Fun with dry ice

Let's face it, dry ice is fun. A super cold solid form of carbon dioxide, dry ice sublimates at room temperature, creating an eerie fog. Not only is dry ice great for science experiments, it's fun for parties too.

Luckily it's not that hard to get either. I have a local distributor called The Ice Factory, where I can drive right up and ask for a 30 lb. block any day of the week. You need to bring a cooler with you, or your frozen treasure won't last very long. A good pair of work gloves are needed to allow you to handle the stuff. I often ask to have it pelleted, for ease of use. But, as you'll see below, a big block of dry ice can be a lot of fun too.

So what do you do with your dry ice, once you've got it at home? I like to let kids explore the pellets alone first, observing the fog and talking about what's happening. Then we add warm water. The warmer the water, the more fog you get, because the difference in temperature affects the rate of sublimation. If you use a large clear container, kids can also see the bubbling as gas is generated. A little food coloring helps.

Then I like to add some dish soap. Suddenly everything changes, and big cloudy bubbles emerge from the container. Popping them releases the fog held inside. It's a ton of fun. Again add a bit of food coloring for added excitement.

Later, when all the dry ice is gone, the frothy, frozen soap will be left behind. It's lots of fun to play with too!

Remember how I said I like to get a big block of dry ice as well? If you use a power drill to add a wide hole to the top of the block and smaller ones to the sides, you can create a really amazing demonstration. You'll need magnesium ribbon as well.

Magnesium is a common alkaline earth metal. It's highly reactive and burns readily, producing a bright white light. Which is pretty cool all by itself, right?

When you place the magnesium ribbon in the dry ice and light it, things get dramatic. The burning magnesium can seal oxygen from the carbon dioxide in the dry ice, burning brightly without the need for other oxygen. In turn, the exothermic reaction speeds the sublimation of the dry ice, resulting in even more fog. The science is fun, but the visual is even better!

If you decide to try this at home, be sure to do it outdoors, or in a well ventilated area. And be sure to remove flammable items. This can get hot and bits of magnesium can be thrown off.

5 Things Your Young Business Person Needs to Know

The next session of TREP$, the exciting entrepreneurship program for 4th through 8th graders, is about to begin. The initiative is designed to serve as an inspiration for young people to think creatively and to put their ideas into action by creating a new business.

Over the last two sessions, we've all learned a lot about being a young entrepreneur. Here are some tips, from my own young businessperson, Caitie, who is co-creater of Spa Girls, a business that been successful at two TREP$ Marketplace events with their all-natural bath salts, lip balms and body sprays.

1. Don't underestimate yourself. Never assume you aren't making something worthwhile. Try to make the very best product you can, so that you can wow your customers. Make a little more product than you think may sell, and trust that you will find a way to make the sale if you are creative and persistent.
2. Don't undervalue your time. Making quality products or providing good services takes time and hard work. Remember that your time is valuable and important. Consider it when you set your prices.
3. Don't reinvent the wheel. Make something new and special. Make something that is unique. Or put your special spin on something that exists. Whatever you do, make it yours. That makes it something the customer will want.
4. Always wear a smile. Be professional. Wear your best clothes and don't eat stinky foods. You want to present yourself well to your customers. Customer service is very important. 
5. Pricing is important. Charging too much or too little can mean you lose sales. Aim for the middle. See what other companies change for similar products or services. Be very aware of how much money you've invested, and plan to make back your expenses by the time you sell half your inventory.

Gwen, my 7 year old, also wanted to throw in a tip as well. She says, "Little sisters and brothers make great assistants!"

Making Matters: 5 things to do with paper towel rolls

We all know that toilet paper and paper towel rolls are one of the all-time classic craft supplies in the typical classroom. Which is awesome -- I love toilet paper owls and other fun projects made from these upcycled marvels. But what about using such humble supplies for science? Here are five projects
to try at home.

Ok. One toilet paper roll owl. I can't help myself.

