Exploding volcano experiment: Get Your Little Scientist Thinking Big

Exploding Volcano

What could be more exciting than creating and exploding your own volcano? A craft and a science project combined!

Project Info

Materials

• 1 cup Vinegar (+ extra for multiple explosions)
• 1 cup of Flour
• 1-2 Paper Bags torn into several pieces
• 2 tbs Salt
• 4 tablespoons Baking Soda (+ extra for multiple explosions)
• Empty, Clean Drinks Bottle (e.g. a 20oz soda bottle)
• Funnel
• Large piece of card approx 20×20″ (e.g. cut from a cardboard box)
• Newspaper
• Optional – Plastic figures
• Poster or Acrylic Paint
• Red Food Coloring
• Tape

Instructions

• Step 1

• Step 2

• Step 3

• Step 12

1. Tape the base of the plastic bottle to the card
2. Screw up the paper bag pieces and arrange them around the bottle in a rough volcano shape – tape into position
3. Tear your newspaper into strips approximately 1/2″ wide
4. Make the paper mache paste: Mix the four and salt with 1. 5 cups of water until smooth and lump free.
5. Dip a newspaper strip into the paste. Run your fingers along the length of the strip to remove excess paste and place over the volcano shape. Continue in this way, haphazardly placing the strips until the entire structure is covered to a depth of 2-3 strips. (Make sure to leave the opening of the bottle clear).
6. Leave to dry completely in a warm place. This may take 24 hours or longer
7. Once dry, paint your volcano. You can also, optionally, add small plastic shapes to enhance the volcano – e.g. dinosaurs for a prehistoric volcano, or farm animals for a rural scene.
8. Once again, leave the volcano to dry.
9. You are now ready to explode your volcano. Find an appropriate position to place the volcano (this could get messy)
10. Using a funnel, add the 4tbs of baking powder into the bottle.
11. Mix the 1 cup vinegar in a jug with several drops of red food coloring.
12. Add the vinegar to the bottle using the funnel – quickly remove the funnel and stand back – the lava will quickly come bubbling out of the volcano with a fizzing noise.
13. If you want to do it again (who wouldn’t?), simply add more baking powder and repeat.

Tips

1. Did you know: The eruption of the volcano is actually caused by CO2 being created by a rapid chemical reaction resulting from the mixing of the baking powder and vinegar.
   Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate – NaHCO3) is slightly alkaline, whilst Vinegar (C2h5O2) is an acid. When these are mixed, they combine to form carbonic acid and sodium acetate. The carbonic acid rapidly turns into water and carbon dioxide – which bubbles out of the bottle causing the eruption!
2. Adding glitter to the vinegar adds to the sparkle effect.
3. This project will make a mess – best to do it outside – and you definitely need to cover your work surfaces to prevent staining by the food coloring.
4. Safety: the solutions used in this experiment are safe to touch, and the volcano should not erupt violently. But, be careful to ensure that the opening of the bottle is not blocked after adding the vinegar (to prevent a build up of pressure that can’t easily escape), and that you stand back after adding the vinegar so that none of the solution splashes into your eyes.
5. When doing paper mache, it is usually recommended that you do one layer of newspaper, leave that layer to dry, and then add another then let dry and finally another. This is to ensure that the paper mache dries completely and does not go moldy over time. However, usually you will find that 3 layers of paper will dry thoroughly. In addition, once you have exploded your volcano it will be all mushy from the explosion and will have to be disposed of anyway.
6. If you are impatient you can speed the drying of your volcano by placing it in the sun, blowing it with a hairdryer or placing it by a fan.
7. There’s all sorts of different variations that you can explore with this project. A good source of ideas is: link

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Useful supplies

– our picks from Amazon for this project:
Food Coloring AmeriColor Student Kit

3M 3051/WI07536 Scotch 3051 Low Tack Paper Tape: 3/4″ x 36 yd.

Art Advantage 2-1/2-Ounce Tube Acrylic Paint Set

Related Books

– our picks from Amazon for this project:
Volcanoes & Earthquakes

Volcanoes!

