MAKE A VOLCANO!
HOW TO MAKE A VOLCANO THAT ERUPTS!
Have you ever made a true volcano science project before where you build the volcano from scratch? If not, let’s give it a try! It’s a great process for elementary-age kids to work on at home.
WHAT IS A VOLCANO?
The easiest definition of a volcano is a hole in the earth but we recognize it as a land form (usually a mountain) where molten rock or magma erupts through the surface of the earth.
There are two main shapes of volcanoes called composites and shields. Composite volcanoes have steep sides and look like cones where as a shield volcano has more gently sloping sides and is wider.
Volcanoes are classified as dormant, active, and extinct. The most active volcano today is in Mauna Loa, Hawaii.
HOW TO MAKE A VOLCANO WITH KIDS THAT ERUPTS!
Have you ever made a true volcano science project before where you build the volcano from scratch? If not, let’s give it a try! It’s a great process for elementary-age kids to work on at home.
HOW TO MAKE A VOLCANO WITH SALT DOUGH
YOU WILL NEED:
STEP 1: First, you will want to whip up a batch of our salt dough.
ind the easiest salt dough recipe right here.
STEP 2: You want to form the salt dough around a small empty water bottle. Create a composite or shield volcano shape that you learned about from above.
Depending on the shape you want, the time to let it dry, and the bottle you have, you might want to make two batches of salt dough! Set your volcano aside to dry for at least 24 hours.
We made a composite shaped volcano!
TIP: Any leftover salt dough, you can make these earth-inspired ornaments!
STEP 3: Once your volcano is dry, it’s time to paint it and add your creative touches to resemble the actual land form.
Why not conduct a safe internet search or look through books to get an idea of colors and textures for your volcano. Make it as authentic as possible. Of course, you can add dinos for a theme or not!
STEP 4: Once your volcano is ready to erupt, you need to prepare the eruption. To the opening, add a tablespoon or two of baking soda, food coloring, and a squirt of dish soap.
STEP 5: Time for the volcano to erupt! Make sure your volcano is on a tray to catch the lava flow. Pour the vinegar into the opening and watch. The kiddos are going to want to do this one over and over again!
BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR REACTION
Chemistry is all about states of matter including liquids, solids, and gasses. A chemical reaction occurs between two or more substances that change and form a new substance. In this case, you have an acid (liquid: vinegar) and a base (solid: baking soda) when combined make a gas called carbon dioxide which produces the eruption you can see.
The carbon dioxide escapes the mixture in the form of bubbles. You can even hear them if you listen closely. The bubbles are heavier than air, so the carbon dioxide collects at the surface of the salt dough volcano or overflows depending on how much baking soda and vinegar you added.
For our erupting volcano, dish soap is added to collect the gas and form bubbles that give it a more robust volcano lava like flow down the side! That equals more fun! You don’t have to add dish soap but it’s worth it.
MORE FUN BAKING SODA VOLCANOES
Have you ever made a true volcano science project before where you build the volcano from scratch? If not, let’s give it a try! It’s a great process for elementary-age kids to work on at home.
WHAT IS A VOLCANO?
The easiest definition of a volcano is a hole in the earth but we recognize it as a land form (usually a mountain) where molten rock or magma erupts through the surface of the earth.
There are two main shapes of volcanoes called composites and shields. Composite volcanoes have steep sides and look like cones where as a shield volcano has more gently sloping sides and is wider.
Volcanoes are classified as dormant, active, and extinct. The most active volcano today is in Mauna Loa, Hawaii.
HOW TO MAKE A VOLCANO WITH KIDS THAT ERUPTS!
Have you ever made a true volcano science project before where you build the volcano from scratch? If not, let’s give it a try! It’s a great process for elementary-age kids to work on at home.
HOW TO MAKE A VOLCANO WITH SALT DOUGH
YOU WILL NEED:
- A batch of salt dough
- Small plastic water bottle
- Paint
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Food Coloring
- Dish soap (optional)
STEP 1: First, you will want to whip up a batch of our salt dough.
ind the easiest salt dough recipe right here.
STEP 2: You want to form the salt dough around a small empty water bottle. Create a composite or shield volcano shape that you learned about from above.
Depending on the shape you want, the time to let it dry, and the bottle you have, you might want to make two batches of salt dough! Set your volcano aside to dry for at least 24 hours.
We made a composite shaped volcano!
TIP: Any leftover salt dough, you can make these earth-inspired ornaments!
STEP 3: Once your volcano is dry, it’s time to paint it and add your creative touches to resemble the actual land form.
Why not conduct a safe internet search or look through books to get an idea of colors and textures for your volcano. Make it as authentic as possible. Of course, you can add dinos for a theme or not!
STEP 4: Once your volcano is ready to erupt, you need to prepare the eruption. To the opening, add a tablespoon or two of baking soda, food coloring, and a squirt of dish soap.
STEP 5: Time for the volcano to erupt! Make sure your volcano is on a tray to catch the lava flow. Pour the vinegar into the opening and watch. The kiddos are going to want to do this one over and over again!
BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR REACTION
Chemistry is all about states of matter including liquids, solids, and gasses. A chemical reaction occurs between two or more substances that change and form a new substance. In this case, you have an acid (liquid: vinegar) and a base (solid: baking soda) when combined make a gas called carbon dioxide which produces the eruption you can see.
The carbon dioxide escapes the mixture in the form of bubbles. You can even hear them if you listen closely. The bubbles are heavier than air, so the carbon dioxide collects at the surface of the salt dough volcano or overflows depending on how much baking soda and vinegar you added.
For our erupting volcano, dish soap is added to collect the gas and form bubbles that give it a more robust volcano lava like flow down the side! That equals more fun! You don’t have to add dish soap but it’s worth it.
MORE FUN BAKING SODA VOLCANOES
COOKIE SCIENCE
YOU WILL NEED:
• 8 Oreo cookies • A popsicle stick or other tool for scraping the frosting |
WHAT TO DO:
1. Slowly twist an Oreo to maximize the amount of frosting on one side when you separate the halves. If if doesn’t work, you should probably eat the cookie…and then try again. 2. Use the popsicle stick to create the phases of the moon out of the frosting. 3. Arrange the phases of the moon in order. |
FUN MOON FACTS:
• The moon moves away from the Earth about 2.8 cm every year • 12 humans have walked on the moon • The gravity on the moon is 1/6th the gravity of the Earth • The moon averages about 238,600 miles from Earth |
S.T.E.M.
Activities you can do at home!
The benefits of LEGO are numerous. From the hours of free play to more complicated STEM projects, LEGO building has been encouraging learning through exploration for decades. These LEGO activities cover so many areas of early learning that can go right through to the early teen years.
Click on an Activity and have fun learning!
Activities you can do at home!
The benefits of LEGO are numerous. From the hours of free play to more complicated STEM projects, LEGO building has been encouraging learning through exploration for decades. These LEGO activities cover so many areas of early learning that can go right through to the early teen years.
Click on an Activity and have fun learning!
- Strengthening Hands and Fingers With LEGO
- LEGO Math Bin for Early Learning
- LEGO Magic Tree House for reading and writing
- LEGO Coding STEM Projects
- LEGO Letters for Writing Practise
- Dr Seuss Math Activities with LEGO
- LEGO Volcano for exploring chemical reactions
- LEGO Catapult STEM Project
- LEGO Marble Maze for problem-solving
- LEGO Construction for free play
- DIY Magnetic LEGO for building independent play skills
- LEGO Tic Tac Toe for building social-emotional skills
- LEGO Building for creating, imagining, and exploring