Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to create slime using different ingredients found around the house and understand the basic principles of chemistry involved.
Materials and Prep
- Clear glue
- Borax powder
- Water
- Food coloring (optional)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Stirring utensils
- Plastic ziplock bags (for storage)
- Protective apron or old clothes
- Parental supervision and assistance
Before starting the lesson, make sure to read and understand the safety precautions and instructions for handling the materials.
Activities
- Mixing Glue and Water:
- Activating the Slime:
- Optional: Adding Color:
- Kneading and Storing:
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of clear glue with 1/2 cup of water. Stir well until the mixture is smooth.
In a separate bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of borax powder in 1 cup of water. Stir until the borax is completely dissolved.
Slowly pour the borax solution into the glue mixture while stirring continuously. Keep adding the borax solution until the slime starts to form and becomes less sticky.
If desired, add a few drops of food coloring to the slime mixture and knead it until the color is evenly distributed.
Take the slime out of the bowl and knead it with your hands until it becomes stretchy and less sticky. If it's still too sticky, you can add a little more borax solution and continue kneading.
Store the slime in a plastic ziplock bag or airtight container to keep it fresh for future play.
Fourth Grade Talking Points
Chemistry is the branch of science that deals with the properties, composition, and behavior of matter.
Slime is a non-Newtonian fluid, which means it can behave like both a liquid and a solid.
The glue in the slime is made up of long chains of molecules called polymers.
When we add the borax solution to the glue, it causes the polymers to cross-link and form a network, giving the slime its unique properties.
By adjusting the amount of borax solution, we can control the consistency and stretchiness of the slime.
Food coloring can be added to the slime to make it more visually appealing.
Slime can be a fun way to explore the concepts of viscosity, elasticity, and chemical reactions.