Post Contributed by Jocelyne Adkins, Program Director
Who doesn't love to watch a bubble spring to life ~ a perfect sphere reflecting light, rising beautifully into the air and floating so freely? However, bubbles eventually pop, and we decided to capture this moment of the bubble and to make some bubble art.
 |
| A bubble takes flight (lower third of photo) |
Our bubble solution was made over the weekend with dishwashing detergent, water, glycerin and food dye. Homemade bubble solutions work best when they have had 24 hours or more to "sit" before using them.
 |
| Joseph |
Students began the activity by making their own bubble wands with colorful plastic coated wire: we challenged them to create a shape other than a circle or sphere. Then, we went outside with watercolor paper and our dyed bubble solution. The pictures below tell the rest of the story. This was so much fun: if you are looking for a great activity for your next block party, this may be it!
 |
| Emory |
 |
| Elijah |
 |
| Carson |
 |
| Lucy |
 |
| Jackson |
 |
| Ben |
 |
| Joey and Jessica |
 |
| Elise |
 |
| Jackson |
 |
| Jessica |
 |
| Ginger |
 |
| Leila |
 |
| Joseph |
 |
| Dexter |
 |
| Anika |
 |
| Lucy |
 |
| Heidi |
 |
| Anika |
 |
| Emory |
 |
| Heidi (the shape above was made using the wand with bubble solution as a stamp) |
 |
| Heidi "stamping" with wand and dyed bubble solution |
 |
| Carson with Joey, using the scooter to create arcs through the bubble art |
 |
| Jessica |
 |
| Joey's bubble art with scooter arcs |
 |
| Ginger with bubble art and scooter arcs |
 |
| Carson's foot |
|
| Jessica |
An added note: Before we created our wands and went outside to make our bubble art, we first conducted a little experiment to show that water molecules like to stick together (see photo below). Even when poked with a toothpick, the water molecules held their ground and their surface tension kept the water droplets intact.
 |
| water droplets to demonstrate surface tension |
However, a tooth pick dipped in soap will separate water molecules and decrease surface tension, causing the water droplet to "spill out" from its "skin" created by the surface tension.
 |
| a tooth pick dipped in soap to disperse water molecules and decrease surface tension |
The point of the experiment: To make a bubble, you need soap added to water to make a thin film that can stretch around a puff of air : )
No comments:
Post a Comment