Art Through Science

Here's some ideas on how to integrate art and science.

The first pic is a density tower created by the Grade sevens from my practicum (the ingredients from bottom to top are brown corn syrup, dish soap with red food dye, water with blue food dye, cooking oil and rubbing alcohol with green food dye). Water, dish soap and rubbing alcohol will easily mix if the pouring is too aggresive so you need to pour slowly down the side of the container when adding each liquid.

The next is from the following internet site which also has a good lesson plan written up, although you'll have to adapt the IRP

http://www.life.uiuc.edu/boast1/sciencelessons/chromatography.htm

I've done this with children ages 6-9 and it works great (as long as you're in a well ventilated area ie: outside). I also found it easier to take the drawn on section of the shirt and stretch it over a 1 litre yogurt container with an elastic band rather than putting plastic in between. That way the excess rubbing alcohol collects in the container and there's less risk of the ink spreading to the other side of the shirt. The containors can also be left on until the design dries, which allows for both sides of the shirt to be completed in one go (that is if you have enough yogurt containers).

Sharpie markers work great!