Home Scientist (GSSC event)

The Home Scientist Try-it is part of the “It's Your World - Change It!” badge set introduced in 2011 earned to Girl Scout Brownies.

The event took place on February 10, 2018 at Discovery World STEM Center - Camp Sobacco.

Step 1: Be a kitchen chemist

 * Make your own ice cream. Our scouts really loved making their own ice cream! The Girl Scout website now has a recipe for “Kick the Can” Ice Cream or you can make ice cream in a bag.. Ask the girls why you need salt to make ice cream? Why doesn't it make the ice cream melt, like it does snow? Answer.


 * Make your own red cabbage pH tester then test different kitchen chemicals (baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, etc.) with it. My daughter had fun doing this, then adding antacids like crushed Tums or Alka Seltzer to see how the colors changed again.


 * Make your own pH paper. This could be done at the same time as the one above, using some of the cabbage water. If you want to do the painting part, girls would need to make it at one meeting, let the paper dry, and paint it at a different meeting.

Step 2: Create static electricity
The activities in the binder were fast, so we did all three.

Step 3: Dive into density
Large clear glass jar or vase Honey Corn syrup Maple syrup Milk Dish soap Water Vegetable oil Rubbing alcohol Bolt, screw, or nail Popcorn kernels Game die Cherry or grape tomato Pony beads Plastic bottle cap (this floated at first until it filled up with liquid, then sank to the appropriate level) Ping pong ball
 * 9-layer density test (see picture above). Our Brownies loved this! They liked seeing everything stay in its own layer and were trying to find other objects around the room to add to it to see what would happen! We left out the lamp oil (flamable), but used all of the other items. You only need about 1/4 cup (or less) of each of the liquids:
 * Sugar water density rainbow

Step 4: Make something bubble u
When mixed with a gas called carbon dioxide, some household items can have a fun reaction. Check out how carbon dioxide reacts with different elements.

IMPORTANT TIP:  Make sure you wear sunglasses or safety glasses for these experiments!

CHOICES – DO ONE:

Soda geyser.  A geyser is a hole in the earth that sprays out hot water and steam. So making your own is definitely and outsideexperiment!

You’ll need:

2-liter bottle of Coke (Diet or Regular but Diet can kill grass)

Roll of Mentos candy (mint works best)

Long piece of scotch tape

Instructions:  Take the top off the soda bottle and set the bottle on the ground somewhere outside with nothing else around. Open the package of Mentos candy, and stick them along a piece of tape so you can drop them all into the soda at once. When you are ready to make the drop, be ready to run and stand back!

What happens?  A soda geyser will erupt because of the carbon dioxide gas created by the rapid reaction between the candy and soda.

OR

'''Film-canister rockets. ''' If a gas like carbon dioxide builds up, it can create a strong force.

You’ll need:

An old, white 35mm film canister with a pop-in lid (not pop-on) available at photo stores

Water                                                                                                                 Alka Seltzer tablets

Instructions:  Fill the film canister half-full with water. Cut the Alka Seltzer tablet into 4 pieces and drop the pieces into the canister. Snap on the lid - quickly. Time the reaction!

What happens?  The carbon dioxide created by the reaction in the canister should pop the top off the canister.

FOR MORE FUN:  Make Try again changing the amount of water or Alka Seltzer. Is there a best combination?

OR

Blow up a balloon without using your breath.Gases like carbon dioxide will try to find a place to go when they are expanding in confined spaces. Test this out by showing your friends how to blow up a balloon without using your breath. Be careful – the balloon might pop!

You’ll need:

 

2 spoons

2 tablespoons vinegar

A clean empty plastic bottle

A balloon

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Instructions:  With one of the spoons, add the vinegar to the bottle. Ask a friend or an adult to hold open the mouth of the balloon and, using the other spoon, pour baking soda into the balloon. Then stretch the balloon’s opening over the mouth of the bottle. Make sure the baking soda inside the balloon falls into the vinegar.

What happens?  The baking soda and vinegar create carbon dioxide when they mix. There is not enough room inside the bottle for the extra gas, so it expands into the balloon, blowing it up!

Step 5: Play with science
Science can also be used to make things that are just plain fun. Use science to make one of these homemade “toys” and amaze your friends!

CHOICES – DO ONE:

Giant bubbles.  These are even morefun than the small ones with the standard bubble wand.

You’ll need:

 

Cotton string

A large plastic tub

2 plastic straws

1 cup dishwashing soap

4 cups water

½ cup light-colored corn syrup or glyceri

 

Instructions:  To make your bubble blower, cut a long piece of string and thread it through two straws. Tie the ends of the string together, and then slide the knot into the middle of one of the straws. You can adjust the blower size by making the length of string shorter or longer before tying ends. Pour the liquids into the tub and mix. Dip your blower into the tub. Holding the straws, slowly spin around. With some practice, you should create huge bubbles!

OR

Homemade Silly Putty. Silly Putty is fun goo that you can stretch, stamp, and play with. Instead of buying some, why not make your own?

You’ll need:

 

Food coloring

¾ cup glue

¼ cup liquid starch or borax

Mixing bowl

Water

Instructions:  In the bowl, mix 8 drops of food coloring in the glue, and 1 cup of water. Mix the borax with 1 1/3cups water. Slowly add the liquid starch or borax mixture to the colored glue and water mixture. Knead the mixture until you can stretch it but it isn’t too mushy. Store in a plastic bag or covered container. (If it’s out in the air for more than two hours it will harden!)

OR

Make dinosaur sn_t.Okay, so maybe it isn’t real. . . but it sure looks like it!

You’ll need:

 

A mixing bowl

1½ cups cornstarch

1 cup water

Yellow and green food coloring

Instructions:  In the bowl, mix the cornstarch and water. Add a few drops of yellow and green food coloring to the mixture. Use your hands to make sure it is really combined. After about a minute, you’ll have stretchy slime that looks like it came from a dinosaur. Achoo!

Add the Badge to Your Journey
Now that you are having fun with the science all around you, how about adding a little fun with haiku. Check out the examples on page 28 in your Brownie Quest and make up a haiku to go with one of the science experiments in this badge!