Today was a big day of hands-on exploration in our Water and Weather course! Our young scientists suited up in lab coats and fully stepped into the role of real researchers! From the moment they put them on, the excitement was contagious, and the lab coats became a fun and powerful symbol that we were thinking, exploring, and discovering just like scientists do. It set the tone for an exciting day of curiosity, scientific discovery, and hands-on learning!

This morning, students continued the experiment we began yesterday about how water can disappear through evaporation. We measured water, poured the water onto a Styrofoam tray, and left plates of water out overnight. This morning, we remeasured the water on our tray and found some of it had become water vapor! We also learned about water reappearing through condensation. Here, we placed ice cubes in a small, tin container and closely watched as beads of water formed on the outside of the container! They truly enjoyed observing changes in water with real-life examples, recorded their findings in lab logs, and engaged in meaningful discussions about the states of water: liquid, solid, and gas.

One of the most exciting parts of the day was exploring what happens when water is mixed with other substances. Students tested materials like JELL-O, salt, oatmeal, and Kool-Aid to find out which ones dissolve in water. We also conducted a memorable experiment with oil and water, helping students understand that not all liquids mix! In the afternoon, we shifted our focus to density, comparing objects that are heavy or light for their size. Through group activities and measurements, students discovered how density impacts whether something will sink or float. Although we didn’t get to wrap up our experiment and discussion on density today, the excitement isn’t over because we’ll be diving back in tomorrow to uncover the results and make some fun discoveries together!

At home, ask your child to explain the term evaporation and discuss why it might be positive or negative. Additionally, ask them to explain the term condensation to you and try the experiment again using a cold can or glass. It’s a simple but powerful way to see science in action! You can also encourage your child to look through family photos, magazines, or toys to find examples of things that are dense (heavy for their size) or not dense (light for their size).

Finally, go on a floating-and-sinking photo hunt! Ask your child to find a picture, either online or in a book, of something floating or sunk in water. Have them think critically: How did it get there? Was it natural or manmade? These at-home activities will help solidify the day’s learning while showing just how fun and fascinating water can be!

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s adventures—we’ll be forecasting weather like real meteorologists!