From WOW to AHA

116 Pages·2006·1.17 MB·English

by  Helga Nordhoff

What will happen?
From WOW
to
AHA
Derek Fish in action at the official opening of the Discovery Centre, now
Sci-Enza, at the University of Pretoria.
a Science Show workshop
Workbook compiled by
Compiled by: Ms Rudi Horak Rudi Horak & Helga Nordhoff
Ms Helga Nordhoff
Date revised: 6 September 2006
© 2006 Copyright reserved,
Sci-Enza, University of Pretoria
The authors
Rudi Horak
Rudi Horak is the Manager and Curator of the Science Centre at the Uni-
versity of Pretoria. After completing her BEd she taught Physical Science to
secondary school learners for 16 years. For the past 10 years she has
presented Science Shows and Science Demonstrations to visitors of the
Science Centre.
Helga Nordhoff
Helga Nordhoff is a lecturer for the BSecEd course at the University of
Pretoria. She has a BSc Honours in Physics and a MEd (Computer-assisted
Education).
Acknowledgements
Special thanks go to Mike Gore from Questacon, the Australian
National Science and Technology Centre in Canberra, Australia and
Ian Russell from Interactive Science Ltd. in the United Kingdom who
inspired us during their visits to South Africa. We are grateful to all our
colleagues in the other Science Centres in South Africa for sharing their
ideas and experiences with us.
Together we hope to make science interesting, less
intimidating and more accessible to all the visitors to our
Science Centres.
We would also like to thank the students and learners
who in the last two years attended our workshops. They
never cease to surprise us with new and
innovative ways to involve the audience and
thereby show us that we can still learn from them.
From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 109
Notes Table of Contents
____________________________________________________________ Introduction ................................................. 1
About this booklet ........................................ 2
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________ The Science Show as Teaching Tool .............................. 3
____________________________________________________________
Gases ...................................................... 4
____________________________________________________________ Egg in a Bottle ........................................... 4
Sucking Candle .......................................... 5
____________________________________________________________
“Blow, Johnny, Blow” .................................... 6
____________________________________________________________ Smoke-ring Cannon....................................... 7
The Self-inflating Balloon .................................. 8
____________________________________________________________
The Non-inflating Balloon ................................. 9
____________________________________________________________ The Non-popping Balloon ................................. 10
Burning Money ......................................... 11
____________________________________________________________
More Balloon Stuff ...................................... 12
____________________________________________________________ Candle Stuff............................................ 13
Things that go BANG! ....................................... 14
____________________________________________________________
Volcanoes ............................................. 14
____________________________________________________________ Make your own volcano .................................. 15
Erupting cinder volcano .................................. 16
____________________________________________________________
Erupting composite volcano ............................... 16
____________________________________________________________ Exploding Custard ....................................... 17
Liquids .................................................... 18
____________________________________________________________
The Submariner ......................................... 18
____________________________________________________________ Vanishing Water ........................................ 19
Volcanic Water ......................................... 20
____________________________________________________________
Dancing Raisins......................................... 21
____________________________________________________________ Dancing Mothballs ...................................... 22
Float a Paperclip ........................................ 23
____________________________________________________________
Density Stacker ......................................... 24
____________________________________________________________ Ice Fishing ............................................. 25
Half-full or Half-empty ................................... 26
____________________________________________________________
From Water to Wine ..................................... 27
Red Cabbage Juice ...................................... 28
From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 108 Table of Contents - i
Some Science Centres on the Web
More Indicator Stuff .................................... 29
• Sci-Enza (University of Pretoria)
Racing Jars ............................................ 30
www.sci-enza.up.ac.za/
The Bad Egg .......................................... 31
More Egg Stuff ........................................ 32
• Exploratorium: the museum of science, art and human perception.
More Activities with Liquids .............................. 33
www.exploratorium.com/
Surface Tension ............................................ 34
The Match Speedboat ................................... 34
• Interactive Science Ltd.
More Surface Tension Stuff ............................... 35
www.interactives.co.uk/
Liquid Nitrogen ............................................ 36
Introduction ........................................... 36
• MTN SCIENCENTRE.
Banana Hammer ....................................... 36
www.mtnsciencentre.org.za/
Soap Explosion ........................................ 37
Chameleon LED ....................................... 38
• SAASTEC: Southern African Association of Science and
Instant Ice Cream ....................................... 39
Technology Centres
Strawberry Ice Cream ................................... 40
www.saastec.co.za/
More “Freezing activities” ................................ 41
Take a Guess .............................................. 42
• SCI-BONO Discovery Centre
Volumes .............................................. 42
www.sci-bono.co.za/
Circumference vs. Height ................................ 43
Centre of Mass ............................................. 44
• Science North
Balance the Hammer .................................... 44
sciencenorth.on.ca/
Balancing Fork and Spoon................................ 45
Balancing Forks ........................................ 46
• Questacon. The Australian National Science and Technology
Rolling Uphill ......................................... 47
Centre.
