As Ethan gets closer to his eleventh birthday we have been trying to finish up the many scouting awards that he has started. Here’s just a little bit of what he’s been working on.
One of the requirements for the Science pin for cub scouts is to “build models of two atoms and two molecules, using plastic foam balls or other objects” (#6), and I thought that sounded like fun. Only I didn’t want to make them out of plastic foam balls or anything else like that, for the simple reason of: what do you do with them when you are done??? I didn’t want them to just become more clutter in the house. So I came up with the brilliant idea of making the models out of candy! Then the kids can just eat them when we’re done. 🙂
So I asked Kyle to stop off at the store on his way home to get the supplies. We used:
- Gum drops for atoms + toothpicks to make molecules
- Gum drops in the center of the atoms for the protons and neutrons (nucleus).
- Pull apart twizzlers for the rings
- Gummy life savers for the electrons
We pulled up a chart of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and Kyle explained how atoms combine together to make molecules, and he explained to Ethan how to make models of the atoms. Then Ethan picked a few simple ones to construct.
The other kids that were home got in on the fun too (really they were just happy to play with candy).
Tyra and Jeremy weren’t home, since they were having a sleepover at cousins house. So they missed out on the candy fun, but I’m sure they were having fun of their own.
Tonight he also worked on the eighth requirement for the geology pin: Make a crystal garden. I bought a kit for this, since I wasn’t sure how to do it without a kit.
So he got that all set up with Kyle’s help, and I took pictures of it periodically as the crystals grew.
It looked pretty cool with the light from Ethan’s terrarium on it too:
Here’s a shot of it the next day after he added the second set of crystal starters:
Being winter, and considering everything is frozen outside, I decided to get a terrarium kit so Ethan could complete the third requirement for the science pin: Plant seeds. Grow a flower, garden vegetable, or other plant. He actually started this one a few weeks ago, but I decided to take pictures of him with it tonight.
I love that the leaves have red on them. I think that is so cool.