Today in Around the World in 50 Experiments, we're heading to Norway! Learn about Vikings, Fjords, Northern Lights and navigating with the stars as we travel to Scandinavia for an adventure.

Around the World in 50 Experiments - Norway

Norway is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe, with one-third above the Arctic Circle. It shares a border with Sweden to the east and Finland and Russia to the northeast.

Norway is known for its spectacular natural beauty, mountains, glaciers, fjords and northern lights.

Facts about Norway

Capital City - Oslo

Official language - Norwegian

Currency - Norwegian Krone - NOK

Population - Approx 5.5 million

The Christmas tree in London's Trafalgar Square is a gift from the people of Oslo every year.

Norwegian Roald Amundson was the first person to reach the South Pole in 1911.

Trolls are mythical creatures from Norwegian folklore. Troll stories are passed down through generations, and many natural rock formations are associated with trolls.

Wildlife in Norway

Thanks to its varied landscapes and large coastline, Norway has a diverse range of wildlife.

Polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes and musk oxes are found in the Arctic regions, while wolves, brown bears and elks are common in mountainous and forest regions.

Marine life off the coast of Norway includes:

Humpback whales

Minke whales

Orcas

Seals

Puffins

History of Norway

Norway has a rich history dating back to the Stone Age, but it is perhaps most famous for the Vikings, seafaring people from Scandinavia who dominated from the late 8th to late 11th centuries. The Vikings were skilled explorers and traders who connected Norway with other parts of Europe and further afield. Viking mythology, traditions and language continue to influence the Norwegian culture.

Learn about Norway with a science activity

The Northern Lights

Chalk Art

Learn about the aurora borealis with a piece of chalk art to show the colours and patterns. Taming Little Monsters has a great example of this beautiful art and science activity.

Norway's Fjords

Norway is famous for its breathtakingly beautiful fjords. A fjord is a deep, narrow valley surrounded by cliffs on each side.

When glaciers form, they sometimes cut long U-shaped valleys out of the bedrock ( glacial erosion ). When the glaciers melt, sea levels rise, flooding the valley to form fjords.

Fjords are usually located in mountainous areas close to the sea. Two of Norway's most famous fjords are Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord.

Scientists have recently found coral reefs at the bottom of fjords in Norway.

Find out how glaciers form with a video from National Geographic.

Viking Longboats

The Vikings were seafarers from Scandinavia. Vikings are famous for their longships, which were made from planks of timber overlapped and nailed together. Spaces between the planks were filled with wool, moss or animal hair mixed with tar to make the ships watertight.

The front of the ship was usually decorated with a carving of an animal head. The ships were built to be long, easy to manoeuvre, and fast. The narrow width reduced drag, making the ships faster and the low depth allowed the ships to travel up rivers as well as on the sea. The downside of the low depth in the water was that the ships were more likely to capsize than ships that sat deeper in the water. The flat bottom made them very buoyant as they had a large surface area for the sea to push against.

Viking longboats had oars, one large sail and a steering oar to steer the ship. Vikings would pull ships up on land at night and use the sail to make a tent to sleep under.

Viking Longboat STEM Challenge

Vikings made their ships watertight by filling the spaces between planks of timber with wool, moss or animal hair mixed with tar or tallow ( rendered beef fat ).

In this activity, you can waterproof your own Viking ship! Either make several mini models from cardboard, cover the bottom of each with a different material, and test them in water or use my paper version where materials are stuck over the longboat images and water sprinkled over the top.

We used kitchen foil, fabric and wax crayon to waterproof our ships. You can see that the foil and crayon are waterproof as the water sits in beads on the top.

Viking Navigation

Vikings didn't have modern day GPS systems or even a compass, so they navigated using the stars and sun. The North Star ( Polaris ) sits at the north celestial pole. As the Earth rotates, other stars seem to rotate around the North Star, which is why it was important for navigation in Viking times. Imagine drawing a line through the earth from the South Pole to the North Pole. If you then kept going up, you'd hit Polaris!

How to find the North Star

Polaris is part of the constellation of Ursa Minor, also known as Little Bear or Little Dipper. Polaris lies at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper and is by far the brightest of the seven stars but not the brightest star in the sky, as people often think.

Stargazing Activity

On a clear night, go outside and see if you can spot the North Star. If you want to track the stars over a period of time, record your daily findings with my stargazing logbook.

How did Vikings navigate during the day

In the daytime, Vikings used the sun to navigate using a shadow board ( or sun compass ), which was like a sundial. This way of navigating was useful but limiting as it only worked on a clear day.

Vikings measured the length of the shadow on the sun shadow board at noon when the sun was highest in the sky. A circle was drawn to mark the tip of the shadow at the starting location. Sailors would take a new reading each day at noon. If the shadow was longer than the circle, they knew they had travelled north of the starting position, and if it was shorter, they had travelled south. These crude measurements allowed Vikings to travel in whichever direction they wanted.

