Such a complex, but interesting science, as chemistry, always causes an mixed reaction among schoolchildren. Children are interested in experiments, as a result of which substances of bright colors are obtained, gases are released or precipitation occurs. But only a few of them like to write complex equations of chemical processes.
The significance of entertaining experiences
According to modern federal standards, design research activities have been introduced in secondary schools . A subject of the program, like chemistry, also did not go unnoticed.
As part of the study of complex transformations of substances and solving practical problems, the young chemist hones his skills in practice. It is in the course of unusual experiments that the teacher forms an interest in the subject in his students. But in ordinary lessons, it is difficult for a teacher to find enough free time for non-standard experiments, and there is simply no time to conduct chemistry experiments for children.
To fix this, additional elective and optional courses were invented. By the way, many children who are interested in chemistry in grades 8–9 become doctors, pharmacists, and scientists in the future, because in such classes the young chemist gets the opportunity to independently conduct experiments and draw conclusions on them.
What courses are related to entertaining chemical experiments?
In the old days, chemistry for children was available only from the 8th grade. No special courses or extracurricular chemical classes were offered to children. In fact, work with gifted children in chemistry was simply absent, which negatively reflected on the attitude of schoolchildren to this discipline. The children were afraid and did not understand the complex chemical reactions, made mistakes in writing ionic equations.
In connection with the reform of the modern education system, the situation has changed. Now in educational institutions, experiments for children are offered in the lower grades. The children are happy to complete the tasks that the teacher offers them, learn to draw conclusions.
Optional courses related to chemistry help high school students gain skills in working with laboratory equipment, while those designed for younger students contain vivid, demonstrative chemical experiments. For example, children study the properties of milk, get acquainted with those substances that are obtained by souring it.
Water related experiments
Entertaining chemistry for children is interesting when during the experiment they see an unusual result: gas evolution, bright color, unusual sediment. A substance such as water is considered ideal for conducting a variety of entertaining chemical experiments for schoolchildren.
For example, chemistry for children of 7 years can begin with acquaintance with its properties. The teacher tells the children that most of our planet is covered in water. The teacher also informs the pupils that in a watermelon it is more than 90 percent, and in a person about 65-70%. Having told schoolchildren how important water is for humans, we can offer them some interesting experiments. At the same time, it is worth emphasizing the "magic" of water in order to intrigue schoolchildren.
By the way, in this case, the standard set of chemistry for children does not imply any expensive equipment - it is quite possible to limit ourselves to the available instruments and materials.
Experience “Ice Needle”
Let us give an example of such a simple and at the same time interesting experiment with water. This construction of ice sculpture is “needles”. For the experiment you will need:
The duration of the experiment is 2 hours; therefore, in an ordinary lesson, such an experiment cannot be conducted. First you need to pour water into an ice mold, put in a freezer. After 1-2 hours, after the water turns into ice, entertaining chemistry can continue. For the experiment you will need 40-50 ready-made ice cubes.
First, children must place 18 cubes in a square on the table, leaving a free space in the center. Then they are pre-sprinkled with salt, carefully applied to each other, thus gluing together.
Gradually all the cubes are connected, and as a result, a thick and long “needle” of ice is obtained. To make it, just 2 teaspoons of table salt and 50 small pieces of ice are enough.
You can, by tinting water, make ice sculptures multicolored. And as a result of such a simple experiment, chemistry for children of 9 years old becomes an understandable and fascinating science. You can experiment by gluing ice cubes in the form of a pyramid or rhombus.
Tornado Experiment
This experience will not require special materials, reagents and tools. The guys can do it in 10-15 minutes. For the experiment, we stock up:
- plastic transparent bottle with a cap;
- water
- dishwashing detergent;
- sparkles.
The bottle must be filled in 2/3 with plain water. Then add 1-2 drops of dishwashing detergent to it. After 5-10 seconds, pour a couple of pinches of sparkles into the bottle. Tightly tighten the lid, turn the bottle upside down, holding the neck, and turn clockwise. Then we stop and look at the resulting vortex. Until the moment the tornado starts working, you have to scroll the bottle 3-4 times.
Why does a tornado appear in a regular bottle?
When a child makes a circular motion, a vortex similar to a tornado occurs. The rotation of water around the center is due to the action of centrifugal force. The teacher tells the children how terrible tornadoes in nature are.
Such an experience is absolutely safe, but after it chemistry for children becomes a truly fabulous science. In order for the experiment to be more vivid, you can use a coloring substance, for example, potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).
