Science can be an enjoyable learning experience for the whole family and not one that happens exclusively within a classroom. Our motto at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School, a private school in Orlando, is work hard, play hard, pray hard—so we’d like to share a few fun, educational ways to experience science in the community, as well as share two science experiments you and your children can conduct at home.
Orlando Science Center
The Orlando Science Center has been a classic exhibit in the Orlando area for sixty years. This family-friendly center contains four floors of exhibits that educate and entertain. You can also watch a movie on their giant, domed screen. The entire center is indoors, so there’s no need to worry about a normal rainy afternoon ruining the fun.
Science Fair
St. Charles’ eighth grade class will be showing their science fair presentations on April 25th from 12:00 – 2:30. Come out and enjoy the hard work that our students have put into this event! We’re proud of our students and what they have learned, and we hope you’ll join us in viewing these presentations. Many of the presentations will also be viewable at the HSA meeting on the evening of the 25th.
Create an Egg Geode
At home, you can use eggs, salt, food coloring, and water to create beautiful crystals. First, crack an egg as close to the narrow end as possible to use as a container. Then, rinse the eggshell in hot water and fully remove the egg membrane from the inside of the egg. Line an egg carton with wax paper, put the eggshell in the carton, and set it aside. Next, boil water in a saucepan and pour ½ cup into a heatproof container. Add ¼ cup of salt to the container and let it dissolve. Keep slowly adding salt until it stops dissolving in the water. Add food coloring and then pour the mixture into the eggshell, being careful not to add so much that it tips over. Finally, put the shell in a safe place. The crystal will form as the water evaporates.
Create Colorful Flowers
Changing the color of water will result in changing the color of a flower; all you need is water, food coloring, and a white carnation. Pick a food dye that’s your favorite color and add it to a glass of water. You’ll need more than a few drops to create a strong color. Snip the last centimeter of the carnation’s stem and place it in the colored water. After a few hours or days, the carnation will absorb the color of the water.
We hope you enjoy partaking in these events and experiments with your family! As a private school in Orlando, we at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School believe it’s important that learning is as fun as it is educational. Please have fun with these experiments and we hope to see you for our Science Fair on April 25th!