Volcanoes

Related Projects

Project Themes

• Letters U-X:

  Letter V

• Art / Craft Techniques and Styles:

  Craft Techniques

• The Earth:

  Earth

  Mountains

  Volcanos

• Chemistry:

  Chemistry Experiments

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How to make an Erupting Volcano!

Outdoor Activities

*This post contains affiliate links*

So…. .let’s talk about kid’s school homework. I actually am all in favour for it. This might be because I’m a teacher myself but it’s also because my kiddos don’t tell me much about what they do at school. If I ask them what they’ve done at school, they often reply ‘I can’t remember?!’ Six hours there all day and you can’t remember?! But, when I sit down with them at the weekend when they do their homework – suddenly they tell me all sorts of things they have been up to! The only time homework is a problem is if you have a super busy weekend but other than that – I’m a fan and as long as they are fairly short and give kids the opportunity to do lots of playing and other creative stuff! Mostly, the kids homeworks are of the usual grammar and maths worksheet style – but occasionally we have a creative one thrown in. These are my favourite (as long as they don’t crop up too often!) It seems to be a standard curriculum homework to make an Erupting Volcano in primary schools in the U.K! So, just in case anyone else has ‘An Erupting Volcano Homework‘ to complete – here’s a little video of how we got on! And if your kids liked this volcano experiment – try our Mud Explosion Nature Activity – it’s a favourite in our house.

How to make an Erupting Volcano

1. Start by choosing a plastic drinks bottle, small is probably better, but if you have a big one it works best if you fill it mostly with tinfoil before you add the chemical mixture later.

2. Once you’ve chosen your bottle, stick it to a big piece of cardboard with masking tape. It’s important to use masking tape because it’s easy to paint over.

3. Next, make your papier-mâché mixture – we used two parts flour to one part water. Give it a really good stir and try to get rid of any lumps. Papier-mâché your bottle covering the newspaper with your gooey flour mixture.

4. Make rocks with the papier-mâché to form a base around the bottom of the bottle. Leave to dry thoroughly for about 24 hours.

5. Next, paint your volcano with acrylic paints. Acrylic paints work better because you can use your volcano any time, poster paints will drip when you add your chemical mixture. Add some lava splatters with paint and leave to dry again.

Once dry, take your volcano outside and make your chemical mixture by adding your Bicarbonate of soda to your bottle. We used about half a pot of bicarbonate of soda. Then add warm water mixed with red food colouring. As soon as you’ve added a small cup of the food colouring, add your vinegar and wait for your volcano to erupt!

Try more baking soda fun with our Pumpkin Potion Science Experiment! If you’d like to try some other kid’s crafts – here’s a selection of some of the other crafts we have on the blog….

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Summary of GCD on experimental activities in the preparatory group “Volcanic Eruption” | Outline of the lesson on the world around (preparatory group):

Integration of educational areas:

cognitive development,

social and communicative development,

speech development,

physical development,

artistic and aesthetic development.

Types of children’s activities: cognitive research, communication, play, productive.

Purpose. To acquaint children with such a natural phenomenon as a volcano, its structure. Contribute to the accumulation of ideas about the world around. Show children an experiment – a volcanic eruption.

Tasks:

Educational:

1. Introduce children to the natural phenomenon of a volcano, the cause of its eruption.

2. Continue to teach children to see the problem, build hypotheses, make generalizations. Form conclusions based on the results of the experiment, based on previously obtained ideas and your own assumptions.

Developing:

1. To develop the cognitive activity of children in the process of independent implementation of experiments according to the scheme.

2. Develop observation, curiosity, mental activity, memory, speech, logical thinking.

Educational:

1. Raise interest and desire to develop your horizons.

2. To cultivate curiosity, mutual assistance, the ability to work in a team.

Equipment: Water carafe, red paint, baking soda, detergent, citric acid, measuring cups, tray, volcano model, teaspoons, napkins, globe, volcano slides, chart for debriefing, easel, white robes ( for children and educator, funnel, cone, cube, ball and other shapes, pointer, scissors, emblem, prizes, chest, hanger, black marker.0003

Technical equipment: laptop, multimedia projector.

