Creative, Collaborative, Lifelong learners: flash, bang, wow attention grabbers

Ask someone what they remember from their science lessons at school and more than likely they'll recall the time that the tiniest lump of sodium whizzed around in a trough of water or the loud bang of a hydrogen & oxygen balloon exploding or the fantastic effect of dry ice placed in a large beaker of water with a couple of squirts of universal indicator, and if they are the mischevious type (hey wasn't that all of us as teenagers!) using the bunsen flame to melt the top of their biros when their teacher wasn't looking!

Students learn when they are involved, engaged and in a safe environment with positive learning experiences.

"Tell me and I'll forget

Show me and I may remember
Involve me and I'll understand"
Chinese Proverb

Health and Safety in most countries have clamped down on safety in school laboratories, as a result we are really limited with what "out of the ordinary but relevant" experiments that we can do in the classroom. See below some of my favourite flash, bang, wow attention grabbers.

I'd suggest letting your students carry out the experiments that are legal in your workplace, demo others if more appropriate while getting your students to video them using their mobile phones or laptops. Students can then describe and explain the science concepts behind the experiments by adding text to images using Macromedia Fireworks, editing the videos in Microsoft Movie Maker and adding audio using Audacity or perhaps using Microsoft Powerpoint to type text alongside images or video clips. I will post up another day with numerous recommended Science and Chemistry videos and interactive activities.

But first the disclaimer...I take absolutely no responsibility nor liability for death or injury that results to a person or persons who demonstrate or observe any of the reactions below or elsewhere on my blog pages. You must consult the Health and Safety guidelines for your own workplace and country and carry out your own risk assessment before attempting any of the experiments.

Never, ever risk your students safety.

to view a full screen image of the video rightclick, watch on Youtube	click on the name to download a detailed teacher information sheet	here is a brief description and link for the demonstration/experiment
	Whoosh bottle	A fast, furious reaction links to: combusion, organic
	Firewriting	Very easy to do, good for all ages links to: combustion, redox
	Fake blood	A wonderful, dramatic effect links to: redox, respiratory system
	Supercooling water	Do, definitely try this at home links to: states of matter, heat changes
	Ammonia fountain	Produces a little pink fountain links to: acids & bases
	Errie green glow	be sure the lights are out, a lovely green glow is produced. links to: combustion, organic
	Howling jelly baby	highly dangerous reaction, should only be carried out by a qualified Chemist. links to: redox, sound
	The copper cycle	What a neat little experiment, really fab! links to: redox, precipitation, neutralisation, thermal decomposition
	Thermite reaction	highly dangerous exothermic reaction, should only be carried out by a qualified Chemist links to: redox, reactivity series
	Making glass	colourful glass beads are produced links to: transition metals
	Rainbow tornado	rainbow colours with a tornado effect will certainly hold your students attention links to: acids & bases
	Balancing trick	Persevere with this one, it's worth it, also a great party trick. links to: forces, moments
	Hot air balloon	This works brilliantly, launch well away from main roads. links: convection
	Elephants toothpaste	certainly has the wow factor! you could also use MnO2 as the catalyst links to: states of matter, rates of reactions
	Cannon fire	little snap, crackle and pops will go off links to: redox
	Paper kettle	a fab experiment, boil water in your paper kettle with a bunsen, students won't believe that the paper doesn't go on fire! links to: convection
	Blue glow	turn the lights off and watch this illuminous blue glow, mesmerising! links to: rate of reaction
	Turning copper into gold	Act as an alchemist as you turn copper to silver (zinc coating) and then gold (brass) links to: redox, periodic table
	Coke fountain	stand well back, this is loads of fun, another one to try at home links to: forces
	The wine party	this demonstrates more redox reactions links to: redox
	Burning money	a good attention grabber at the beginning of a topic links to: combustion, organic
	Slime	this is a fun experiment that can extend into an investigation as students carry out tests on their slime links to: organic, investigating
	Volcano reaction	highly dangerous redox reaction, should only be carried out by a qualified Chemist. links to: redox, geology
	Oscillating Briggs-Rauscher reaction	students observe not just 1 colour change but ongoing colour changes for a few minutes links to: observations, rate of reactions
	Matchstick rocket	another one to try at home, once perfected this works well links to: forces
	Rainbow flames	another good lesson starter links to: flames tests, observations
	Extremely cold reaction	amaze your students as you lift some wood with some cold water links to: endothermic reactions
	Vacuum bazooka	another projectile launcher to try at home links to: forces
	Black snake	this is a good into to carbon chemistry links to: elements & compounds, organic
	Polymer ball	a good activity at the end of a few lessons on polymers links: organic
	Ferrofluid	You absolutely must purchase this fluid online, has to be seen to be believed links to: elements, magnetism