Junior Scholars: Changes

Autumn is a time of changes that we experience all around us: the weather is getting cooler, leaves may change color and fall from trees, and there is less sunlight because night comes a little earlier.

You may have experienced change recently, too—going to a different school, moving to a new area, or welcoming a new sibling or pet into your family. Change affects us all differently; it can be good or it can upset us, but we find ways to help ourselves adapt and grow from our experiences.

Check out these activities and books about different kinds of change, and we look forward to seeing you at a program or two this month!

READ: Operation Do-Over by Gordon Korman

Mason and Ty were once the very best of friends, like two nerdy sides of the same coin . . . until seventh grade, when Ava Petrakis came along. Now Mason can trace everything bad in his life to that terrible fight they had over the new girl. The one thing he'd give anything for is a do-over. But that can't happen in real life--can it? As a science kid, Mason knows do-overs are impossible, so he can't believe it when he wakes up from a freak accident and finds himself magically transported back to seventh grade.

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Questions to think about while you read:

How did Ty know what happened between Ava and Mason?
What one thing was Mason unable to change with his do-over?
Is there something you wish you could get a do-over for? What event(s) would you go back in time to change and why?

PLAY: Sharks & Minnows

Illustration of shark swimming and yellow, red, and blue fish

This is a game where players change from being a minnow to being a shark! It's recommended for at least 5 or more players.

Instructions:

Determine the playing area. There should be clearly marked boundaries on each end of the playing area for players to line up on.
Decide which player will be the first shark; all others will be minnows.
The minnows all line up on one of the boundary lines; their goal is to get to the other boundary line without being tagged by the shark.
When the minnows are lined up, the shark gets in between the minnows and the other boundary line, and says, "minnows, minnows, swim this way!" Minnows begin moving to the opposite boundary, trying to stay away from the shark. If the shark tags a minnow, they must freeze where they are.
Once the other minnows have safely reached the boundary line, any minnow that was tagged by a shark and is frozen becomes a shark. So now, they must help the first shark try to tag the remaining minnows as they attempt to get to the opposite side.
The last minnow to get to the opposite side safely OR the last minnow tagged becomes the first shark for the next round.

EXPLORE: Make Oobleck!

Solid? Or Liquid? DIY - Hand with Oobleck

Is it a solid? Is it a liquid? "Oobleck" is actually a non-Newtonian fluid, which means that it doesn't follow physicist Isaac Newton's laws and rules of viscosity (a fancy way of describing the thickness of a liquid). In fact, it can change shape and structure to be either a solid OR a liquid!

Supplies:

1 c. cornstarch
½ c. water
Food coloring (optional)
Bowl
Spoon

Instructions:

Put the cornstarch in a bowl.
If using food coloring, add it to the water. Gradually add some water to the cornstarch—about ¼ cup, and stir slowly so that the cornstarch absorbs the water. Don't add too much water at once! The correct consistency is when it feels like honey, yet you can drag your fingers through it.
Once you've made the "oobleck," spend some time experimenting with it. Here's one way:
Slowly stick a finger in it and slowly pull it out; it should react like a liquid, and be drippy.
Poke it with your finger quickly; it should react like a solid and your finger should bounce off of it.
Watch the video link below for more ways to explore oobleck!

From: MEL Science