Vocabulary work: dormant volcano, active volcano, cone shape, funnel, volcano crater, lava.

Preliminary work: Looking at books about the world around us, about volcanoes, watching cartoons about volcanoes (“Leonardo season 1, episode 10 “In the mouth of the volcano”, “Lava” from PIXAR full version in Russian, “Everyday life of the airport “Volcano Eruption” ”)

Methods and techniques:

Verbal methods: clarifications, surveys, artistic word, conversation, questions, encouragement.

Practical methods: joint actions of the educator and children, schemes for conducting experiments.

Direct educational activities.

1. Introduction.

Children enter the hall.

The teacher invites everyone to stand in a circle and play.

Greeting game.

– Hello guys. I am very glad to see you, and I invite you to an interesting lesson. I’m in a great mood today (showing). Because the sun is shining brightly, it gives me a spring mood, there are friendly faces in the hall. And I want to give you guys. Also a good mood.

– And now let’s give everyone sitting in this hall our mood at my expense: “One, two, three, give me a mood” (blow on the palms.) Well done!

-Children, do you like to conduct experiments? (yes.)

-Then I suggest you go to the science laboratory with me.

Do you know how to behave in the laboratory?

1. Do not touch appliances and tools without permission.

2. Do not taste or smell the substance.

3. Do not perform unknown experiments with substances.

-Today we will make an exciting journey to the scientific laboratory of my friend professor. There you will learn a lot of new and interesting things and even experiment yourself like real scientists.

– let’s get ready for our journey and put on special clothes (put on gowns)

– Now we are really ready to go to the laboratory.

(Mysterious music is playing)

We all closed our eyes together

And we’ll circle in place.

They circled, circled,

And now they stopped,

And now they stopped

And they turned into scientists (curtain opens)

Eyes open,

And miracles continue.

2. Main body.

-So we ended up in the scientific laboratory of Professor Akaky Doromidontovich Menzurkin.

– Hello professor! (silence)

-It’s strange, why isn’t he there?

(Beep sounds, video with professor appears)

Professor: Good afternoon, Tatyana Vladimirovna, hello guys. I’m sorry I can’t meet you. I was urgently called to the main laboratory. But I did not forget about you and prepared everything for interesting experiments. You can find my hints on the laptop screen. I wish you success in your scientific experiment.

(Beep sounds, video disappears)

– Thank you, dear professor. Guys, I think that we will do a great job with you

, and leave the results of our experiments to the professor.

-Now listen and tell me what it is about:

Well, of course, it’s a miracle

It’s been centuries

Even in the hottest summer

There is snow on its top. (Mountain)

– Raise your hand, who has seen the mountains? ()

-Who knows what a volcano is? ()

– I will tell you the legend of the volcano. There lived a god named Vulcan. And

he liked blacksmithing: to stand at the anvil, to beat with a heavy hammer on red-hot iron, to fan the fire in the forge. He built himself a forge inside a tall mountain. When Vulcan worked with a hammer, the mountain trembled, from the base to the very top, and the rumble and rumble were carried far around. Hot stones and ashes flew from the top of the mountain with a deafening roar. “Volcano works” – people said with fear and went to live away from this place. Since then, people began to call all fire-breathing mountains volcanoes.

– Would you like to see volcanoes? Then come to this table. We will now look at photographs of volcanoes on a laptop screen.

– Look, this seemingly ordinary mountain is called a dormant volcano.

-And this is a mountain with lava erupting from it, fire and smoke – this is an active volcano.

-What shape are all volcanoes? Find a similar shape on this table. What is it called? (Cone.)

– All volcanoes are cone-shaped. Pay attention to the top of the mountain, what does it look like? Find this item on the table. (Funnel).

-The top from which a volcano erupts is called a crater.

– let’s take a closer look at it. The crater of the volcano looks like a huge bowl, at the bottom of this bowl there is a huge hole that goes deep into the volcano. The fiery liquid that comes out of a volcano is called lava.

