Spider Way!

Today was an interesting day! The school is having a 'pumpkin contest' and each class had to make/decorate a pumpkin. Miss O. decided to do a melted crayon experiment with the Kiddoes for our entry. However, she was home with the flu today which left me in charge. When the Kiddoes arrived we sat in a circle and I put out all the materials Miss O. had left (white pumpkin, crayons, glue gun and hair dryer).

 

I asked them what they thought she was meaning for us to do. Each class was quick to see there were a couple of crayons already glued onto the top of the pumpkin. "I know" said one Kiddoe. "I think we are supposed to glue the crayons to the pumpkin." Each Kiddoe got a turn to choose a crayon and stick it on the pumpkin.

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Once this was finished, I asked them if they thought Miss O. wanted to create a pumpkin with spiky rainbow hair. They thought about it for a moment and decided that was not the plan. One Kiddoe thought she wanted us to melt the crayons. I quizzed the Kiddoes about how we could do this. "You need it to be hot", they quickly replied. I asked how this would help the crayons to melt. One smart Kiddoe replied, "Hot stuff will melt ice." I told them to rub their hands together and then put them over the pumpkin. Nothing happened. I then told them to come close and breathe hot air on the pumpkin. That didn't work either. 

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"Use the hair dryer" one Kiddoe shouted. I spoke aloud and told them that when I use a hair dryer it doesn't melt my hair. A bunch of giggles followed this comment. I then prompted why they thought the hair dryer would work if our breath didn't. "Because" said one girl. "Our breath doesn't have enough power." BINGO. We went around the circle and made predictions about whether we thought the crayons would melt or not. It was now time to test our theory.

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Once we were half way through, I asked the Kiddoes if we should keep going, or make a face. After voting, both classes decided to keep melting.

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We were pretty excited about the way the pumpkins ended up looking until Mrs. Clarke (Arts Ed teacher) came into the room and threw a twist into the experiment. She told us she thought our pumpkin looked like a spider web. Well of course the Kiddoes decided they wanted to add spiders to the pumpkin. Since it was a rainbow pumpkin, we decided to make rainbow spiders out of pipe cleaners. During arts ed, both classes had the opportunity to make a spider. Over recess, some of our classroom helpers glued them to the pumpkins for us.

Once they were finished, our creation became SPIDER WAY!

With my thinking cap firmly on, I began to wonder about how I could extend the learning we started today. Perhaps a new centre where the Kiddoes have the opportunity to test whether different objects will melt or not, and why some melt quicker or slower. It will be interesting to see if this could lead into an exploration of heat energy.......

But.... back on topic......Here is hoping we win the SAC contest!!!