Watch Hot Air Rise {Preschool Science}

My 3 year old is obsessed with The Magic School Bus series of books. At first I wasn’t too sure of these books but, wow, are these books effective. My son knows more than me about A LOT of topics thanks to this series. So I am not embarrassed to admit that I sourced this idea from The Magic School Bus Inside the Hurricane. The activity is so simple, I had to share it with you.

Materials:

1. Piece of paper
2. Scissors
3. Needle & Thread (or tape)
4. Lamp

Approach:

1. Draw a spiral on the paper
2. Cut out the spiral (older children can do these first two steps on their own)
3. Put the needle & thread through the top of the spiral (make sure a knot is tied at the end). I actually ended up taping the thread to the spiral.
4. Hold the spiral by the thread above the warm/hot light bulb
5. Watch the hot air rise and make the paper spiral spin

Questions:

• Ask your children to postulate on why the spiral spins?
• What does the light bulb do to the air?
• What happens to the warm air? Where does it go?
• What does this activity do to the spiral?

Thanks for visiting!

Marnie

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Marnie Craycroft

Founder, Publisher, Writer & Editor at Carrots Are Orange, Inc.

Marnie began Carrots Are Orange in 2010 after the birth of her first son. Carrots Are Orange is a Montessori inspired homeschooling blog for parents and educators. She hails from Maine, a wonderfully down to earth place to grow up. Marnie moved to the west coast in 1999, currently living in Seattle with her husband and two young boys. She is pursuing Montessori certification.

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