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This note is just to make sure everyone knows there will be NO co-op tomorrow (Tuesday June 9). We are finished until the Fall. Have a great summer and I look forward to seeing everyone in September.
Acid and Base Experiments Intro
Carbon Dioxide Balloon
Blowing out Candle with Carbon Dioxide Method One
Blowing out Candle with Carbon Dioxide Method Tw
Recently at our Homelearner’s Co-op, Anja led some experiments with baking soda and vinegar. Cassius asked me if I knew that some acids, like lemons and some bases can conduct electricity. When we were at home, Cassius asked Rosalind for her meter. He stuck both the ends of the meter in a lemon and was disappointed to see no reading on the meter.
Rosalind explained that the meter just measures voltage or current, it didn’t create a circuit. Rosalind was curious where he got the idea from and he said that it was from a video he had watched on BrainPOP. They watched it and Cassius said he was confused – he was thinking lemons created electricity not conduct it.
This got Rosalind thinking about making batteries from citrus fruit. She sent him the experiments included below. As it turns out, he was right, you can power things with lemon power not just conduct electricity through it.
“Find a dime and penny dated before 1987 and wash them thoroughly. Have a parent cut two slits in another juicy lemon, about 1/4 inch apart, and insert the coins halfway into each slit. Stick out your tongue and touch both coins simultaneously. You’ll feel it tingling–that’s electricity!”
This picture is of Cassius and Anja testing their lemons. At first they didn’t put the coins close enough, but when they moved them, it worked.
I found Cassius’ original experiement interesting because it was something he tried because he had an idea and wanted to see if it worked. The fact that it didn’t work led him him learning even more to figure out how to make it work.
Rosalind and Cassius figured out that the penny had copper plating and the dime has nickle plating. We also figured out that the Canadians held on to having these metals in our money longer than the Americans so if we followed the American dates we should be safe. We had to soak the coins in vinegar for a while to clean off the oxidation.
Join us tomorrow at the Co-op for a game of Carcassonne.
Last week some of us painted our shirts with our favourite numbers (ranging from 1 to one googol). This week we plan to have a fun run around a restored lake in Hastings park. Come and join us!
LOCATION CHANGE: Meet us in Hastings Park (PNE grounds) at the playground at 10:00 (#6 on map in lnk at bottom). At 10:30 we will head over to the Sanctuary (#3 on map in link at bottom) and put on our race shirts ready to run or cycle (or …). Parents allowed to race too!
To Bring: Water to drink, a timing device, bicycle
Location: Hastings Park (PNE) just East of Renfrew Street between Hastings and McGill. You can park in the park off Renfrew at about Pandora Street. The playground (near #6 on map in link below) is between Dundas and Triumph.
The Sanctuary (#3 on map in link below) is south- east of the playground and has a gravel path around it. Follow the path south and then east until you come to a low wooden bridge across the water. We’ll be there!
There is a race afoot! This week bring an old t-shirt and paint your favourite number on it with fabric pastels. Then help us all plan a running/biking route in Hastings Park for next week (where should we run? who wants to time the runners? record their times on paper?). If you have a stop watch please bring it this week to play with.
BRING: old t-shirt, stop watches, wear painting clothes
(note: the pastel fabric paints are fixed by ironing; even so I suggest not wearing your “sunday-best” to paint in!).
DeSerres (art store at 1629, Main Street) will not charge you any tax on items purchased for the Burrard View Home Learners’ Cooperative (“BVHLC” in their computer).
There is no coop meeting the week of March 17th as it is Spring Break. Come one and all the following week and bring your ideas for activities and projects for spring!