Balancing Nails ........................................ 48
www.questacon.edu.au/
More ‘Centre of Mass’ activities ........................... 49
Forces .................................................... 50
• Tom Tits Experiment
Supporting Eggs........................................ 50
www.tomtit.se/
Strong Rice ........................................... 51
Obedient Tin .......................................... 52
Friction ................................................... 53
Static and Kinetic Friction ................................ 53
Falling Cup ........................................... 54
What! No glue! ........................................ 55
Table of Contents - ii From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 107
• Peter Macinnis. ???? Science experiments at home. Magnetism ................................................. 56
Viewed online on 2004-09-13 at: Magnet Tricks .......................................... 56
members.ozemail.com.au/~macinnis/scifun/miniexp.htm Magnetic Demonstrations ................................. 57
Sound ..................................................... 58
• New Scientist. 1994. Over the top. Listen to Vibrations ...................................... 58
Viewed online on 2004-04-20 at: Braying Straws ......................................... 59
www.newscientist.com/hottopics/alcohol/alcohol.jsp?id=lw82 Singing Cups ........................................... 60
Whispering Umbrellas .................................... 61
• Newton’s Apple. (n.d.) Viewed online on 2004-04-20 at: More Sound Stuff ....................................... 62
www.ktca.org/newtons/tryits/ Light ..................................................... 63
We encourage duplication for educational non-commercial use. Reflections ............................................. 63
Shadows or “From 3D to 2D” .............................. 64
• Wolfgang Pohl. 1997. Lernen, Aha-Erlebnis und Motivation. Changing Colours ....................................... 65
Viewed online on 2004-09-13 at: Mason’s Disk........................................... 66
www.krref.krefeld.schulen.net/lernen/lern-01.htm Catch a Bird ............................................ 67
Tom, Dick & Harry ...................................... 68
• Fred Senese. 2004. General Chemistry Online! Water to Wine. Optical Illusions............................................. 69
Viewed online on 2004-05-12 at: Overview .............................................. 69
antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/features/water2wine.shtml Big or Small, Long or Short, Straight or Skew? ................ 70
Face or Vase? .......................................... 71
• Jerry Slocum & Jack Botermans. 1995. Tricky Optical Illusion What do you see? ....................................... 72
Puzzles. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Coloured Words ........................................ 73
Touch ..................................................... 74
• Scholastic Inc. 2004. The Science of Secret Messages. Slimy Creatures ......................................... 74
Viewed online on 2004-09-13 at: A Touching Experience ................................... 75
teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/scimessa.htm Taste ..................................................... 76
Tasteless Jelly Beans ..................................... 76
• Scientific American. Coke or Sodawater? ..................................... 77
Paper Stuff ................................................. 78
• Rama Kumaraswamy Thoopal. 2002. Scientists Find More on the A Circle for 3 People ..................................... 78
Eureka Man. Viewed online on 2004-04-20 at: Taking Both Sides ....................................... 79
www.pitara.com/discover/eureka/online.asp?story=107 Folding Paper .......................................... 80
Supporting Paper ........................................ 81
• Pieter van Delft & Jack Botermans. 1995. Creative Puzzles of the More Paper Stuff ........................................ 82
World. Key Curriculum Press, California.
From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 106 Table of Contents - iii
Topological Problems ....................................... 83 Bibliography, References & Resources
The Looped Band ...................................... 83
Magic R10 note ........................................ 84
• American Heritage Dictionary
The Wrist Twist ........................................ 85
www.yourdictionary.com
Scissors and String ...................................... 86
The Loose Noose ....................................... 87
• Joachim Bublath. 1987. Das Knoff-hoff Buch. G +G Urban-
Tie a Knot ............................................ 88
Verlag, München.
More String Stuff ....................................... 89
Mathematical Magic ........................................ 90
• Rob Eastaway and Jeremy Wydham. 1998. Why Do Buses Come
Proof that 2 = 1 ........................................ 90
in Threes? The hidden mathematics of everyday life. John Wiley
Proof that “Women (girls) are evil” ......................... 91
& Sons, New York.
The Orange Kangaroo ................................... 92
Pick-a-number ......................................... 93
• Klas Fresk & Lasse Levemark. 2001. TOM TITS EXTRA
A Magic Square ........................................ 94
TRICKS. Alfabeta Bokförlag AB, Stockholm, Sweden.
