STEM Activities to Celebrate the New Year

Fizzing Fireworks

Ring in the new year with a STEM chemical reaction!

How this uses STEM

• Baking soda is a base, and vinegar is an acid. When they come together, they react, because they are so different!

Tierra Tips to Engage your Little Helper

• Drawing with glue, pouring and shaking baking soda, squeezing out drops of colored vinegar with the dropper– there are lots of chances to work on your little one’s fine motor skills during this activity!
• Repeat this experiment more than once, and try to create different color combinations by mixing colors! What do red and yellow make?
• Discuss how these fireworks are different from the fireworks we see in the sky. Which is louder?

Materials

• Construction Paper
• Glue
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• Food Coloring
• Bowl
• Dropper/Pipette
  
  Instructions

1. On your paper, use the glue to draw fireworks.
2. Before the glue dries, pour baking soda over it.
3. Shake off any excess baking soda!
4. In a bowl, combine vinegar and food coloring.
5. Pick up a couple drops of the colored vinegar mixture with the dropper.
6. Drop the mixture over the baking soda lines and watch your fireworks fizz!

Fireworks in a Jar

These fireworks are a quiet alternative to the real thing— and they are just as colorful!

How this uses STEM

• There are three different liquids used in this experiment. Which is the most dense? Which is the least dense? The experiment can help you figure out the answer!

Tierra Tips to Engage your Little Helper

• Ask your little one to point out all of the colors in the jar, in English and in Spanish!
• Repeat this experiment more than once, and try to create different color combinations by mixing colors! What do red and yellow make?
• Discuss how these fireworks are different from the fireworks we see in the sky. Which is louder?

Materials

• Clear container or jar
• Water
• Food Coloring
• Oil
• A fork
• Bowl

Instructions

1. Fill your container/jar up with water, about ¾ of the way full.
2. In a separate bowl, pour in a layer of oil.
3. Place drops of food coloring on top of the oil.
4. Use the fork to swirl the drops around.
5. Gently the oil and food coloring on top of the water.
6. While the oil stays on top, watch the food coloring swirl and sink into the water!

3rd option: New Years Eve Fizzy Science

Four materials make a chemical reaction and a shiny new years activity!

How this uses STEM

• You can have your kids guess which two of the three materials are the ones involved in the chemical reaction.
• Baking soda is a base, and vinegar is an acid (and glitter is neither!). When they come together, they react because they are so different!

Tierra Tips to Engage your Little Helper

• If you cover up the glitter before your kids see, have them guess what’s beneath the baking soda!
• Try the experiment twice— once with vinegar, once with water. Have  your little one identify the differences in the two trials!
• Want to make it even more colorful? Add food coloring to the vinegar before it’s added!

Materials

• Cup or jar
• Glitter
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar

Instructions

1. Pour a pile of glitter into your cup.
2. Cover the glitter with baking soda.
3. Pour the vinegar over the baking soda and watch the glitter rise and spread!