-That’s how many new words you learned in class.

– Would you like to have a glimpse of a volcanic eruption? (.)

– Look at the layout of the mountain I made, but this is a dormant volcano, and we need it to become active. Guys maybe you know how to do this. let’s try to think.

– We know that when a volcano erupts, lava is ejected. What is it like if it flows along the slopes of the mountain? (liquid). So, inside our mountain we must place a liquid. What, for example? (water)

-If we pour ordinary water, it will be able to flow out (no).

– How can we make the water come out? (you need to mix the substances)

– We’ll have to turn to the professor for a hint. Let’s look at the computer screen.

On screen:

1. Take 2 vessels and fill them halfway with water.

2. In the first vessel put 3 teaspoons of baking soda, a few drops of detergent, and add red paint. Mix everything well.

H. In the second vessel, add 1 teaspoon of citric acid and mix well.

4. Pour the contents of the first vessel into the crater of the volcano, and now add the contents of the second vessel to this composition, and enjoy the spectacle.

– Guys, do you remember what substances we are going to use now?

-Now let’s rest.

Dynamic pause.

Children squat with their arms up in a cone shape.

1. Volcanoes began to play

Spew lava from the vent (begin to rise on toes, arms up, stretch, shake with brushes, lower down).

2. Volcano thunders! The volcano is puffing!

How menacing he looks now! (hands on the belt, raise them up, clench and unclench fists, stomp your feet).

3. But then he began to get tired,

The fire in him began to die out (we slowly lower our hands with a squat).

4. Breathed fire for the last time (long breath while sitting).

5. And fell asleep for decades! (hands under the cheek, the volcano falls asleep).

– Do you guys want to wake up the volcano yourself?

Children: Yes, very much!

Educator: Well then

Quickly got up, smiled!

Higher, higher stretched!

Right, left turn! And let’s run fast!

Educator: So we ran to the laboratory. In the laboratory, everything is ready for experiments.

3. Practical part.

– For our experiment, we will split into two groups. The first group

will mix the substances in the first vessel and the second group will

mix the substances in the second vessel.

– Masha, pour water into the first vessel. How much to pour? (half)

-Dasha, pour three teaspoons of soda.

– Denis, put 5 drops of detergent.

– I’ll add paint for you, and Nastya will mix everything well.

– Olya pours water into the second vessel. How much should you pour? (half).

-Misha, take a bag of citric acid and cut off the corner of the bag

with scissors.

– Vika, pour a lemon into a glass. Egor, stir everything carefully.

– Well done Our solutions are ready.

Let’s try to launch our volcano. First we pour out the red liquid

, vessel 1, and then add the liquid from the 2nd vessel with

citric acid.

– Tell me, what just happened? (.)

– Why did it happen? ()

– Did you like our experience? ()

– I think the professor would be interested to see our results.

let’s put them in this table.

-Look, first we divided into two groups, this is the first group

, and this is the second.

– How did we start our wholesale? (They took the vessel.)

– What did you do next? (They poured water into it.)

– What did the first group add to the water? (Soda, paint, detergent.)

– What did the second group add (Citric acid. )

– What did they do after putting the substances into the glasses?

(Moved.)

-How did you get the volcanic eruption? ()

– Yes, guys, volcanoes are different and they are located in different parts of our globe. There are also in our country and they are located in the Far East, Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands. let’s find them on the globe.

4. Final part.

– Well done guys, today you were very attentive, active, inquisitive. I really enjoyed working with you. Now it’s time to go back to kindergarten. Close your eyes and say the magic words.

I’ll turn around now. And I’ll be in kindergarten!

One around the world: volcanic eruption, cotton tree and last day in Guatemala

131st episode about round-the-world trip of Muscovite Irina Sidorenko and her dog Greta: Guatemala. Travelers spend the night at the foot of an erupting volcano before heading to the colonial city of Antigua, where they find themselves in a public laundry and rest in the shade of the ceiba, the country’s national tree

A former employee of a Moscow luxury real estate agency, after several training road trips, decided to go around the world in a car in the company of a dog. You can follow her movements in real time on the blog Around the World . In the previous series Irina got acquainted with the life of clinic volunteers in Guatemala and found out why they are ready to go to the other side of the world to help others on a volunteer basis.

