IceLanternsTakeadvantageofthecoldweatherbymakingbeautifulicelanternsthatwillbesuretolightupanyroomorsidewalkthisholidayseason!Observewater’suniquepropertiesasyoucreateyourlanterns.Enjoytheicy

glowbeforethetemperaturesstarttorise.TEKS:SCI1.5BPredictandidentifychangesinmaterialscausedbyheatingandcooling,suchasicemelting,waterfreezing,andwaterevaporating.SCI2.5BComparechangesinmaterialscausedbyheatingandcooling.SCI2.5CDemonstratethatthingscanbedonetomaterialstochangetheirphysicalproperties,suchascutting,folding,sanding,andmelting.SCI2.6AInvestigatetheeffectsonanobjectbyincreasingordecreasingamountsoflight,heat,andsoundenergy,suchashowthecolorofanobjectappearsdifferentindimmerlightorhowheatmeltsbutter.SCI3.5CPredict,observe,andrecordchangesinthestateofmattercausedbyheatingorcooling.Materials:

• Acupofrocks,pebbles,beans,oranyothersmallobjectstoactasweights• Batteryoperatedtealightcandle• Decorativepieces(e.g.pompoms,pipecleaners,beads,glitter)• Foodcoloring• Freezer(orjustplaceyourlanternoutsideifthetemperatureisbelowzero!)• Largeplasticcup• Smallplasticcup• Tape• Water

HowTo:1. Gatherallofyourdecorativeandcraftpieces.2. Takeyourlargeplasticcupandarrangeyourpipecleanersanddecorationssotheyarearoundthe

insidewallsofthecup.Youmightwanttostartwithtwistingapipecleanersoitspiralsuptheinsidewallofthecup.Yourotherdecorationsshouldbalanceonthepipecleaner“garland”thatyoujustcreated.

3. Onceallofyourdecorationsareinplace,takethesmallplasticcupandputitinsidethelargecup.4. Usingtape,securethesmallcupintoplacesothatthetopsofbothcupsarelevelwitheachother.

Usuallyaboutfourpiecesoftapeshoulddothetrick.5. Slowlyaddwatersothatitfillsbetweenthetwocups,makingsurethatwateronlygetsintothelarger

cup.6. Aswaterisadded,thesmallercupwillwanttopopup,soaddsomeweight,suchasstones,pebbles,or

uncookedbeans,tokeepitinplace.7. Continueaddingwateruntilitreachesacouplecentimetersfromthetop.8. Addfoodcoloringtothewaterforanaddedlayerofdecoration.9. Transferthecupsintothefreezerforseveralhoursoruntilcompletelyfrozen.10. Onceitiscompletelyfrozen,carefullyremovethesmallercupandthenthelargerone.Apairof

scissorsmightbeneededtomakeasmallsnipintheplasticcupstohelpremovethemwhilekeepingthelanternintact.

11. Insertabatteryoperatedtealightcandleandenjoyyouricelantern!

STEMExplanation:Waterhasuniquepropertiesthathavepeakedtheinterestsofmanyscientistsandstudentsforyears.Thewatermoleculeexistsatthreedifferentphysicalstates:asolid,aliquid,andagas.Atlowenoughtemperatures,32°F,liquidwaterwillfreezeandbecomeice.Waterisoneofthefewmaterialsthatexpandswhenitfreezes.Youcanseethisexpansionwhenyoucheckonyouricelanternafterseveralhours.Eventhoughyousecuredthesmallcupinsideofyourlargercupthatwasfilledwithwater,thesmallcupwashigherandtheicefrozetothebrimofthecup.Waterexpandswhenitfreezesbecausethewatermoleculescrystallizeintoarigidlatticestructure.CareerConnection:HydrologistsareinterestedinstudyinglargebodiesofwateraswellasresearchingthedistributionandcirculationofwateracrosstheEarth.Theyalsospendtheirtimestudyingthedifferentphysicalpropertiesofwaterthatcanbefoundonthesurfacelevelaswellasunderground.Hydrologistsmightworkcloselywithmeteorologistsorenvironmentalscientiststobetterpreservetheenvironment.Resource:https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/activities/engineering-ice-lantern-stem-activity/