SUMMARY: Children make waves and immerse themselves in the wet and wonderful science of water. They discover density and buoyancy as they experiment with what sinks and what floats. They observe flowing currents and see how temperature and salinity affect ocean currents. A model oil spill challenge lets them apply their new-found knowledge to a real-world problem. What techniques can we use, and how hard are they to clean up? Children find out for themselves, and then build and keep their very own Rescue Diver Take-Homes.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Wacky Water introduces children to the properties of water. Children explore this fascinating fluid’s many facets including density, buoyancy, water as the universal solvent, water pollution, currents and wave motion. Water is a remarkable substance. It covers more than three quarters of Earth’s surface—and no life on Earth could survive without it. Yet, besides water’s two other states (steam and ice), children know little about its other properties. The Wacky Water program lets them get their feet wet and wade into a wider study of this all-important compound.
NOTE: Mad Science Programs are fun explorations into science and technology, and they encourage informal learning through hands-on experience. All Mad Science workshops include a lot of fascinating equipment, supplies, and take-home materials which the children build themselves. The Mad Science mission is to spark the imagination and curiosity of children everywhere by providing them with fun, entertaining, and educational activities which instill a clear understanding of what science really is, and how it affects the world around them.
