Water
Cornstarch
Something to stir the mixture with
Some plan to not make a mess
Container to store solution in (for the kids to take home)
Bonus: Loose speaker (I'll explain this one when I get there)
Time Required: 15minutes - As long as the kids can play with the creation
Procedures:
1. Cover the work area with something that will help ensure that there is not a mess everywhere.
2. In a bowl, start with 2 parts corn starch, and SLOWLY add up to 1 part water.
3. Stir while you add, the mixture should resemble a thick batter, when stirred.
4. Once the desired consistency has been reached, have the kids start exploring the properties of this liquid.
Bonus:
5. If desired, take an open speaker(or hold a metal sheet/tray on a sub-woofer), and place some of the pre-mixed solution on the surface.
6. Turn on the speaker, and, if necessary, agitate the center slightly. You should see a rolling mass of the semi-solid goo dancing on the speaker.
Discussion:
Once the kids have spent some time getting to understand how this solution feels, ask them if it is a solid or a liquid. Challenge either answer by asking them to defend how it can be one, but act like the other. Then Ask them if they can think of anything else that behaves this way. One very good example that acts almost exactly the same is quicksand. Quicksand is a liquid, and when you step on it, you sink. When you exert pressure on it, to get out, it becomes more like a solid, and you cannot escape. Ask the kids about how knowing about this can help them escape quicksand.
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