Lisa Bergantz came on to show us some great ideas for fun summer science projects to help kids visualize cells.
Trying to explain to kids that our bodies are made up of cells, specialized to perform a myriad of individual tasks from creating our teeth to the blood running in our veins can be difficult for kids to understand.
So, here's some ideas from Lisa that you can do to help them understand better!
Place a bit of water a a few healthy squirts of dish soap into a pie plate. Place the pie plate onto a dish towel to keep the counter dry. Give your child a straw and instruct her to blow bubbles...so much fun! For sure, she'll create a HUGE pile of bubbles spilling over the pie plate. Have your child touch the bubbles with her finger and try to pop them individually.
Explain to your child that our body is made up of millions and billions of teeny tiny cells. Each cell is stacked upon the other like the bubbles. The cells each have special jobs. Some cells make up our skin, some create our teeth, some create our hair, some work together to create our heart and some make up the blood in our bodies. There are many types of cells.
Each of the different types of cells started out the same, but each cell has DNA inside that tells it what type of cell it will be. So, we have blood cells, and hair cells, and nail cells...
Another fun way to demonstrate cell proximity is by creating these fun summer bubble blow bottles. Cut the bottom off of a water bottle. Use a rubberband to secure a piece of terry cloth (washcloth) over the bottom of the cut opening.
Now dip the terrycloth bottom into a pan of dishsoap and water. Then blow throught the waterbottle top and watch a snake of bubbles form.
This is such a fun summer activity and is another way to help your child visualize how cells are stacked up next to each other.
For more fun ideas, visit:
www.smmartideas.blogspot.com
