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Nature's Art - Colourful Frozen Sun Reflectors
Celebrating Black History Month
Check out the Canadian Black Scientists Network. They work hard to shine light on, celebrate and connect Black Canadians across all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) sectors.
Colourful Frozen Sun Reflectors
This science winter project is a creative way for kids to learn about the changing properties of water during the process of freezing and melting.
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- Container, Tupperware, plate or pie tray
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- Nature Items (twigs, leaves, pinecones, rocks, flower petals, etc.)
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- Ribbon, string or yarn
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- Water
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- Optional: Food Colour
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1. Decorate your container with the nature items you have collected.
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2. Fill the container with water.
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3. Optional: Drop food colour of your choice.
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4. Place both ends of the string into the tray.
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5. Carefully place in freezer for at least 3 hours.
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6. When fully frozen, allow to sit for 10-15 minutes outside to easily remove your art from the container.
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7. Find a tree to hang your Frozen Sun Reflector from and observe the changes that happens under the sun.
This freezing and melting activity is an artistic and hands-on method to introduce an important scientific concept to kids about liquid and solid states of matter. Throughout this activity, enrich your child's vocabulary by saying words like frozen, melting, cold, sharp, hard, ice, melting, etc. During the process, encourage your child to use their sense of touch to feel water in its liquid state and the nature materials you have collected for this activity. Being hands-on often forms the strongest impact on a child’s learning. Observation skills is also an important tool for kids to use to discover new concepts. Allow your child to take the time they need to observe and touch their work in each state. This will give them the chance to practice their investigation skills of how water turned into ice and observing the cause and effect of each state that water has gone through – from liquid form, freezing form to melting form. Hang your colourful frozen sun reflector outside and observe how the sun shines through it and how it slowly melts away as the temperature becomes warmer.
Tip: While your Sun Reflectors are freezing, take some time to discuss the temperature outside and compare it to the temperature in your freezer. Ask your child “How long do you think it will take to freeze?” and check on it every now and then to observe the changes that take place.
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