Tornado in a Bottle

 Here is a fun and simple science project.   

Build a tornado in a bottle. 

Items needed are few: two 2-liter bottles, water, food coloring, and strong tape.



 



An unsuccessful adaptation we employed was to use 64 oz. juice bottles instead of the 2-liter bottles.  The children were able to see why this didn't work: the tornado's passageway needed the longer length of the 2-liter bottle vs. the stout juice bottle; the 2-liter bottle has a rounder shape that is helpful to the circular motion; and the mouth diameter of the juice bottle being larger than that of the 2-litter bottle dropped the liquid through too quickly.

If you're willing to make a bit of a mess, as we were, let the kids discover that not just any ol' tape will be secure for this project.

Many hands and a variety of shakes tried to figure out just the right touch to obtain the best tornado possible.  Why not give it a whirl yourself?

Check out How to Build a Tornado in a Bottle, by Lori Shores. 
ISBN 1429644931

500 and Counting

My 5-year-old son has begged me for a year to keep a list of the books he reads.  He has noticed the compilation of his 7-year-old brother's reading.  Perhaps He's got one.  I want one, too! was the motivation for his incessant requesting.  Or, do I have a similar-minded If there is a reason for a list, I'm making it.

At the top of 2011, I finally said, "Yes, we'll make your list."  Little did I realize how quickly his reads add up.  We haven't even hit April, and his record shows titles of over 500 individual books and his given star rankings according to his enjoyment of them.

While at the library ... Usually I bite my lip, when a parent and child are perusing the library shelves.  I want to say, "You should read this!  We loved this one, and you will, too."  Once I forgot to stay my tongue.  A 4-year-old girl pleaded with her daddy to check out "5 whole books".  Her imploring alone deserved a Yes!  The father was quite serious when he responded with, "We can't.  The library probably only lets you check out 2 or 3 books at a time."

I don't know what possessed me.  Can I never keep my mouth shut?  I leaned around the aisle of books I imagined to be semi-hidden by and informed, "The limit is 30.  We usually check out 25 to 30 at a time."

A 4-year-old girl left the library with "5 whole books," something she had never done before.