Viking sailors also used the behaviour of birds to navigate. Birds carrying food were heading to land, and those with empty beaks would be heading to sea.

Make a Sun Shadow Board

This activity uses a torch to represent the sun.

You'll need

cardboard

Short segment of dowel

Torch

Instructions

Cut a circle with an approximate diameter of 20cm out of the cardboard. The size isn't too important.

Place the piece of dowel in the centre and fix it in place.

Use a torch to show the shadow of the dowel and draw a circle on the sun board.

I covered the bottom of our sun shadow board with foil to keep the cardboard dry in the water.

Move the torch up and down to show how the length of the shadow changes.

Vikings placed their sun shadow board in a bowl of water so it stayed level at sea. You can test this by placing your board on water and creating waves. The board should stay almost flat on the surface.

We've had lots of fun learning about navigation, fjords and Vikings! Where will you head next on your journey around the world in 50 experiments?

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Next on our trip Around the World in 50 Experiments is Lapland!

Lapland is a huge region in northern Finland. It extends from the Arctic Circle to the borders of Norway and Sweden. The original people of Lapland are the Sami people. Many still live a traditional lifestyle.

Lapland has a varied landscape, including forests, arctic wilderness and large hills.

Lapland Facts for Kids

Summer is short.

There are more reindeer than humans!

Lapland has a history of gold mining! Visitors can learn pan for gold in Tankavaara Gold Village and Kakslauttanen Arctic resort.

Santa Claus is said to live in Lapland. You can visit the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi.

Lapland is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights.

Lapland has some of the cleanest air in the world.

The local Sami people use 8 seasons to describe the changing weather conditions throughout the year. As well as the usual spring, summer, autumn and winter they include transitions between seasons.

Lapland is home to many interesting animals, including arctic foxes, brown bears, reindeer, moose and the Wolverine!

Arctic Animal Adaptations

Arctic animals have several adaptations to allow them to thrive in their harsh environment.

Wolverine

• thick, dense fur for insulation
• Powerful jaws and teeth for crushing bones and frozen meat
• large paws to act like snowshoes
• sharp claws

Arctic Fox

• thick, dense fur for insulation
• fur turns white in winter for cameouflage
• small ears to reduce heat loss.
• fur on paws for insulation and to grip on ice and snow
• the ability to digest bones and fur

Brown Bear

• thick fur for insulation
• layer of fat for warmth
• hibernate in winter

Reindeer

• thick fur for insulation.
• hairy hooves to stop snow sticking and clogging up the hooves.
• wide hooves to distribute their weight evenly on the snow.

Create a Mix Up Arctic Animal

Creat your own mic up Arctic animal using adapatations from real animals.

More Lapland Science Activity Ideas

Try one my Santa STEM challenges.

Royal Museums Greenwich has some fantastic Northern Lights science activities.

Where will you go next in our journey around the world.

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The next location in Around the World in 50 Experiments is Portugal. Portugal is located in Southwestern Europe and has a long, beautiful Atlantic coastline, captivating history and diverse landscapes. The volcanic Azores and Madeira islands also belong to Portugal.

The Serra da Estrela mountain range dominates the north, while the central region contains forests, farmland, and charming villages. The Algarve area is home to world-class sandy beaches, breathtaking cliffs, and clear blue water.

Most people live along the coast and in areas around Lisbon and Porto.

Language - Portuguese

Population - 10 million ( 2024 )

Capital City - Lisbon

Nature

Common animals found in Portugal are boars, wild goats, otters, flamingos, Iberian Hares, and the Iberian Lynx, which is one of the world's most endangered species.

Cork

Portugal produces most of the world's cork! Cork is harvested from the bark of cork oak trees and is used for products such as wine bottle corks, shoe soles, insulation and flooring.

Shops in Portugal also sell a variety of cork handbags, purses, wallets, and other products you wouldn't think could be made from cork!

Cork trees have thick bark, which insulates the tree and protects it from drought and fire. They can live for hundreds of years, so if the cork is harvested sustainably, it can supply a cork for a long time. Cork trees can be harvested every nine years.

Cork is stripped by hand from trees and then left to dry for several months before being made into a product.

Cork trees also sequester carbon, making them a fantastic way to help fight climate change.

Cork STEM Challenge

Cork has small air pockets trapped inside, making it lightweight and low density. This simple STEM challenge demonstrates these properties of cork.

Cork floats on water because it has a lower density than water.

You'll need

A cork

Small glass or jar

Water

Instructions

Fill the glass or jar almost to the top with water.

Place the cork on the water. It should float.

Move the cork to the middle of the water on the surface and try to get it to stay there. It will probably start to move towards the edge.

