Not Just for Kids

The Bubble Monster Book
by Junior Reporter Ariel Brumbaugh

If your summer days are getting longer and you're itching to have some fun, I know a good place to start. Start with The Bubble Monster Book. This is a book full of science experiments for kids of all ages.

Experiment your days away. One experiment that I really like is called Color Dance. It is fun because you get to see how colors react in different kinds of liquids, like milk and soap. You want to keep doing it over again to see what happens. I don't want to give any of the fun away. So you can do it too, by following the directions to the right.

I found a lot of other fun projects. You can build bridges out of boxes, make your own space station or test your coordination.

There is a hand-brain-eye coordination experiment where you draw an object in the book without looking at your sheet of drawing paper. It is a funny thing to do. Your drawing looks nothing like the object in the book. The experiment is so difficult that it makes you laugh even harder. I did it with a partner and we were cracking up the whole time. Try to draw an object without looking at the sheet of paper. What does your drawing look like?

This book is not only fun but also educational. It talks about different kinds of science: communication, patterns, matter, technology and more. I think it's a great book but try it out for yourself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

 

The Bubble Monster Book is produced by the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, with funding from the National Science Foundation. It received the 10th Annual Early Childhood News Director's Choice Award. Purchase your copy at a local bookstore , from the YWCA or by calling the publisher, Chicago Review Press at 800/888-4741.

Experiment with Color Dance

You Need:

Directions:

1. Pour one cup of milk into the pan.

2. Add 5 or more drops of each color into the milk. Put each color into a different area of the pan.

3. Squeeze one drop of soap onto each color.

4. While the colors are moving, add more drops of color to each area. See if the colors move differently when you add more soap.

5. Place a sheet of white paper or paper towel on top of the colors. Remove the paper and let it dry. You have captured a color dance!

6. If the colors stop dancing in the pan, add more milk, colors and soap.

Continue until you can't dance anymore!

You can see a Giant Desert Centipede at Baltimore's National Aquarium!

True or False: A centipede has 100 legs.

False: Most centipedes have 21 to 23 pairs of legs (that's 42 to 46 legs) Venom is only in the first pair of legs. The Giant Centipede rests during the day and captures prey (worms, spiders and insects) at night. Larger centipedes may capture newborn birds or mice. They can live up to 10 years.

Kid-Writers! Kid-Artists!

You can win FREE tickets to Baltimore's National Aquarium, if you write a story using words and/or pictures about your favorite (or least favorite) venomous creature. Keep your story to 100 words or less. It can be either a real life story or make believe. Read the True or False statement each week and let yourself be surprised at what you do know - and what you don't know! Attach the form below to your story and mail to:

NBT Venom
P.O. Box 358
Deale MD 20751.

One lucky kid will win on October 25 in a random drawing. Have fun and remember, use your imagination!

Kids' Calendar

Trash or Treasure Thurs. Aug. 19 (1-2pm & 3-4pm)-What are you throwing away? Learn the problems caused by garbage and litter. Find out what you can do to reduce waste. Patuxent Research Refuge North, off Rt. 198 Between BW Parkway and Rt. 32 in Laurel. Ages 5-7: 410/674-3304.

Night Life Fri. Aug. 20 (8pm)-Enjoy sights, scents and sounds of night life on one of the few remaining summer nights. Flag Ponds Nature Park, Lusby. rsvp: 410/535-5327.

Fishin' Girls Sat. Aug. 21 (7-noon)-Girls, you can enjoy a morning of charter boat fishing with Dad on Chesapeake Bay. Learn how to cast a line to reel in that trophy fish. Includes tackle, poles and bait. Don't forget a cooler for your prized catches @ Rod 'n' Reel Marina, Chesapeake Beach. Ages 8-15 $25; Dads $40. rsvp: 410/535-5327.

Fly, Butterfly, Fly Sat. Aug. 21 (8:30-11am)-Discover the world of butterflies on a guided hike. Patuxent Research Refuge N., off Rt. 198 betw/BW Parkway and Rt. 32 in Laurel. Ages 8+ w/adults: 410/674-3304.

See Spot Sat. Aug. 21 (11am)-Kids, get a hug from the famous storybook character, Spot, as he steps off the pages into Zany Brainy, Annapolis Harbour Center: 410/266-1447.

Beat the Heat Sat. Aug. 21 (7pm)-When you get too hot during the summer, do you cool off beside the fan? Animals don't have that luxury. See how they keep cool during the dog days of summer. Join Ranger Brian on a hike to see nature's air conditioning. Kinder Farm Park, Millersville. Ages 7-11; rsvp: 410/222-6115.

Lively Landscapes Sat. Aug. 21 (1-4pm)-Visit ArtWard Bound for All Ages Lively Landscapes exhibit at the Walters Art Gallery. Pick up an ArtPack at the front desk to help guide you thru the gallery. Then create a lively landscape of your own at a craft table. Walters Art Gallery, 600 N. Charles St., Baltimore: 410/547-9000.

Going Batty Sun. Aug. 22 (8pm)-Join Ranger Brian on a hike into the dark world of bats. Learn how these flying creatures adapt to nighttime. Bring a flashlight. Kinder Farm Park, Millersville. Ages 7-11; rsvp: 410/222-6115.

| Issue 33 |

Volume VII Number 33
August 19-25, 1999
New Bay Times

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