Budding Scientists: Potions Party!

Preschoolers

by LearnX Science

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Budding Scientist: Potions Party!

 

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ABC’s of Applied Chemistry: Potions Party 

Suitable for 4 to 6 year olds

Excited to learn more about potions and the science behind them? Prepare yourselves for an exhilarating challenge and be ready to combine ingredients to create mesmerizing and spellbinding mixtures. This adventure promises to be delightfully messy, so don your lab coats and and get ready to wield your mixing bowls! 

Let’s WATCH! 

Let's learn more about solutes, solvents, and solutions with this video. 

Solute, Solvent, and Solution | What is a Solution? | Science Video for Kids (3 min 41 sec)

Solution: A solution forms when a substance dissolves or breaks apart into another substance. 

Solute: The substance that dissolves to form a solution is called a solute. 

Solvent: The substance in which a solute will dissolve is called a solvent. 

 

 

Let's INVESTIGATE!

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Introduce your child to the following scientific terms and concepts below as we get into the “magical mixtures”! 
 
Dissolve

If a substance dissolves in a liquid, it mixes into the liquid and disappears. 

Footnote: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. (n.d.). Dissolve definition and meaning: Collins English dictionary. Dissolve definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dissolve  

Suspension  

In a suspension, very small pieces of solid are mixed in a liquid but do not dissolve. If left undisturbed, the solid pieces will separate from the liquid and either sink to the bottom or float to the top. 

Footnote: Suspension (chemistry). KidzSearch.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://wiki.kidzsearch.com/wiki/Suspension_(chemistry)   

 
Solution  

A solution is a mixture of two or more substances that stays evenly mixed. 

Footnote: Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/solution/399604  

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Are you ready for some potion-making magic? But first, let's gather all the special ingredients we need:  

  • Water

  • Salt

  • Sugar

  • Oil

 

LET THE POTION-MAKING ADVENTURE BEGIN!

Prepare the Magic Potions: Set up three enchanting bowls of the pH indicator or water.

  1. Add Ingredients: Sprinkle a spoonful of salt into the first bowl and a spoonful of sugar into the second bowl.

  2. Stir the Potion: Stir the solutes (salt and sugar) into the solvent (pH indicator/water) to witness the wonders of creating a solution.

  3. Summon the Oil: Drizzle some mystical oil into the last bowl.

  4. Stir and Wonder: Guide your child as they stir the oil into the mixture. Ask them, "What do you notice?" Does the oil blend into the water like the salt and sugar? No! — This is the mysterious magic of a suspension!

 

LET'S UNDERSTAND THE MAGIC

  • Sugar and Salt Magic: Just like magic, sugar and salt disappear into the liquid! They create something special called a "solution."

  • Enchanted Solutions: Solutions are like best friends—they mix perfectly and can't be pulled apart. It's like they're holding hands forever!

  • Oil and Water Mystery: But wait, there's more magic! Oil and water don't want to be friends. They create something called a "suspension." They're like oil and water, never mixing!

  • Unravelling the Magic: Even though everything's mixed up like a big potion party, we can still separate the ingredients. It's like magic in reverse!

 

 

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

  • Children are natural explorers, always eager to learn! Explore the world together and encourage them to guess why things happen—it's like being detectives on an adventure.

  • Let your child's imagination soar by asking questions! When they conduct their mini experiments, be their biggest cheerleader. Every new discovery deserves a round of applause!

     

 

  • Let's Watch

    Click on the image below is to check out a playlist of various videos teaching your child of different chemical reactions!

     

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  • Let's INVESTIGATE

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    We've mastered the basics, and now it's time to dive into something more exciting! Are you ready to see more magic? Let's explore what happens when we mix special ingredients together—like baking soda and vinegar!

    Don't forget to grab your scientist notebooks because you are going to record all the amazing things you see!

    Here's what you'll need to prepare for this adventure:

    • Baking soda (the secret ingredient!)

    • Vinegar (get ready for the fizz!)

    • Food colouring (let's add a splash of rainbow!)

    • Bowls or a baking tray (for mixing up the potion!)

    • And of course, a trusty tray to keep everything neat and tidy!

     

    LET'S DO THIS!

    1. Place a tray underneath your materials to catch any spills. Safety first!

    1. In a baking tray, carefully drop in some vibrant food colouring.

    1. Let's mix things up! Add a splash of vinegar and give it a good stir. Watch as the colours come alive!

    1. The magic begins! As the food colouring dissolves and mixes with the vinegar, it creates a fascinating solution.

    1. Gently sprinkle in some baking soda into the colourful solution.

    1. Get ready for the grand finale! Observe with wide eyes as something incredible happens. Can you explain it to your parents? You're now a budding scientist!

     

     

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    WHAT'S HAPPENING?

    1. It's a chemical reaction! When different substances, called reactants, come together, they create something entirely new – a Product!

    1. Mix vinegar and baking soda, and voila! A chemical reaction takes place, producing lots of bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. Science is full of surprises!

    1. How do we know a reaction has occurred? Look out for temperature changes, colour transformations, new scents, and, of course, bubbles! Who knew science could be so fun and fizzy?

    1. Chemical reactions are everywhere – from cooking eggs and baking cookies to lighting fireworks and even starting fires. Science is all around us, waiting to be discovered!

     

  • Let's READ!

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    Title: Understanding Chemical Reactions (Kid Chemistry Lab) 

    By: Jessica Rusick

    Publisher: Minneapolis, Minnesota: Checkerboard Library, an imprint of Abdo Publishing, 2023

    Section: JS Non-Fiction

    Call No.: English 541 RUS

     

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    Title: Examining Mixtures & Solutions (Kid Chemistry Lab)

    By: Jessica Rusick

    Publisher: Minneapolis, Minnesota: Checkerboard Library, an imprint of Abdo Publishing, 2023

    Section: JS Non-Fiction

    Call No.: English 541 RUS


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    Title: Libby Loves Science: Mix and Measure (I Can Read Level 3)

    By: Kimberly Derting, Shelli R. Johannes & Joelle Murray

    Publisher: New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2021

    Section: Early Literacy Picture Books

    Call No.: English DER

    Overdrive link to the electronic copy: https://nlb.overdrive.com/media/5389014


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    Title: Every Day, Chemistry

    By:  Julia Sooy & Bonnie Pang

    Publisher: New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2021

    Overdrive link: https://nlb.overdrive.com/media/6301243


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