Today we experimented and explored candy canes through two different science invitations.
Candy Cane Fizzy Science: For this invitation we set candy canes on top of a bed of baking soda and provided vinegar for the children to experiment and see what will happen when they combine the materials.
As they squirted the vinegar with the pipettes, the candy cane's red color melted, fizzy bubbles were formed, and the smell of peppermint came about. The more they experimented, the materials went from solid to liquid states, and because of all of this so much rich language and observations were made in a collaborative effort.
Excavating Candy Cane Tinsel: We placed frozen candy cane tinsel, shimmery warm water, and pipettes to let the children experiment and explore how to excavate the tinsel from the ice. The children worked together using different techniques of squirting water or pouring water to release the tinsel. Again they were able to collaborate and watch ice go from a solid to liquid state.
Scientific opportunities such as this let children learn and explore their environments through a multi layer hands on approach. As they learn about cause and effect, cycles of nature, comparisons, chemical and physical changes, reactions and properties of matter, their curiosity about how the world works continues to form.
When a child's curiosity continuously builds, children learn to be patient with projects that take time and how to make decisions based on the data they gathered. They are exposed to the basic skill for "scientific research" which is the ability to observe and realize how things are the same and how they are different. Developing this ability to understand likeness and differences builds a science base as well as a skill for future math and reading skills.
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