Making Oobleck To have the children explore textures and have the children practice mixing. Curriculum Content: Arts and Science: Space: Changing the shape and arrangement of objects Arts and Science: Space: Filling and Emptying Materials:
Water
Cornstarch
Food coloring
Beginning:Read “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” by Dr. Seuss
Middle:Children will mix the ingredients together and create their very own “oobleck”
Earlier: The oobleck will already be premade for them, allow them just to pick the color and the food coloring. Later: Replace the cornstarch with borax and use Elmer’s glitter glue to make slime, having the children do all the measurements.
End: Three-minute warning to clean up. After cleaning up the materials, offer those who want to play with it, continue to play and allow the rest to choose other centers for discovery play.
Follow-up Ideas: To continue this activity the children could use it in the art area with cookie cutters and make different shapes out of it. Also the children could use it at the table for math, using number mats and molding that number out of the slime.
Assessment: This plan met my objective and the children we able to make oobleck. We have yet to make slime with using the borax though. The children made the oobleck and have fun kneading it, rolling it into balls and watching it run through their fingers. They gained the ability to mix, and use measuring cups and explore molding it into different shapes. The children responded some with excitement and others not wanting to touch it with their hands. When we do this again it will be using it to make “slime” with elmer’s glue, borax, and water with a little more precise direction.
Review of Activity: 1. The Children discovered how to make oobleck, they also discovered the connection between oobleck and playdough. 2. Children responded with excitement and began comparing colors and compared their obelisk to making slime at home. 3. Our activity accomplished what was desired with each child being able to make their own personal oobleck. 4. Children were involved by creating their own obelisk and comparing it to their peers. 5. The activity was appropriate for this age because all of the materials used were child friendly (opting for corn starch instead of borax or contact solution and shaving cream) and the children were able to handle the materials themselves. 6. Students can improve this activity by exploring with mixing colors. 7. Students seemed confident and successful, those friends who were more confident assisted their friends who needed it, and helped them be successful. 8. The time for the activity was extended until each child felt successful.