This is the week.  The final countdown to the big day – Halloween.  I would be absolutely crazy if I didn’t try to incorporate some kind of science lesson into the whole shebang.  Personally, I think any child can benefit from this kind of simple learning exercise.  At minimum, it only takes a little observation and I haven’t met a kid yet who doesn’t think it’s fascinatingly gross to watch a slimy pumpkin meet its demise.  Around here, I tend to take it to another level.  After all, my son is 7 and I’m stressing the scientific method.  Meh, it’s never to early to start, I say.   Last year, we coated the inside of one pumpkin with glue and left another as a control.  Since there was little difference between the two and their decomposition, I knew I had to take more extreme measures this time around in order to show a palpable difference between preservation and decomposition.

My plan this year is two treat 3 pumpkins in 3 different ways:

1 Control Pumpkin (untreated) You must have a  control for any good experiment
1 Pumpkin  coated with Pumpkin Fresh (contains Sodium Benzoate  - a preservative with antifungal properties and Borax – sodium tetraborate decahydrate is the chemical name, in case you’re wondering)
1 Pumpkin coated in Vaseline – my least favorite option of the three.   This is intended to prevent shriveling and slow bacterial and fungal growth.  Personally, I know there are plenty of bacteria and fungi that thrive quite well in the absence of oxygen, so I don’t see much benefit in this beyond the control pumpkin.  Meh, we’ll give it a try though.

Each day, we’re going to record our observations of the three pumpkins and photo document any changes in the event that they’re not easily seen.  In a side by side comparison of the previous day, it should be easy to see some changes, however slight.  Now, this is the extent of involvement in the process of  decomposition for a small child.  It introduces a new concept, terminology, and shows evidence of it working.  Done.  As they get older, it helps to expand on that by exploring which options worked and WHY they worked.  I fully expect the Pumpkin Fresh to work best because of the mixture used.    We’ll definitely be talking about what gets introduced to the cavity simply by cleaning it – bacteria from our arms, microscopic spittle from talking while working, utensils, etc.  Yes, it’s a joy to live inside my head.

More specifically and point-by-point:
1.)  Bacteria and fungi introduced by processing.
2.) 10 day (perhaps more) study of decomposition –  The variability largely depends on the conditions outside.
3.) We will record our observations  throughout the process and be specific.   If nothing else, it helps develop attention to detail, i.e. black spots appearing here and there, smell, etc.
4.) Conclusion. Bacterial growth inhibited by using nothing? Vaseline? Pumpkin Fresh?  And to what degree?  If nothing, what environmental factors may have played a role – sunlight, extremely cool temperatures, etc. and the effect of these on the breakdown.  In case you’re wondering, warmth, not sunlight, generally speeds decomposition, while cool temperatures inhibit decomposition because bacteria do not thrive in that environment.  If it’s wet and warm, well, eewwww.  You can make this a  somewhat tangible concept by comparing it to your refrigerator and what happens when you leave food out vs. refrigerating it.

For even older kiddies, decomposition, has many stages.
1.)  Release of water (which is why you see shriveling) and other water soluble compounds IN the water.
2.)  The physical breakdown into pieces after the shriveling gives greater surface area for colonization by bacteria and fungi.
3.)  When sitting in a yard or garden bed vs. front porch, the decomposition at this point becomes significant as opportunistic fungi and bacteria  take control and the remaining structures are broken down – fibrous pulp, etc.
4.)   This entire event is an exothermic reaction meaning heat is released because the bacteria drive the decomposition.  Several gases are also released during the entire process including carbon dioxide and methane.  It should also be noted that this is also a chemical reaction vs. a physical reaction.  Chemical reactions cannot be undone, as they permanently change the bonds and molecules within the pumpkin that make it a pumpkin.  Physical reactions are,well, like crushing an ice cube.  It’s still frozen water and unchanged.

If you’re feeling particularly inspired, there are several You Tube videos that show time lapse images of fruit and vegetable decomposition.  Around the web, you can find experiments done with pumpkins, but older children will benefit more from learning about the specific processes involved in the exothermic reaction and how it changes form, particularly if they’re writing reactions and balancing them.

And yes, I went to college for THIS not couponing…in case you’re wondering.  ;)

Yep, I’m running late on the Cabin Fever post.  It’s a Friday thing, but if your Friday was anything like mine, you didn’t need an indoor activity.    Holy moly,  I think it must have something to do with my birthday because the weather has been phenomenally good for Michigan.  Beautiful trees and warm sun…it’s like heaven out there.

