Water Exploration!

Recently, we had a chance to go to the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association with Rosanne for a creek study.  Two days before our trip, we had an AFS creek walk to get ready!  Rosanne taught us all about the different kinds of animals that we might find in the creek and that finding lots of critters indicated a healthy stream.  It was lots of fun getting wet and looking for animals.  We even used paint brushes to gently remove critters from rocks into our collecting bins.  We discovered assorted larvae, a salamander, frogs, water pennies, and water skimmers.

To further our understanding of water, we have been experimenting with its unique characteristics, learning about surface tension, water as a solid, liquid and a gas, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, sinking and floating, salt water vs fresh water, and of course the water cycle!

Enjoy our discoveries!!

AFS creek walk:

At the watershed with Rosanne:

Surface tension:  Can you make paper clips float?

How many pennies can you add to a FULL cup of water?  Why so many?

How many drops of water can you fit onto a penny, nickel and a dime?

Can you separate water into droplets and then put them back together?  Which is easier to do?

Fresh water and a carrot - what will happen?

Add some salt...

Add more salt...

And a little more...

What happened and why?

Will a berry basket full of holes sink or float?

Why?

Add dish soap and what happens?  Why?

Creating the water cycle in a bottle.

Clouds are forming.

More swirling clouds.

Oh no!  The clouds are escaping!

Any rain yet?

Our incredible illustration of the water cycle!!

Rain drops at last!