After accumulating positive experiences from the past, we wanted to do a little experiment.
This time we decided to perform a simulation of a volcanic eruption together with our butterflies. This time the experiment took on the colors of a colorful butterfly that spread its wings and embarked on an adventure that leads to freedom and knowledge through play and jumping.
Putem ovog bloga imat ćete priliku da osjetite djelić atmosfere iz života Jedinstvene generacije, koja svaki dan traži svoj polen i nektar u svim oblastima Montessori okruženja, počevši od oblasti „praktičnog života“, kroz koju djeca razvijaju samopouzdanje, samostalnost, koncentraciju, koordinaciju pokreta ruke, krupnu i finu motoriku šake koja predstavlja instrument mozga.
However, the research continues through a “sensory area” that provides the possibility of stimulating and sharpening all senses, then the “mathematical field”, where we have concretized abstract concepts, all the way to the field of “science”.
We started from modeling using clay, which has healing properties, and brings us back into contact with nature. Clay as an element of the earth first served as relaxation, then we warmed up the muscles of the hand and kneaded, and with sensory experience encouraged the development of speech skills, describing the properties of clay. Some said, “it’s cold,” “it’s soft,” and some wanted to bite it.
Then we took a plastic bottle, cut it in half, then inserted the upper part of the bottle into the lower one to reduce the height and achieve the shape of a volcano that would stand stable and attached to the aluminum tray we had chosen.
And we glued piece by piece of clay, layer by layer,… and ta-na-na-na!
IT WORKED!
While the clay was drying, we prepared the substances necessary for the experiment.
We used:
- Soda
- Food coloring (red- preferably)
- Vinegar
- Pipette
- Funnel
- Spoon
We added some dry grass to make the volcano look as natural as possible and the experiment could begin. We first inserted a tablespoon of food coloring into the volcano (in this case we only had blue). Then we added soda and after that we started pouring vinegar. The eruption of joy began along with the blue lion.
Given the depth of the volcano bottle, the children had no sense of how much vinegar or soda was enough, they simply added until lava flowed to the edge of the bottle-volcano and dripped down the so-called “walls” of the volcano and submerged everything around them while the children wondered if the lava was hot?
Even when we poured soda with a large amount of vinegar, each new drop of vinegar caused the appearance of bubbles and produced a “noise” familiar to all of us, and it was a new discovery for children.
Vinegar reacted with soda and produced carbon dioxide gas. The gas caused enough pressure to cause fluid to pour out ontop of the bottle. A mixture of gas and liquid produces foam.
The children concluded that the volcano reacts in a similar way. And together we described how the pressure is created very deep at the base of the mountain and then the lava explodes, causing lava to explode on the top and sides of the mountain.
The volcano caused an eruption of questions in the juniors of the Unique Generation that prompted me not to give them the answer directly, but to create an extension to the said experiment together and thus come to the answers to the questions that arose in this experiment.
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Until the next post we wish you all the best – MEC Unique generation
Emina Šaković – Psychologist and Montessori Teacher
Photo by Jasmin Šaković – Bulb Art Studio