OK, enough of my weather talk, but really….no, I’ll stop.  Haha!

Here’s another cute idea for your rainy day bag of tricks – Shape Monsters!   My 3 AND 7 year old love to make these.  Maybe this will tell you how much – Our entire upstairs is theirs and they have the walls completely decorated with their many creations for Halloween.

Here’s what you’ll need:

9×12 Construction Paper

Scissors/Safety Scissors

Glue Stick(s)

Magic Marker (for pupils)

My notes:  You’ll want to cut enough pieces to assemble several monsters.  Most children, even small children who are familiar with Mr. Potato Head (or something similar),  can do this with little difficulty.  I keep STACKS with the various body parts stored together in a craft box for fidgety moments.  They’re super cheap to make and completely frustration free for everyone!  I’m assuming self explanatory too!

Finger paint is something I never buy because it is so much more inexpensive to make.  That certainly isn’t true for many things, but it definitely is here.  I like these particular recipes because they take advantage of items you probably already have in your kitchen.  I should note that I have tried several, and I can tell you that some are definitely better than others.   There are quite a few that use dish soap and various coloring agents, but I’m not comfortable with them.  My goofballs are just a bit too lickity.   In my opinion, these are the best, and completely non-toxic, too. The first is one my Mom used when I was little.  It’s one of those *duh, of course!* things for me.  I have many of those because I’m not at all crafty or creative by nature.  In this instance, the apple has fallen far from the tree because my mother can build a car out of acorns.  Well, not really, but it seems that way to me.  :)

Edible Pudding Paint
1 Jello Instant Pudding 4 serving
Assorted Food Coloring

Directions:
Mix pudding according to package directions.  Add food coloring as desired.

I have my own opinions about the pudding recipe.  While I think it’s fine for older children who understand what is edible and what isn’t, I think smaller children will translate the ability to eat this paint with eating other paint.  Obviously, this varies child-to-child, and this is something I easily used with my son when he was little.  My daughter doesn’t seem to have any ability to differentiate, so I would never use an edible recipe with her.   All of this to say, use your own judgement, as you know your child best.  :)

Original Fingerpaint – My kooky girl friendly recipe
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
2 Cups Cold Water
Food Coloring

Mix water and cornstarch in small saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil while whisking continuously.
When the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat and allow to cool.
Divide into individual containers and add food coloring.

There are other recipes out there that include flour, Jell-O and Kool Aid.   I don’t care for any of them for a variety of reasons.  The flour paint doesn’t spread well and the consistency is poor.  The same is true for the Jell-O paint.  The Kool-Aid stains.  Yep, anything that requires more work to clean than to make is not a fun time for me.  Any project that is a letdown for the kids is equally bad, so stick with either the cornstarch recipe or pudding if you’re going to try this one out.

Thanks, Mom!

Fall is here and that means cooler temperatures and even cooler weather to come.  That also means less play time outside and more cabin fever for the kids.  With that in mind, I thought this was the perfect time to share some of my fun finds that I’ve used to keep my kids busy.

Every Friday, I’ll share with you one new, fun project that you can do with your kids, grandchildren or you can pass this along to a Mom you know!

I would never say that I couldn’t do this because I could…easily. You can view their You Tube tour HERE too.  I loved it.  While I feel that their son currently doesn’t have adequate space, overall, it’s a refreshing change of pace and perspective.  What do you think?

Video: Family Lives in 320-Square-Foot ‘Shotgun Shack’

By Stefanos Chen | Posted Jun 1st 2011 11:30AM 681 comments

Having trouble qualifying for a home loan? Then consider what this inventive family of three did and buy yourself a Mississippi-style “shotgun shack.”

Sick of working two jobs apiece to pay the mortgage on their 2,000-square-foot home, Debra and her husband Gary decided to give it all up and start over – by purchasing a 320-square-foot shack for $15,000 cash.

The video below, first submitted to the blog faircompanies.com on an open call for videos of tiny homes, shows the couple and their teenage son living mortgage-free in their surprisingly spacious abode.

The home includes a walk-in closet, conventional-sized appliances and even a lofted bedroom for their son that, the family boasts, is big enough to host sleepovers. Watch the video below to see just how far a little ingenuity can take you, even in today’s prohibitive mortgage market.