The Power of “9” ....................................... 95
Boring Numbers ........................................ 96
• Grand Illusions: Fun & Games
Plants .................................................... 97
www.grand-illusions.com/index.htm
Buzz Pollination........................................ 97
A Red-and-Blue Rose ................................... 98
• Kevin Goldstein-Jackson. 1976. Experiments with Everyday
Red into White Rose .................................... 99
Objects. Souvenir Press.
Soils .................................................... 100
Flocculation .......................................... 100
• Richard Gregory. 1997. Eye and Brain - The Psychology of
Seeing. Oxford University Press. Summary online at:
Using the Overhead Projector ................................ 101
www.grand-illusions.com/gregory1.htm
Safety Precautions ......................................... 102
• How Stuff Works.
First Aid ................................................. 103
www.howstuffworks.com
Disclaimer ........................................... 103
• Zachary Huang. Pollinators - Bumble Bees.
Glossary ................................................. 104
cyberbee.msu.edu/column/pollinator/bumblepoll.pdf
Bibliography, References & Resources ..................... 105
Some Science Centres on the Web ........................ 107
• HUNKIN’S EXPERIMENTS
Notes ............................................... 108
www.hunkinsexperiments.com/
The authors .......................................... 109
Acknowledgements .................................... 109
• Jacques Lacan. The Mirror Stage
What will happen? ............................... Back cover
maven.english.hawaii.edu/criticalink/lacan/terms/ahha.html
Table of Contents - iv From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 105
Glossary Introduction
A Science Show can be described as a series of thought-provoking science
Acetic acid CH COOH (aq) demonstrations. Its aim is to utilise the imagination of the audience, to
3
promote creative thinking and actively involve the audience. Science Shows
AHA used to express surprise, pleasure, or triumph.
should make science more accessible and introduce an element of wonder
AHA experience is the moment of insight; the moment in which and surprise to the teaching activity.
elements come together and a new concept is
constructed. A successful show has an element of magic. It should be fun, involve all the
senses of the audience and encourage inquiry. It should also lead to an
Bicarbonate of soda NaHCO AHA-experience. The AHA-experience is defined as the moment of insight;
3
the moment in which elements come together and a new concept is
Edutainer a person that aims to educate people of all ages
constructed.
through entertainment.
Floral sonication buzz pollination A good science show
Prime number a number that has 1 and itself as factors. • makes things visible;
• shows things that can be done at home - in other words uses every
Science Show a series of thought-provoking science
day equipment;
demonstrations.
• involves the audience and
Sodium polyacrylate --CH --CH(CO Na)-- • links to real-life situations.
2 2
WOW used to express wonder, amazement, or great
pleasure.
An example of an AHA-experience is
Archimedes’ discovery of the principle of
buoyancy while he was taking a bath. He
is reported to have jumped out of the bath
and ran through the streets naked shouting
“Eureka!”
Illustration: © Sudheer Nath.
Permission to use has been requested
from: Pitara Kids Network Pvt. Ltd.
From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 104 From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 1
About this booklet Liquid nitrogen
• Always wear gloves when handling liquid nitrogen and safety
goggles when pouring it.
This booklet was been compiled as a workbook for BSecEd students and
• Do not touch the liquid nitrogen or any frozen items with bare
“UP with Science” learners at the University of Pretoria to be used during
hands.
Science Show Workshops.
• Treat freeze burns immediately with tepid water.
• A container with liquid nitrogen should never be tightly sealed.
No guidelines are given on “How to involve the audience” in the hope that
• Do not douse the carpet or linoleum floor with liquid nitrogen -
the students and learners will come up with new and creative ways to
the frozen floor cracks easily.
involve their audience; and they always do!
Involving the audience is a very personal thing and it depends to a large
[
extent on the acting skill of the presenter. The composition of the audience;
their ages, gender, knowledge of science and previous exposures to Science
Shows, all influence how they can and want to be involved. Generally
scientist and teachers are not good actors. As Ian Russell pointed out: First Aid
“It is easier to teach an actor a little bit of science than to teach a
scientist to act.”
• Know where the first aid kit is kept.
• Treat burns immediately with cold water and freeze burns with
During our “Science Show” workshops we normally discuss different
tepid water.
strategies to involve an audience and the advantages and disadvantages of
• Rinse acid and bases off skin immediately.
each. Be adventurous, experiment, try new things; but always do, what feels
comfortable to you.
It is advisable to select a set of tricks and activities around a theme.