Guatemala is a country of volcanoes. During my stay here, two volcanoes erupted simultaneously. First, Fuegro turned on the heat, and Pacaya woke up after him. From the western mountains of Guatemala, I immediately went to Pacaya to catch the eruption. But the sky was covered with smog, hiding the tops of the volcanoes from view, and by evening, twilight added fog to the landscapes and did not allow anything to be seen. I found a parking lot on the road that leads to Pacaya. I decided: I’ll wait out the night, and in the morning I’ll go in search of an observation deck. Well, you can’t visit Guatemala and not see the volcano.

Guatemala – a country of volcanoes

At night I woke up from a strong roar. As if in reproach for breaking the silence, the village dogs barked in unison. I jumped up, looked around for the cause of the unexpected noise, and couldn’t believe my eyes. The roar was heard right above my head, and the source of it was erupting lava from the vent of Pacai.

The roar was heard right above my head, and its source was erupting lava from the mouth of Pakaya

I stood spellbound. I didn’t even think of taking the phone right away to take photos. Have you ever seen fireworks? Is this not a pyrotechnic likeness of fireworks, but a real salute? Remember that feeling when your heart stops with every volley and you want to scream with happiness? So this is ten times cooler than the most powerful salute that I have seen in my life.

No sleep, of course. I could hardly wait for the first signs of dawn, and we went for a walk with Greta. Up, to where the roar was heard from recently. Pakaya is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. Small villages have taken root on its slopes, and the locals have become accustomed to its frequent eruptions. The current one was the strongest in the last few decades, but no one is in a hurry to evacuate. Animals were hidden from the ashes in shelters, and the residents themselves continue to live their usual lives.

I could hardly wait for the first signs of dawn, and we went with Greta to the place where the roar was heard from recently. Agua was the quietest of the trio, and Fuegro also spewed ash. We climbed low, it was scary to go higher. We returned to the car by seven in the morning, and, as it turned out, on time. Half an hour later, the police arrived at my stop. The trail to the volcano was blocked, tourists are forbidden to climb to the lava during violent activity. I didn’t mind. All that could be seen, I saw at night and at dawn. I cooked breakfast, brewed coffee and left for Antigua Guatemala, a city nestled between three volcanoes.

Cities built under Spanish influence are usually similar: there is a fountain in the middle of the central square, a cathedral rises in the east, and the northern part is allocated for trade. But Antigua is special, it literally radiates a colonial spirit that is felt in every corner, in every brick. The streets are paved with stone, low houses painted in bright colors, an abundance of churches and balcony flowers, street musicians and shoe shiners. There are so many interesting details that are typical only for Antigua. I want to look at every door, every piece of stucco, look into every window and nook. I go up to the observation deck, the highest place in the city. It seems that Antigua lies in its cradle, humbly bowing before the majestic Agua volcano.

It seems that Antigua lies in its cradle, humbly bowing before the majestic volcano Agua

My path leads further through the mountain villages and cities of Guatemala. In Santa Maria de Jesus, I oversee the work of the public laundry. In the center is a pool, from which women draw water. Individual vats were built along the perimeter, and a stone “washboard” was built on the side. No automatic machines, traditional manual way is used. You can combine business with pleasure: wash clothes and discuss local news at work.

Santa Maria de Jesus Public Laundry

The ceiba or cotton tree is the national tree of Guatemala. The tree can reach 60–70 meters in height, up to three meters in diameter. It has a very beautiful crown, and the leaves have medicinal properties. Among the Mayan peoples, ceiba is a sacred tree of life: in their view, it connects the world of people with the other world. The tree was worshipped. Now locals everywhere arrange holidays in honor of these giants. In the center of Palina, a small Guatemalan village, I discovered a huge ceiba. Its crown occupies the entire city square, the branches reach a length of 10-15 meters, and the tree itself has been standing here for more than 400 years.