July 20th is the anniversary of the day man first walked on the moon. On that day in 1969, the words "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" became immortal. Some of you may remember exactly where you were during that moment or have family members who can share with you what it was like to gather in front of the TV set watching in awe as Neil Armstrong took that first step - the step that proved anything was possible...that the sky truly was the limit.
In honor of those brave astronauts and all things space, we're sharing three lunar-inspired activities.
Film Canister Rocket
To get to the moon, the first thing you need is a rocket. This is super easy and so much fun.
You'll need:
- 35mm film canister. The white ones with lids that close inside are the best
- Alka Seltzer
- Water
Fill the film canister 1/3 full with water. Put 1/4-1/2 of an Alka Seltzer tablet inside. Close the lid, put lid side down and quickly move away (Safety first!). The carbon dioxide trapped in the canister will propel it into the air. The bigger your piece of Alka Seltzer is, the higher it will go! Optional...decorate your "rocket' with glitter, stickers, or paint.
Hovercraft
While this doesn't hover very high (it performs more like an air hockey puck), it's still great fun!
You'll need:
- A old CD or DVD
- Pull top lid from a drink bottle or dishwashing liquid bottle
- Glue gun and glue
- Balloons
Glue the lid to the center of the DVD or CD. Make sure that the lid is closed. Blow up the balloon and quickly place it on top of the lid with out releasing the air. Now this is important. The disc has to be on a solid smooth surface to work best. Open the lid and watch the disc "hover" and scoot around!
Moon Dust
We know that first line that Neil Armstrong said upon landing, but did you know he then said something like "it's fine and powdery and I can lift it with the toe of my boot"? He was talking about moon dust!
You'll need:
- Baking soda
- Black sidewalk chalk (Crayola makes it)
- Glitter
- Water
- Vinegar and squeeze bottles
- Cheese grater
- Cookie sheet
Put about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of baking soda on the cookie sheet. Grate 1/2 stick of black sidewalk chalk and add that to the baking soda, along with about 1 TBSP of glitter. Let kids mix with their hands.
You can use it just like this. It's great to practice letters, numbers and spelling by leaving messages on the moon.
OR
You can make craters by adding a little bit of vinegar to the mixture. It will bubble and ooze and become clay-like!
Have fun and exploring the moon this week!
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