Bartholomew and the Oobleck: Concocting Oobleck

The title slime in Bartholomew and the Oobleck is a mysterious potion that at times acts like a solid and at other times acts like a liquid. Can your students decide which state of matter Oobleck should be classified as?

Have each student make his/her own Oobleck:
--Mix 3 spoonfuls of cornstarch with 2 spoonfuls of water. 

Next comes play time...
Students stick their hands in the Oobleck to see what it feels like and how it behaves.  They should try each of these tests as well, recording their results after each one:
--Poke it quickly
--Poke it slowly
--Stir it fast
--Stir it slowly
--Pour it
--Roll it into a ball
--Set objects on it

Any other tests the students come up with should be encourages as well, as long as they don't put students or property at risk (or create too large a mess). 

Now students need to decide if the Oobleck is a solid or a liquid.  Make them defend their decision in a written statement.  Perhaps you'll even get a debate going between students. 

You've actually created a suspension that acts as both a solid and a liquid.

**Do NOT try to get rid of your Oobleck by putting it down the drain - just put it in the trash.  Or better yet, allow the water the evaporate and put the dried cornstarch in a plastic bag for your next batch of Oobleck.

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States of Matter: From Solid and Liquid to Gas

This is a very simple demonstration, good for very young students who are just beginning to grasp the differences between solids, liquids and gases.  It's also a fun demonstration of chemical changes for older students.  I mean really, who doesn't love a good baking soda and vinegar reaction?!?

Put some baking soda into a balloon (you might want a funnel to do this).  You might want to put some on a plate as well, so the students can observe it. 

Pour some vinegar into a bottle.  You might want to allow the students to watch you pour, so they can see how the vinegar flows and takes the shape of the bottle. 

Place the balloon over the bottle, being careful not to dump the baking soda in at this point. 

Lift up the balloon, so the solid pours into the liquid.

In a matter of moments, you'll have captured the third state of matter: a gas (carbon dioxide).

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States of Matter Dance

Get your students out of their desks and moving, acting like molecules in the different states.

Solid: students are clustered together, minimal movement

Liquid: students move a bit away from each other, but still close enough to reach out and maintain contact, slow walking and arm movements

Gas: students break away from each other and try to spread out as far as they can, walking and moving their arms at a rapid pace

*Try playing a game of Simon Says using these movements
*Try to find music to match each state of matter
*Have students write a story about what it's like to be a molecule that spends time in each state

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Oobleck

Begin your class by reading Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss.

Then have your students make their own Oobleck:
--Mix 3 spoonfuls of cornstarch with 2 spoonfuls of water. 

Next comes play time...
Students stick their hands in the Oobleck to see what it feels like and how it behaves.  They should try some of these other tests as well, recording their results after each one:
--Poke it quickly
--Poke it slowly
--Stir it fast
--Stir it slowly
--Pour it
--Roll it into a ball
--Set objects on it

Now students need to decide if the Oobleck is a solid or a liquid.  Make them defend their decision in a written statement.  Perhaps you'll even get a debate going between students. 

You've actually created a suspension that acts as both a solid and a liquid.

**Do NOT try to get rid of your Oobleck by putting it down the drain - just put it in the trash.  Or better yet, allow the water the evaporate and put the dried cornstarch in a plastic bag for your next batch of Oobleck.

Read More