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Kathleen

May 12, 2020 by Kathleen

Create Bugs in Amber Slime!

Create your own slime using everyday household craft materials. Using toy insects, recreate what would happen to insects when they were caught in tree resin, fossilizing them. Great for kids who love Jurassic Park and fossils!

Borax Recipe

  • ½ cup of (preferably clear) PVA glue
  • ½ cup water (mix with glue)
  • ½ teaspoon borax powder
  • ½ cup warm water (Mix with Borax)
  • 5-10 drops of yellow food coloring or substitute
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • 2 medium-sized bowls
  • Insect toys

Non-Borax Recipe

  • ½ cup of (preferably clear) PVA glue
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tbsp. saline solution (must contain boric acid and sodium borate!)
  • ¼-½ tsp. baking soda
  • 5-10 drops of yellow food coloring
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • 2 medium-sized bowls
  • Small plastic insect toys
yellow slime with glitter

Did you know, in 2017, the museum received a collection of prehistoric ticks trapped in amber called “Dracula’s Terrible Tick?”

Read about Dracula’s Terrible Ticks!

Directions for Borax Recipe

  1. Mix ½ cup of water and ½ cup of glue in bowl.
  2. Add 5-10 drops of food coloring to glue mixture.
  3. Mix ¼ tsp. of borax and ½ cup warm water in a separate bowl. Stir until completely mixed in.
  4. Add the borax and water mixture slowly to your glue and water mixture. Start stirring immediately! Your slime will soon start to form immediately. 
  5. Keep mixing until slime has formed. immediately take out and put in the dry container.
  6. Continue to stir any leftover liquid until it turns into slime. Transfer it to the dry container once you are done.
  7. Start kneading your slime mixture and add pretend insects! It may feel stringy at first but will change in texture the more it is kneaded. 

Directions for Non-Borax Recipe

  1. Put ½ cup of glue in bowl.
  2. Mix ¼-½ tsp. baking soda and ½ cup water in a bowl until baking soda is completely dissolved.
  3. Add 5-10 drops of food coloring to baking soda and water mixture.
  4. Gently mix both glue and food-colored mixture.
  5. Add 1 tbsp. saline solution and stir quickly until slime starts to form,  
  6. Put a few drops of saline solution on hands and start to knead slime together
  7. Add pretend insects, and you’ve created your own amber slime!

Want to keep the slime you’ve created longer? Keep it in the fridge!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: activities, Bug Bonanza

May 11, 2020 by Kathleen

Super Science Days: Bug Bonanza Coloring

Prince with Butterflies Coloring Page
Download Prince with Butterflies Coloring Page
Learn more about our Geoffroy’s Cat
Cockroaches on cupcake coloring page
Download Cupcake the Cockroach on Cupcake Coloring Page
Learn more about our Cockroaches

Filed Under: Visitor Info Tagged With: Bug Bonanza

May 11, 2020 by Kathleen

Let’s Find Some Bugs!

Museum Educator Aaron takes us to different places you can find friendly bugs around your house. He also shows us some of what we’ve been learning about on our blogs in action, like coverboards and bug hotels!

Optional Insect Identification Activity Sheet (FOR PRINT USE ONLY)

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Bug Bonanza

April 23, 2020 by Kathleen

Super Science Activity: Rabbit Wranglers

Sponsors

Super Science Saturdays are sponsored by PA Cyber and Tender Care Learning Centers, a proud partner of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. PAcyber The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School LogoTendercare Learning Center logo

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Super Science Days

April 23, 2020 by Kathleen

Super Science Activity: Whipped Cream Eggs

close up dyed eggs
eggs in vinegar

What You’ll Need

  • Hard boiled eggs
  • White vinegar
  • 3 cups whipped cream/whipped topping
  • Assorted food coloring

Directions

  1. Fill a bowl with white distilled vinegar, and place your hard boiled eggs in the bowl for about two minutes, making sure to cover the eggs completely.
  2. Remove the eggs, and dry them thoroughly.
  3. In a baking dish, spread your whipped cream evenly, about a half inch deep.
  4. Drop single food coloring drops about one inch apart, using whatever colors you choose. Then swirl the dots around with a toothpick or something similar trying not to make the colors run together too much. You’re looking to create a marbled effect.
  5. Roll the hard boiled eggs you let soak in vinegar in the whipped cream and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. After 10 to 15 minutes, rinse the eggs thoroughly and let the eggs dry completely on paper towels.
mixed cool whip dye
eggs in cool whip dye
finished dyed eggs

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Super Science Days

April 23, 2020 by Kathleen

Super Science Activity: Dino Hatch Eggs

What You’ll Need

  • One Quarter (1/4) cup baking soda
  • 10-15 drops food coloring (optional)
  • Two (2) Tablespoons cornstarch
  • Two (2) Tablespoons dry citric acid (optional)
  • One to Two (1-2) teaspoons water
  • Small dinosaur toy
  • Gloves (optional)
  • Whisk
  • Large Bowl
  • Plastic Easter egg (for mold)
  • One Quarter (1/4) cup vinegar (to help dissolve egg)

Sponsors

Super Science Saturdays are sponsored by PA Cyber and Tender Care Learning Centers, a proud partner of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. PAcyber The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School LogoTendercare Learning Center logo

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: activities, Super Science Days

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