Rainbow Science

I have a confession.  I don't like our science curriculum.  

It came as part of the boxed set from My Father's World, but it's characters are hokey and the experiments rarely work.  We actually had another experiment failure today, in fact, which I'll mention in this week's weekly wrap up post.  

I tell you all this to explain why we're using Magic School Bus science kits all the sudden.  There was a killer deal on them through Educents after Christmas, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get the kids interested in science again.  (They're currently 5 kits for $60 on Educents, but they come and go, so depending on when you read this, they may or may not be available.)  

We got 5 of these kits.  The one we started with was rainbows.

It came with all the supplies needed to do a dozen experiments.

Here, we're getting all set up to do Wanda's Experiment #1, rainbow milk.  

This shows Brianna reconstituting powdered food coloring.  The yellow was a little lumpy, and in hindsight, we should have used a little more yellow than red and blue.  Maybe one extra drop.  

Eli had a struggle opening the blue container and ended up a little Smurfy.  

This collage shows the experiment from 3 drops of each color, in separate areas of the milk, to Eli adding a drop of Honest Dish Soap, to the reaction of the colors, and the interaction of the colors.  At the bottom center, the colors have been blending for over an hour, and Eli adds another drop of soap. 

Hannah was very impressed with the rainbow milk we made!  

In Dorothy Ann's experiment, we find out what happens when you place a prism under a light.  

It was a little tricky to see the rainbow in the kitchen, so we went into the laundry room and shut the door.  In the dark, with only the flashlight shining, it was easier to spot the rainbow.  

In Ralphie's Experiment #1, we reinforced the concept of blending primary colors to create secondary colors, using transparent color paddles.  

The kids all LOVED the glasses that came in the kit!  

The pictures aren't great, but it's quite the effect!

Brianna decided to spin under the light wearing them.  

Which, in retrospect, might not have been the greatest idea ever.

We still have a bunch more projects to do from this box, but I'm waiting for a sunny day for some of them, as we need sunlight.  Although I know this material isn't challenging enough for Brianna, it's fun and engaging, and it's better than just reading from the book we aren't enjoying.  

Thanks for clicking for us!