It’s nearly Christmas and the end of term and as that time approaches we start to get all Christmassy and our minds turn to how we can use this to engage our students.
Over the years, we have put together a range of Christmas science activities for you to demonstrate or do with your students. It’s a great excuse to really get some science enjoyment going whether it’s in normal lessons, STEM Clubs or even a big Christmas demonstration show. You can tell a Christmas story like our Santa Claus is coming to town series of demonstrations or like this year’s offering think about using demonstrations or practicals that have a wintery theme.
We have also put some instructions for you to create a Chemistree with special science baubles as well, this is in our prep room at the moment and has got everyone talking.
With any practicals make sure there is a teaching and learning point and you might be able to connect them to your current curriculum, for instance the Sodium ethanoate/acetate stalagmite is a good example of an exothermic reaction for GCSE chemistry.
So for this year (and don’t forget to look at our previous offerings) we present.
Oh Chemistree, Oh Chemistree
Our very specials Chemistree this year was designed by our very talented and resourceful technician team here at STEM Learning and rather than just going for coloured water baubles they’ve created special science baubles containing biology, physics and chemistry experiments.
The tree itself is made from clamp stands and bosses, with round bottom or pear shaped flasks as our baubles.
Our special Baubles include:
- Algal Beads (for photosynthesis which you could put in bicarb indicator)
- Poly density bottle bauble (a great density experiment)
- Displacement of silver nitrate by copper
- Liesegang rings (a interesting diffusion practical)
- Silver mirror flask
- Photochromic UV indicating liquid with mini UV torch
- Ferrofluid with magnet
- Hydro beads
- Geranium plant
- Mini model eye
You could also try and come up with your own science baubles (just make sure it’s safe).
Christmas videos
Our videos this year come with a wintery theme and perfect for a Christmas party.
Sodium ethanoate/acetate stalagmite or hot ice
This classic demonstration from the Royal Society of Chemistry can be fiddly to set up but when it works it is spectacular and looks very wintery. Just remember to make sure all the glassware is very clean and when you add your distilled water use it to clean the inside of the beakers for any spare crystals.
Micro displacement of silver by copper
In this practical which could be done by a class, we use copper wire to displace silver from silver nitrate. It’s really easy and uses very small amounts and under a microscope looks just like a frozen forest.
Hydrogen flame test Christmas balloons
These are simple hydrogen balloons but making use of the traditional Christmas colours of red and green. Each balloon has a small amount (0.1g) of strontium chloride (red) or coper chloride (green) dissolved in water added to them (about 1ml), before they are inflated. They are explosive enough so don’t add any oxygen to them and remember to get the students to cover their ears.
(When performing this demonstration in schools or to students we recommend wearing eye protection)
Diffraction grating glasses
These are so simple but very effective and great for Christmas parties (let alone the classroom), using single points of light (like fairy lights, LEDs or candle flames), you get an interesting spectrum effect that depending on the glasses might also contain a message. You can by these from suppliers or amazon.
Have a merry Christmas from everybody at the National STEM Learning Network and we hope you enjoy our demonstrations!