The theme can be linked to a specific topic, such as surface tension, sound
Disclaimer
or gravity; or to a prop, “10 things to do with balloons”, “Possibilities with
paper”; or set in a place, “Science in the kitchen” or “Science at the dinner
table”. A Science Show can of course consist of a number of different All the experiments and tricks described in this booklet are safe if they are
themes. Try to find a way to link the themes. done with the necessary precautions and safety measures. Neither the
authors, nor the University of Pretoria, can be held liable for any injuries or
Maintaining this collection is ongoing task; if you feel that we should add a damages incurred while performing these experiments. Children should
specific demonstration to this booklet, or wish to share an experience with however get permission from a parent or other responsible adult before
us, please e-mail your suggestion to [email protected]. trying to do any of them. Experiments that make use of acids, matches,
candles and liquid nitrogen are best done under supervision of a know-
ledgeable adult.
From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 2 From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 103
Safety Precautions The Science Show as Teaching Tool
General The science classroom is different to the language and social sciences
• Keep a safe distance between any hazard and the audience. classroom because learners are expected to do practical work. A conse-
• If the audience is involved, make sure they understand what they quence is that the educator has to look for real life applications of the theory
have to do. that is taught. The nature of the subject makes it easy for the educator to use
a variety of teaching tools, from the old-fashioned chalkboard to multi-
Chemicals media presentations on the computer and occasionally of course, a “Science
• Always use safety glasses if you work with chemicals. Show”.
• Never taste chemicals or solutions.
• Do not smell chemicals directly. The “Science Show” has its own didactic rules and it is not necessary to
• When diluting concentrated acids or bases always add the make every lesson a “Science Show” or a WOW-experience, but all science
concentrated acid or base to water (never the reverse), while teachers can learn something from an experienced “Science Show”
stirring the solution. Be extremely careful when handling sulphuric presenter or edutainer. A successful science lesson should, as a Science
acid. Show, promote creative thinking and encourage inquiry.
• All bottles should be clearly labelled. Read the label before
removing any chemical from a container. Once you have mastered the art of presenting a “Science Show”, you can
• If you are not sure if you are using the correct chemical for what use the elements of a Show to make your lessons more interesting, to intro-
you plan to do, ask an expert. duce a new theme in the classroom, or to “entertain” the parents on a
• Don’t use broken or chipped glassware. parents evening.
• Have water readily available if you are working with corrosive
chemicals so that you can rinse spillages. We, Rudi Horak and Helga Nordhoff, your lecturers for the Educational
• Have a cloth ready to wipe up any spillages. Community Project have collected these simple tricks, demonstrations and
experiments for you to practise and use in the classroom. Some experiments
Electricity are more suitable for demonstrations, others are excellent activities for a
• Don’t use equipment with broken plugs or torn electrical cords. “Science Show”. Often the presenter and his / her acting skills will
• Never pull a plug out by the cord. determine if an experiment is more suited to a demonstration or to a WOW-
• Switch off equipment after use. experience.
Fire Practise, be enthusiastic, have fun, and remember:
• If an experiment uses matches and / or candles, take the necessary
precautions. Children should be under adult supervision.
• Never leave an open flame unattended. “Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
• Know where the fire extinguisher is and how to use it. Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime”
Ian Russell
From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 102 From WOW to AHA: A Science Show Workshop - Page 3
Gases Using the Overhead Projector
Egg in a Bottle The overhead projector should not limited to displaying transparencies.
Realia, three-dimensional objects, can be used to explain and illustrate
many concepts to large groups. The objects will be enlarged and the only
You need:
limiting factor is your creativity. Opaque objects will project black, but
• A glass bottle with a narrow neck
transparent objects, such as glass, test tubes, petri dishes etc. will be shown
• A hard boiled egg, peeled
indifferent shades of grey. A few ideas are listed below.
• Matches or a small amount of meths
Mathematics
How?
• The abacus
Drop three lit matches into the glass bottle or light a small
• Areas
amount of meths in the bottle. Quickly place the peeled,
• Geometric forms
hard-boiled egg on the mouth of the bottle.
• Paperclips, beans, buttons, etc. to teach illustrate set theory
• Plastic rulers with different units
What happens?
• Shapes to illustrate fractions
How to involve the audience / learners?
Science
• Crystalline growth
____________________________________________________________
• Gear ratios
____________________________________________________________ • Insects and bugs
• Leaf shapes
____________________________________________________________
• Magnetism
____________________________________________________________
• Mixing colours - use colour separations used in printing
• Old x-rays to discuss anatomy.
• Opacity, translucency and transparency
What happens? Why?
• The solar system
The flames heat the air in the bottle. As the heated air expands, some of it
• Wave motion
escapes out the bottle. When the matches go out, the air inside the bottle
• Weather symbols
cools and contracts, thus creating a lower pressure inside the bottle than
____________________________________________________________
outside. The greater pressure outside the bottle forces the egg into the
bottle.
____________________________________________________________
From: Newton’s Apple.
____________________________________________________________
Variation: Place the peeled end of a banana on the mouth of the bottle. The ____________________________________________________________
banana will peel itself.
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