Fourth grade students in Mrs. Blocker’s class analyzed scientific reactions first hand as they created lava lamps. After filling their bottles with water, students added oil and then a couple drops of food coloring in order to observe how the food coloring falls through the oil before it starts to mix with the water, which helped the students to observe diffusion.
The students were also able to observe that oil is lighter than water, and that is why it floats on top. The students also had fun tipping their lava lamps back and forth to create a wave sensation. The excitement really started when the students added Alka Seltzer and the lava lamps exploded with bubbles. Once the acid-base reaction stopped, the students could add additional Alka Seltzer to restart the reaction. Thank you to Mrs. Blocker for developing fun and interactive lessons for her students to learn science concepts.
