Hobbies And Interests
Grass Growth and pH Levels
Using a pH test kit, kids can test soil to determine whether it is acidic, alkaline or neutral; acidic soil has a pH level lower than 7, neutral soil has a pH level of 7 and alkaline soil is higher than 7. Grass tends to grow better in soil that is slightly acidic, so children can plant grass in soil fitting each category. Ground limestone an be added to soil to raise pH levels, while soil sulfur can lower the pH level of alkaline soil, although the latter takes about a month, so it's best to add smaller qualities of sulfur to alkaline soil every few weeks. After planting grass seed in alkaline, acidic and neutral soil, observe and track the growth of the grass over time by taking photographs and notes.
Leaves Changing Color
Using leaves plucked from different trees, tear the leaves into small pieces and place them in jars labeled with the type of tree from which they came. Add rubbing alcohol --- enough to cover the leaves --- and chop and grind the leaves into the alcohol. Loosely cover the jars with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place the jars in a shallow tray containing about 1 inch of hot tap water, where they should remain for a half hour or longer, until the alcohol has become colored. Place a strip of filter paper in each jar so that one end is in the alcohol; the alcohol will travel up the paper, as will the color. The colors will travel different distances up the strips, and kids should be able to observe different shades of green, and perhaps other colors such as yellow, orange or red, depending on what types of leaf are being used.
Colored Flowers
A similar experiment involves flowers. Using any white flower, such as roses, cut the stem. Fill a glass with water and add a few drops of food coloring and place the flower's stem in the water. Your child can observe as the food coloring is slowly sucked up the stem along tiny tubes within the stem, called vessels. Eventually, the petals of the flower will begin to change to the same color as the water.
Leaves Losing Water
This experiment looks at how plants lose water through pores in their leaves. Place a plastic bag over some leaves of a bush or potted plant. Wrap the open end tightly with a string to ensure that the leaves are sealed within the bag. Check the leaves the following day and you should be able to see water condensation inside the bag, indicating how much water the plant has lost through its leaves.