Slime 2

Purpose: Children learn a great deal about the world through their senses. This activity will amaze children and activate their senses. Another benefit of this activity is vocabulary development as they describe what they are seeing and feeling.  Although touch will be the primary sense involved, the one sense this activity should NOT involve is taste.  

This makes the weirdest, grossest stuff, and children love it!

Materials/Advance Preparation:

• 2 teaspoons Guar Gum*
• 1 tablespoon Borax
• Water
• Mixing bowl
• Food coloring (green is the grossest!)
• 2 empty 1 liter plastic soda bottles to store the liquids
• Zipper lock bag

Making The Borax Water: Borax is a type of powder soap that is available in most grocery stores. Add 1 tablespoon Borax powder to 1 cup of water. Stir until most of the powder dissolves. Store the Borax Water in a jar or bottle, and label the container "BORAX & WATER MIXTURE." Remember that one cup of Borax Water will make many batches of "SLIME".

Preparing The Guar Gum (available at health food stores): Measure 4 cups (approximately 1 liter) of warm water into a large mixing bowl. Add 10 drops of food coloring - possibly green! SLOWLY (very slowly) stir in 2 teaspoons of guar gum. This fine powder has a tendency to clump up if it is not stirred into the water slowly. After thoroughly mixing, pour the guar gum mixture into a soda bottle and label it appropriately.

Directions:

1. Pour 1/2 cup of the guar gum mixture into a clean zipper-lock bag.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of the Borax Water mixture that you made previously.
3. Seal the bag and shake.
4. Within seconds you'll have prepared your very own batch of SLIME!
5. Let the children play with this mixture, warning them to not put it near their mouths.
6. Encourage their spontaneous descriptions of what they are feeling.
7. Ask for words that describe how the slime feels, looks, smells.  Echo their words back to them.
8. Return slime to its zipper-lock bag and have children wash their hands.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WITH CHEMICALS: Although these substances are not considered hazardous, you should treat all chemicals with care and wash your hands after handling. Do not taste or eat this substance.  This gooey mixture will retain its slimy properties for 1-2 days before finally turning into a watery mess. When the SLIME is no longer good, seal it in the zipper-lock bag and throw it away. Do not pour it down the drain.  Clean up any spill immediately.

 *Note: - I bought the guar gum at the health food store and it only came in capsules. I just opened the capsules into a bowl and measured.

 

Eric Gidseg

 

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