Science can be pretty, too! Valentine’s Day is full of love and sweet gestures (not to mention delicious candy)! So add some science in the classroom using fun experiments using conversation hearts, beautiful colors, and heart shapes. Kids will love learning about the scientific method as they celebrate this day of love. Check out the fun experiments below and put some in your science lessons this year!
The Importance of the Scientific Method
The scientific method includes six different steps to conduct research. These include making an observation, researching the topic, making a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, analyzing data, and reporting conclusions. This is a cycle and is often repeated over and over again. However, this process is essential because it is a fantastic way to discover how and why the world works the way that it does. Furthermore, there are no biases behind the hypotheses and conclusions; students can report what they find while doing the experiments.
Dissolving Candy Hearts
Grab a box of conversation hearts and experiment, dropping them into different liquids to see what happens. Use hot water, cold water, milk, vinegar, juice, and any other liquid you can think of. See how quickly the hearts dissolve in each and record the findings. A fun way to record these findings is through a comic strip! You can easily do this using a blank piece of paper or a template like the one used in my Photosynthesis Comic Strip Activity.
Flower Dissection
For some fun Valentine’s Day science in the classroom, grab a bouquet for students to dissect. You will also need scissors, tweezers, magnifying glasses, and a cup of water for the flowers. First, label a paper plate with the parts of the flower that students should look for. Then, let students use scissors and tweezers to dissect their flowers and find all the details on their plates.
Fizzing Baking Soda Hearts Experiment
Mix one cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup water to complete this activity. It should create a paste-like consistency. Add food coloring to make them a bit more festive if you wish. Put the mixture into an ice cube tray (we use heart-shaped ones) and place it in the freezer. While your hearts freeze, fill small containers with about a quarter cup of vinegar. Once the hearts are frozen, place them on a rimmed dish or in a container. Let kids use eye droppers to put vinegar on the hearts and watch them fizz and dissolve!
Valentine’s Day Oobleck
Kids love slime; it’s a fact! Make your Oobleck using 2 cups cornstarch, 1 cup water, and red food coloring. Mix and add more water or cornstarch until you get your desired consistency. Add glitter and valentine’s day beads to make it fun! Give the kids scoops, cookie cutters, and other play tools to manipulate their Oobleck.
Magic Milk for Valentine’s Day
Place a heart-shaped cookie cutter on a baking pan and add some milk. It may leak out, and that’s ok. Next, add a few drops of food coloring and glitter but don’t mix. Next, dip a toothpick in soap and then dip it into the milk. Watch the colors swirl around the toothpick. Repeat and watch the process of this fun Magic Milk Experiment!
Heart Marshmallow Toothpick Structures
All you need for this STEM activity are toothpicks and heart marshmallows. Give groups of students a pack of marshmallows and toothpicks and ask them to build a structure. See who can make the tallest or largest structure using their materials. Remind them to problem-solve when their plans don’t work out!
Using a combination of these fun science activities in the classroom will help kids utilize the scientific method and work on collaborating with their peers. Add them to your February lesson plans for tons of fun and critical thinking!
Other Valentine Activities You Will LOVE
For more fun in the classroom during February, try these bulletin boards, newsletters, and classroom slides! Just click on the image below to grab each resource.
You will also love these posts:
- 6 Fun Activities on Valentine’s Day for Your Classroom
- February Themed Math Challenges to Encourage Math Talk in the Classroom
- 10 Exciting Ideas to Celebrate 100 Days of School
