Science Experiments to Brighten Up Your Mid-Winter Homeschool

Need a cure for the mid-winter homeschool doldrums? These cold weather science experiments will help make homeschooling fun again (and get your crew through to spring).

Every February, I think I want to quit homeschooling. The feeling lasts for about two weeks. Where we live, in North Carolina, February is cold and gray. The days feel short and gloomy. We’re still recovering from all the fun and gluttony of the winter holidays, and there’s nothing similar to look forward to in the immediate future. I’m grumpy, the kids are grumpy, and I find myself gazing wistfully at the school bus loading up kids across the street every morning. I don’t really want to quit homeschooling, though. I just want something to shake us out of the winter doldrums — and, as usual, science saves the day.

Winter science experiments get us out of the house and into the sunshine, even when there’s not much sunshine to get into. More important, though, they get us thinking. They pique our curiosity. They make us ask why. They remind us why we’re glad we don’t have to get on that yellow school bus.

The point of these experiments may sometimes get lost in translation. That’s OK! Not every experiment works out perfectly, and your results may vary. When that happens, don’t get upset. Start asking why. Real science is about questions, not facts, and homeschooling lets us stay connected to that essential truth.

MAKE A SNOWSTORM IN A JAR

The worst winters are the ones where it’s cold and yucky but you don’t get any actual snow. When that happens, you can make your own snow day.

This experiment reminds us that oil and water don’t mix, which can start a great conversation about polarity. (Water’s polar; oil is not.) It’s also a great way to illustrate density: Less-dense oil rises to sit on top of the water, while the Alka Seltzer bubbles the water upward. You’ve also got the baking soda reacting with the citric acid, creating carbon dioxide gas. In other words, there’s a lot of chemistry happening in this little jar!

You need:

• Baby oil

• White paint

• Water

• Glitter

• Alka Seltzer tablet

• Clear glass or plastic jar

Mix water and white paint to form a thick, white liquid with the color evenly dispersed through it. (This white is what creates the snow effect, so don’t stint on it!)

Layer the white water on the bottom, and carefully pour baby oil on top. You want to fill your container about 3/4 of the way full, so how much water and oil you need depends on the size of your container. Figure about four parts water to one part oil for the best results.

Sprinkle generously with glitter. (Optional, but it gives your snow that little bit of sparkle.)

Drop an Alka Seltzer tablet into your jar, and watch what happens. The Alka Seltzer causes the water to bubble up, but the oil slows the process down so the “snowstorm” happens in slow-motion.

BLUBBER MAGIC

Polar bears may have a fur coat, but they’re warm-blooded animals just like humans — so how do they survive frigid Arctic weather? This experiment uses shortening to mimic the blubber beneath a polar bear’s fur. That layer of thick fat helps polar bears insulate their body temperature and maintain the heat they generate, keeping them from freezing even when the temperatures are below 0.

What you need:

• 2 Large Ziplock Bags

• Shortening (such as Crisco) w Large empty tub

• Ice

Turn one of your plastic bags inside out, and use a spatula to fill it about 3/4 of the way full with shortening.

Slip the second bag inside the full one, pushing it down and rolling the tops of the bags to secure the bags together. You’re basically making a plastic mitten with two bags, one inside the other.

Fill a large bowl 3/4 of the way full with ice. Add a little water to make the ice bowl even colder.

Establish a baseline by dipping your uncovered hand in the ice bowl. (It will be really cold!)

Slip your hand in the shortening-filled plastic pouch, and dip it in the ice bowl again. Notice the difference? The shortening creates a protective layer, so your hand doesn’t freeze.

Misty Heaslet is HSL's Science Fair Science columnist. This column was originally published in the winter 2019 issue.

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