The Soap Bubbles Experiment
Want to tell children what entertaining chemistry is? Programs for children do not allow the teacher to pay due attention to experience in the lessons; there simply is no time for this. So, we will do it optionally.
This experiment will bring a lot of positive emotions to primary school students, and you can do it in a few minutes. We will need:
- liquid soap;
- a jar;
- water;
- thin wire.
In a jar, mix one part of liquid soap with six parts of water. We bend the end of a small piece of wire in the form of a ring, dip it into the soap mixture, carefully pull out and blow out a beautiful soap bubble of our own manufacture from the mold.
For this experiment, only a wire that does not have a nylon layer is suitable. Otherwise, children will not be able to blow soap bubbles.
In order to make the guys more interesting, you can add food coloring to the soap solution. Soap competitions between schoolchildren can be arranged, then chemistry for children will become a real holiday. The teacher thus introduces the children to the concept of solutions, solubility, and explains the causes of bubbles.
Interesting experience “Water from plants”
To begin with, the teacher explains how important water is to cells in living organisms. It is with the help of it that nutrients are transported. The teacher notes that in case of insufficient water in the body, all living things die.
For the experiment you will need:
- spirit lamp;
- test tubes;
- green leaves;
- tube holder;
- copper sulfate (2);
- beaker.
This experiment will require 1.5-2 hours, but as a result, chemistry for children will be a manifestation of a miracle, a symbol of magic.
Green leaves are placed in a test tube, fix it in the holder. In the flame of an alcohol lamp, it is necessary to heat the entire tube 2-3 times, and then this is done only with the part where the green leaves are.
The glass should be placed so that the gaseous substances released in the test tube fall into it. As soon as the heating is completed, add a grain of white anhydrous copper sulfate to a drop of the liquid obtained inside the glass. Gradually, the white color disappears, and copper sulfate becomes blue or blue.
This experience leads children to complete delight, because the color of substances changes before their eyes. In conclusion, the teacher tells the children about such a property as hygroscopicity. Due to its ability to absorb water vapor (moisture), white copper sulfate changes its color to blue.
The experiment "magic wand"
This experiment is suitable for an introductory lesson in the elective chemistry course. First , you need to make a blank in the shape of a star from filter paper and soak it in a solution of phenolphthalein (indicator).
During the experiment itself, a star attached to a magic wand is first immersed in an alkali solution (for example, in sodium hydroxide solution). Children see how in a matter of seconds her color changes and a bright raspberry color appears. Next, the colored form is placed in an acid solution (the use of hydrochloric acid solution is optimal for the experiment), and the raspberry color disappears - the asterisk again becomes colorless.
If the experiment is conducted for kids, during the experiment the teacher tells a “chemical fairy tale”. For example, the hero of a fairy tale can be an inquisitive little mouse who wanted to find out why there are so many bright colors in a magical land. For students in grades 8–9, the teacher introduces the concept of “indicator” and notes which indicators can determine the acidic environment and which substances are needed to determine the alkaline environment of solutions.
The Gin from the Bottle Experience
This experiment is demonstrated by the teacher himself, using a special fume hood. The experience is based on the specific properties of concentrated nitric acid. Unlike many acids, concentrated nitric acid is able to enter into chemical interaction with metals located in a series of metal activity after hydrogen (with the exception of platinum, gold).
Pour it into a test tube and add a piece of copper wire there. Under the hood, the test tube is heated, and the children observe the appearance of the “red gin” vapors.
For students in grades 8–9, the teacher writes the equation of the chemical reaction, identifies signs of its course (discoloration, the appearance of gas). This experience is not suitable for demonstration outside the walls of a school chemistry room. According to safety regulations, it involves the use of a fume hood, since fumes of nitric oxide (“brown gas”) pose a danger to children.
Home experiences
In order to foster interest among students in chemistry, you can offer a home experiment. For example, conduct an experiment on growing crystals of salt.
The child should prepare a saturated solution of sodium chloride. Then place a thin twig in it, and, as it evaporates from a solution of water, salt crystals will “grow” on the twig.
The jar of the solution must not be shaken or rotated. And when after 2 weeks the crystals grow, the stick must be very carefully removed from the solution and dried. And then, if desired, you can cover the product with colorless varnish.
Conclusion
The school curriculum has no more interesting subject than chemistry. But in order for children not to be afraid of this complex science, the teacher must devote sufficient time in his work to entertaining experiments and unusual experiments.
It is practically the skills that are formed in the course of such work that will help stimulate interest in the subject. And in the lower grades, entertaining experiments are considered by the GEF as an independent project and research activity.