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* '''What to Do''': Heat potassium chlorate in a test tube until it liquefies. Carefully drop a gummy bear in and watch as it reacts violently, producing heat, light, and sound.
* '''What to Do''': Heat potassium chlorate in a test tube until it liquefies. Carefully drop a gummy bear in and watch as it reacts violently, producing heat, light, and sound.
* '''Mess Level''': High (requires safety goggles and a controlled lab environment).
* '''Mess Level''': High (requires safety goggles and a controlled lab environment).
=== 1. '''Vinegar and Baking Soda Volcano''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Acid-base reactions and gas production.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Baking soda
** Vinegar
** Dish soap (optional for foam)
** Food coloring
** Paper mache or sand to make a volcano
* '''What to Do''': Build a small volcano structure. Inside, mix baking soda, a bit of dish soap, and food coloring. Pour vinegar in, and watch the eruption!
* '''Mess Level''': High (great for outdoors or on a tarp).
----
=== 2. '''Carbon Snake (Sugar and Baking Soda Reaction)''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Combustion and thermal decomposition.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Sand
** Sugar
** Baking soda
** Rubbing alcohol
** Lighter
* '''What to Do''': Mix sugar and baking soda, place on a mound of sand, and pour rubbing alcohol over it. Light the alcohol, and watch a black "snake" grow out of the sand.
* '''Mess Level''': High (do it outside or in a well-ventilated area with safety measures).
----
=== 3. '''Instant Hot Ice''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Crystallization and supercooling.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Sodium acetate (can be made by reacting vinegar and baking soda)
** A glass container
** Hot water
* '''What to Do''': Supercool a sodium acetate solution, then pour it out or touch it with a seed crystal to instantly form solid "ice" that generates heat. Let students shape it as it crystallizes.
* '''Mess Level''': Medium (contains spills but is relatively easy to clean).
----
=== 4. '''Rainbow Fireworks in a Jar''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Solubility and molecular interactions.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** A clear jar
** Warm water
** Oil
** Food coloring
* '''What to Do''': Mix food coloring with oil in a cup. Slowly pour this mixture into a jar of warm water. The food coloring will streak and "explode" as it mixes with the water, creating a firework effect.
* '''Mess Level''': Medium (beautiful but can get slippery).
----
=== 5. '''Screaming Gummy Bear''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Oxidation and energy release.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Potassium chlorate (handle with caution)
** Gummy bear
** Heat source (Bunsen burner or torch)
* '''What to Do''': Heat potassium chlorate in a test tube until it liquefies. Carefully drop a gummy bear in and watch as it reacts violently, producing heat, light, and sound.
* '''Mess Level''': High (requires safety goggles and a controlled lab environment).
=== 1. '''Cabbage Juice pH Indicator''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Acids, bases, and pH scales.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Red cabbage
** Hot water
** Vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, soap, etc.
** Clear cups
* '''What to Do''': Blend red cabbage with hot water to extract the juice. Pour the juice into clear cups, then add various household substances. Watch the liquid change color based on pH (acid = pink, neutral = purple, base = green/blue).
* '''Mess Level''': Medium (color stains are possible, but cleanup is manageable).
----
=== 2. '''Exploding Lunch Bag''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Chemical reactions, gas production, and pressure.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Ziplock bags
** Vinegar
** Baking soda
** Tissue paper
* '''What to Do''': Wrap baking soda in tissue paper, put vinegar in the bag, and quickly add the tissue before sealing. Shake and watch the bag expand until it pops!
* '''Mess Level''': High (prepare for flying vinegar and laughter).
----
=== 3. '''Glow-in-the-Dark Bubbles''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Fluorescence and chemical reactions.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Tonic water (contains quinine)
** Bubble solution
** Black light
* '''What to Do''': Mix tonic water with bubble solution. Turn off the lights, turn on the black light, and let students blow glowing bubbles.
* '''Mess Level''': Low to Medium (bubbles might spill, but it's worth the glow!).
----
=== 4. '''Sugar Glass and Edible Chemistry''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Caramelization, phase changes, and heat reactions.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Sugar
** Corn syrup
** Water
** Food coloring
* '''What to Do''': Heat sugar, water, and corn syrup until it reaches the "hard crack" stage. Pour onto a silicone mat or mold and let it cool into sheets of "glass." Add food coloring for variety. Discuss how temperature affects the chemical structure.
* '''Mess Level''': Medium (sticky and hot but edible fun).
----
=== 5. '''Bouncy Ball Chemistry''' ===
* '''What it Teaches''': Polymers and cross-linking reactions.
* '''What You'll Need''':
** Borax
** Glue
** Cornstarch
** Food coloring
* '''What to Do''': Mix glue, water, and food coloring in one cup. In another cup, mix warm water and borax. Combine the two mixtures, add cornstarch, and knead until it becomes bouncy and moldable. Shape into balls and bounce them!
* '''Mess Level''': High (sticky hands and goo everywhere).
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