Faith CoLab: Tapestry of Faith: Miracles: A Multigenerational Program on Living in Awe and Wonder

Leader Resource 1: Transformation Station Instructions

Part of Miracles

Melting Ice Experiment

In this experiment, you will change the state of water.

  1. Look closely at ice. Look inside it. Draw a picture of any lines or shapes you see in the ice.
  2. Next, observe the ice melting. What can you do to make it melt quickly? It is fine to touch the ice, or, try something else. Experiment. What seems to make it melt? Why?
  3. Now, with adult help, heat the ice. Watch carefully as ice changes to water and then to vapor. Draw the transformation you have seen.
  4. When you are done, place your used materials back on the tray.

Blech Experiment

Welcome to the Blech Experiment. You are going to make some Blech.

  1. Explore the cornstarch. Notice how it looks, feels, and smells. By the way, cornstarch is actually something made out of corn, transformed.
  2. Add water. When you combine the cornstarch with the water, what happens? Is it a liquid? Is it solid? Explore!
  3. When you are done, pack your Blech in a plastic bag, seal the bag, and put the used materials back on the tray.

Solubility Experiment

What does it mean when something dissolves? It merges with a liquid. If it’s not already a liquid, by the time it dissolves it is transformed to liquid.

Not everything can dissolve. A rock cannot. Do you know some things that can? What about adding sugar to lemonade, or chocolate powder to milk? Let’s do some dissolving.

  1. Do you think cold water or hot water works better for dissolving? Fill the three clear glasses with water. Use icy cold water in one glass, room temperature water in another glass, and very hot water in the third. Have an adult help with the hot water. If you have a thermometer, take the temperature of the water in each glass. Write the temperatures down.
  2. Drop one drop of food coloring into each jar. What happens?
  3. Now rinse out the clear glasses. Refill them with water: icy cold in one, room temperature in another, and very hot water in the third. Take the temperatures again, if you have a thermometer.
  4. Drop a teaspoon of sugar into each glass. Watch how the sugar dissolves.
  5. Is the sugar taking an extra long time to dissolve, in any of the glasses? Stir it, and see what happens now. Do you think stirring makes the water colder, hotter or neither?
  6. When you are done, rinse out the glasses for the next group. Place the materials back on the tray.