Saturday, May 25, 2013

// // 12 comments

Fizzing Dinosaur Eggs Science Experiment

It was super easy to do this exciting fizzing "dinosaur eggs" science experiment the kids all loved this science project, and it tied in perfectly to our mini-dinosaur unit!



Be sure to check back Monday for even more dinosaur activities and a printable packet when I link up our Poppins Book Nook post!


Fizzing Dinosaur Eggs:


Simple Supplies:
  • little dinosaurs
  • 3 cups baking soda
  • 3/4 cup {Shampoo/Conditioner 2 in 1}
  • water
  • vinegar
  • an experimenting bowl

Easy How To:


1- Make the eggs by mixing the baking soda and shampoo/conditioner together.  I first found the idea of using hair products for children's projects from Mommas Fun World.  If the egg "goo" is too dry to pack, add more shampoo/conditioner; and if it is too wet, add more baking soda.  Pack the "egg" around the dinosaur.


2- I introduced the activity by telling the kids that I had found some mysterious eggs, and I wondered if they could help me figure out what they were.  We talked about the eggs, touched them carefully (because "eggs are fragile"), and talked about animals that laid eggs.



3- I told the children that vinegar will dissolve most egg shells.  They were very eager to experiment with this--we *love* vinegar experiments!  (Burping Bags, Bubbly Brew, and Balloon Experiment are recent vinegar experiments we've done and the Sparkly Explosion is one of the most popular posts here at Preschool Powol Packets!)


4- Place your experimenting bowl (in our case, a 4-cup pyrex beaker) inside a larger pan (a 9x13 dish works well) to contain the experiment.  Pour about 2 cups of water and 2 cups of vinegar into your experimenting bowl.  Let your children add the eggs.  Doing one at a time makes the activity last much longer, though you will have to refresh your vinegar.

5- Oooh! and Aaaah!  After a minute or so of fizzing, your children will (if they're anything like mine!) want to help the egg out by breaking off the rest of the egg.  They will also play in the bubbles.  There may also be a dinosaur bubble bath.  Maybe.


6-  I included a "turtle egg" so we could talk about reptiles and how they still lay eggs.  Dinosaurs were very different than modern reptiles, but I still like to point out some similarities.  This is also a good time to begin an egg shell-dissolving-in-vinegar experiment, though you should plan on a few days for that to finish.  I also like to review how vinegar and baking soda react and let the children know the bubbles were bigger than normal because of the hair soap in the "eggs."


7- Also be sure to look at real fossilized dinosaur eggs, like these from a museum in Kunming, China:


Did you know that fossilized dinosaurs have been found on a fossilized nest of dinosaur eggs as if the parent dinosaur were caring for the eggs?!

I will share more great dinosaur activities on Monday, but in the meantime, be sure to download your own {FREE} Dinosaur Matching Preschool Packet here!


For more science project fun, check out my collection of over 150 preschool science experiments!  They're great for older kid science too!!


Happy Educating, Carla



I may share at any of these parties!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Found you on show and share Saturday, Love this idea :-0

Feel free to check out some of the things we have done

http://notsoaverage.weebly.com/sensory-activities-and-arts--crafts.html

Carla at Preschool Powol Packets said...

Thanks for stopping by, Ramblings!

Unknown said...

Can't wait to try! What a great activity!

Deceptively Educational said...

Super cool! I'd love it if you'd share this at the After School Linky Party at my blog right now: deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com. Thanks for another great idea!!

Deb Chitwood said...

What an awesome idea, Carla ... so much fun! Thanks for linking up with Montessori Monday. I featured your post at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page and pinned it to my Dinosaur Unit Study Board at http://pinterest.com/debchitwood/dinosaur-unit-study/

Carla at Preschool Powol Packets said...

Thanks Sarah!

Deceptively Educational, Thanks for the invite! I just linked up!

Thanks so much for sharing it Deb!!

Rebecca said...

Now that looks like something my boys would LOVE!

SharaPCS said...

Interesting idea - thanks!

Anonymous said...

LOVEEE this idea. I am doing a Dino unit here with Aarya... and I am so so so sure he will love THIS! We just made mud eggs that I hid around and he found and went around breaking to find what was inside :)

This one would be so awesome :)

Carla at Preschool Powol Packets said...

Rebecca, I bet they would!

You bet, SharaPCS!

TotschoolTotallyawesome, I bet he would! The hidden treasures in your mud eggs sound like a lot of fun!

Ticia said...

I've seen this before making the paste using water and baking soda, I wonder what the difference is in how the "eggs" last....... Now, I must explore this.

Thanks for linking up to Science Sunday!

Laura said...

Made these today with my 8 year old so we can use them with my preschool class. Both she and my 11 year old had great fun being testers for the experiment. We did notice that the girls' fingers got a bit sore after too long contact with both baking soda and shampoo mixture and the eggs dissolving in the vinegar. I am sure part of it is that we have winter hands and my youngest still nibbles her nails.