Yumiko Mori

Internet version [Naruhodo no Mori] Vol.37

by Yumiko Mori

Title
Vol. 37     February 15th, 1998

Guessing Game

Home science experiments for mothers of elementary school children



Mom: "Come here everybody! We're going to start a game!"
Tae: "What game is it?"
Tae came up first.
A black colored paper is placed on a desk. You can see all sorts of particles scattered on the paper.

Mom: "What do you think this game is?"
Tae: "Do we guess what these particles are? That's too easy. Can I use this magnifying glass?"
Mom: "Of course, you can use it."
Tae: "Look!  This is pretty! Glittering! I know this is a sugar particle."
Mom: "Good!"
Tae: "This brown one looks just like a rabbit food. Is this one from instant consomme soup ?"
Mom: "That's right!  How do you know? You rarely do cooking."
Tae: "That's a little insult, Mom!"
Tae: "This cubic shape one is a salt bit."
Mom: "Another good answer!"
Tae: "Is salt crystal always cubic?"
Mom: "Do you know this salt crystal is composed of even smaller particles and those small particles assemble themselves to from a cubic shape. I wish we could see such micro crystal. Even water is made from crystals, even though we can not see them."
Tae: "Really?"

Then Toshi and Satoshi found us.
Toshi: "Can I join?"
Satoshi: "Me, too!"
Toshi: "How about tasting this?"
Satoshi: "I want to taste too. Oh, it's very salty!"
Tae: "You are cheating! I am going to cheat too!"
Mom: "No! No! This is not a tasting experiment. I really wanted you to compare crystal shapes."


Materials


How to play 'particle guess game'

     Required time: 15 min

  1. Put one magnifying glass over another to make 'double decker magnifying glasses'. This enhances magnifying power. You can even make 'triple decker'.
    In order to keep magnifying glasses together, use pieces of plastic tape or packing tape around the sides of the glasses.

  2. Place sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate and the others on a black paper.
    Spread these particles over the paper so that each particle is clearly visible.
    (Do the preparation where your children are not around.)
    Method1

  3. Your children investigate the shape and the size of each particle with the magnifying glasses and try to identify various particles.
    Method2




Microscopic World

   he purpose of this experiment was to give my children a chance to peek at microscopic world. Looking through a magnifier is only the beginning. If you could go more deeply into the microscopic world, you would encounter molecules, atoms, atom nucleus, and quarks. I have learned the beginning of the universe and the beginning of living organisms are related to the microscopic world. My children are still too young to learn such difficult matter. I am hoping, when they are old enough, we will be able to talk with them about molecules and atoms.


AuthorYumiko Mori (Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan)
IllustrationMitsue Ogata
TranslatorAkira Ishihara
HTML formatMuneo Kume


Copyright © 1998 Rika no Heya & Yumiko Mori