a spinning pinwheel, but did you know you can make one of your own and spin it with the power of the sun? With this experiment, youll build a tower of solar energy, and use that instead of your breath to power your very own pinwheel! All you need are some aluminum cans, a stack of books, and some paper, and youre on your way to a spinning adventure in physics!

3 aluminum cans

Can opener

Masking tape

Large paper clip

Thumbtack

Ruler

Paper

Scissors

Pencil

Stack of books

. Remove both ends from all the aluminum cans with a can opener. Then build a tower by stacking them on top of each other and taping them into place. Use masking tape to create a seal around each can where it meets the next one in the tower.

. Straighten the paper clip and bend it into an arch. Tape the ends to each side of the top of the aluminum can tower so that it arches across the opening in your tower.

. Tape the thumbtack to the center of the paper clip so that the sharp end is pointing straight up.

. Use your ruler to draw a 6 square on your piece of paper, then cut it out. Make a pinwheel by making a diagonal cut from each corner to the center of the paper, stopping about before the center.

. Once you have made four cuts from the corners of your square, take the right side of each cut, and fold it into the center. Tape the meeting points in the center to create your pinwheel.

. Create two 2 stacks of books in a sunny spot of your home or outside. Place the book stacks 1 apart, and place your aluminum can tower on the stacks so that the can sits across the gap.

. Balance your paper pinwheel on the point of the thumbtack. Once its balanced, sit back and watch it spin!

The sun releases energy that we can see as light and feel as heat. This energy powers everything on Earth. We can harness this energy by collecting it in battery cells, and use it to power our homes. In this experiment, the aluminum cans harness the suns energy. The heat from the sun collects at the bottom of the can. and rises to the top. As this energy moves through the can, it pushes your pinwheel, spinning it!

10 MINUTES OR LESS

You know you can take a photograph with a camera or a smartphone, but did you know you could create a photograph with the sun and a piece of paper? With solar imprint paper, you can create an image using the ultraviolet rays from the sun and create your own work of art with solar photography! All you need is some solar imprint paper (found online or in the science and education section of your local toy store), some natural materials, and a sunny day.

Solar imprint paper

Leaves, feathers, or toys

Plastic wrap ( optional )

Paper towels

. Gather natural materials that will lie flat and have interesting shapes. Leaves, feathers, and flowers work well for this activity.