1. Marble Slides -- Break out the masking tape and get ready to have some fun! Using whole and halved rolls, junior designers can attach tubes to any wall creating multi-layered slides for marbles to zig-zag towards the floor. If you want to get some motion going, try attaching rolls to foam board using brass brads or tacks!
2. Spectroscope -- Find all the colors of the rainbow in white light. Using black construction paper, cut a circle the size of the paper towel roll opening. Cut this circle in half. Tape half of the circle to one end of the roll, being sure to tape well around the edges. Attach the other half circle to the same end, leaving a narrow slit across the center. Again, tape well at the edges. Now,with your eye at the open end, look at a CD held near a light source (an incandescent bulb just behind the bulb is great). The CD will diffract the light, breaking it into a rainbow that you can see through the slit. Wow!
3. Kaleidoscope -- Cut you paper towel tube to 8 inches. Longer will make it tough for enough light to travel to the eye. Use black construction paper to cover one end of the tube. With a pencil, poke a hole in the paper. Use clear tape and apiece of clear cellophane or acetate (a report cover, a transparency, etc.) to create a triangular tube that will fit inside the tube. Slide it in. Cover the other side of the tube with plastic wrap, pushing it down to make a little pouch and securing it with tape or a rubber band. Add beads, sequins, gems or anything small and shiny. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and secure in place. Now hold it to the light, look through the hole and enjoy the power of reflected light as it creates an amazing display!
4. Telescope -- Using construction paper create a roll that can just fit inside the paper towel roll. Ideally, you'll want two double-convex plastic or glass lenses, one 150 mm and the other 300 mm. If you can't come by those, try magnifying glasses - one larger and weaker and the other smaller and more powerful. You may have to experiment with different options. Tape the smaller lens onto the construction paper tube. Tape the weaker one onto the cardboard tube. Then fit the open end of the construction paper tube into the open end of the cardboard tube. Look through the stronger lens. Move the construction paper tube in and out until the object you're looking at is focused. 
5. Pulley Towers -- Grab some old thread spools, bamboo skewers, cotton string and toilet paper rolls to explore one of the most fun simple machines. Use the rolls to make two towers -- feel free to go big, stacking two of three rolls together. To form the base, cut slits into the bottom of the tower, spread out the "feet," then tape them to a table. Thread the spools onto the skewers and place them between the towers, poking holes into the cardboard as needed. Then it's time to play! Use the string wound in various ways through the pulleys to see how the number and placement of affects the what you can lift.

   

   That is one complicated pulley system!

Whew! That's a lot of fun with paper towel rolls. I'm going to take a bit of break. Come back later this week for 5 MORE fun ideas!

November Programs!

We have many exciting programs scheduled for November. Please join us!

Newton Winter Farmers' Market
Saturdays starting November 5, 10 am to 2 pm, Newton High School, 44 Ryerson Avenue, Newton, NJ! Free crafts and activities for children!

Recycled Geodesic Dome 
Monday, November 7, 3 to 5 pm
Patented by engineer and writer R. Buckminster Fuller, the geodesic dome is super efficient, fast to build and amazingly strong. When constructed, the geodesic dome uses the least possible material to create the largest possible structure, and because of the way weight is distributed, it can demonstrate amazing strength.  Use nothing more than recycled newspaper we’ll build a geodesic dome large enough to sit under! Geometry has never been this all-out cool. Hosted by Sandra Roberts. $5/person plus your own stack of newspaper (the more the better!). Ages 5-13.

Change the World
Wednesday, November 9, 1 to 4 pm
What do you want to change about the world? Civics is the study of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Everyone -- adult and child alike -- can and should be capable of making their voices heard by representatives at every level of government. In this civics class, the emphasis isn't on memorizing how our government works but, instead, on learning and practicing the skills needed to fully participate in our democracy.  By the end of this workshop, every student will come away with a sense that they have the power to change the world around them. Hosted by Elizabeth McCarthy. Best for ages 7-12. $25/person.

Rube Goldberg Machines

Wednesday, November 16, 1:30 to 3:30 pm

American cartoonist, Rube Goldberg, is best known for his detailed drawings of crazy contraptions that were able to complicate simple tasks. The idea has grown into a fun physics and engineering activity, with worldwide appeal and an annual college-level contest in its honor. We’ll use common household materials to create our own machines, learning about forces and simple machines as we go! Hosted by Sandra Roberts. $15/person. Bring some items to include in the machine! Ages 5-13.

Math MAGIC Land

Mondays, November 14 and 21, 3:30 to 5 pm

Based on the popular Disney Movie, Donald in Mathmagic Land, we’ll explore the ways that math is tied to music, architecture, nature, our bodies and much, much more! Students will apply math concepts through experience and hands-on projects. Depending on individual strengths, participants may choose to explore concepts through calculation as well. Hosted by Sandra Roberts. Best for ages 7 to 13. $30/person.

All programs are subject to change. Check the website at www.klcnj.com for changes. Most programs need at least five students to run. Programs may be cancelled or combined with lack of interest. We suggest registration. Full refunds will be provided if a class is cancelled. Programs in November will be held at EcoZOica Lounge, 23 Main Street, Blairstown, NJ. For more information call 908-283-0020.