Carefully add more water to the glass until it's almost overflowing.

The cork should move to the centre of the glass and stay there.

Why does this happen?

When the glass is as full as it can be, the surface tension of the water moves above the rim of the glass or jar. You should be able to see that the surface is slightly rounded. The cork moves to the highest point of the water ( the centre ) and stays in position.

The Iberian Lynx

The Iberian Lynx is an endangered species. They are largely restricted to mountainous areas along the Iberian Peninsula.

Iberian lynxes are solitary, nocturnal animals that are most active around sunset. They are carnivores that eat mostly small mammals such as rabbits and birds.

Threats to the Iberian Lynx

• The biggest threat to the Iberian Lynx is the destruction of its habitat. Cars and traps set for rabbits often kill them.

• Decreasing rabbit populations.

• Hunting

Facts about the Iberian Lynx

They bury unfinished prey to finish eating later.

An adult lynx will eat one rabbit per day. A female providing for cubs can eat three per day.

The Iberian Lynx has excellent vision, vertical pupils, fast reflexes, and good hearing.

The long hair on their feet helps them move quietly over snow.

Create a food chain for the Iberian Lynx

Print the food chain below, cut out the images and put them together in a chain.

Where will you head next in our journey Around the World in 50 Experiments?

Don't forget to print off the FREE passport and create a compass before heading on!

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The next destination in our trip Around the World in 50 Experiments is Christmas Island.

Christmas Island is an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, about 1600 miles northwest of Perth. It's a small island, only 52 square miles in size and is home to around 2000 people. Most inhabitants live on the northern edge of the island.

Christmas Island was named by Captain William Mynors, who arrived on the island on Christmas Day in 1643.

Christmas Island is home to many incredible species of wildlife, including birds, reptiles and marine life.

Visitors love Christmas Island because of its National Parks, biodiversity and breathtaking beauty.

Christmas Island Science Activities

Red Crab Migration

Red crabs are unique to Christmas Island, with over 120 million of them living in the rainforests for most of the year.

Between October and December each year, 40 - 50 million red crabs make a dangerous journey from the forest to the ocean to mate and lay eggs.

When the crabs reach the beach, the males dig burrows, where females join them to mate. After mating, the females stay behind in the burrow, and the males head home. Each female crab lays around 100,000 eggs!

When the moon reaches its last quarter, the crabs enter the sea at the turn of high tide and release their eggs.

Christmas Island Science Activities

Red crab migration STEM Challenge

As the crabs migrate, one of the main hazards is roads. Special bridges have been built over some major roads to provide a safe route for the crabs.

Use the challenge sheet below to design a bridge or tunnel to help red crabs survive the perilous journey.

More activity ideas

Read more about red crabs and their annual migration.

Don't forget to download the passport and choose the next destination for your adventure around the world.

Fun facts about Christmas Island

Christmas Island is in the Indian Ocean.

Many languages are spoken on the island, including English, Chinese and Malay.

Christmas Island was named on Christmas Day 1643, but people didn't settle there until the late 19th Century.

About two-thirds of the island is a national park.

The island has a long shoreline, but much of it is inaccessible.

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The next country in our trip Around the world in 50 Experiments is Egypt!

Egypt is a fascinating country with a long and rich history. The first settlers along the banks of the River Nile are thought to have arrived around 8000 years ago. Each year, the Nile would flood the surrounding land over summer, leaving behind rich silt perfect for growing crops. The fertile land attracted more people, and small villages cropped up along the floodplain. The land was originally split into Upper and Lower Egypt until around 3100 BC when they united to form the Kingdom of Egypt, thought to be one of the world's first nations! This period of Ancient Egypt lasted until around 1000 BC, when Egypt lost its independence.

Ancient Egypt is well known for its vast contributions to mathematics, astronomy and human civilisation. Egypt's pyramids are still hugely inspirational to modern day architects, mathematicians and artists.

What is the capital city of Egypt?

The capital city of Egypt is Cairo. Cairo is one of the most populated cities in the world and a hub of Africa. In Cairo, you'll find everything you associate with a modern city, including skyscrapers, hotels and restaurants mixed in with ancient monuments, traditional churches and markets.

Where is Egypt

The Sinai Peninsula in Egypt connects Africa to Asia. Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of Africa and the southwestern corner of Asia.

What is Egypt's climate like?

Egypt's land is mostly desert, so the climate is arid. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are mild. Egypt's annual rainfall is very low. It is one of the driest countries in the World. Even Egypt's wettest areas receive less than 8 inches of rain each year on average!

Nature in Egypt

Animals commonly found in Egypt include gazelles, crocodiles, a wide variety of birds and insects, camels and cobras.

Ancient Egyptian Pyramids

The earliest Egyptian kings were buried underneath rectangular buildings called mastabas. The first pyramid was created by an architect called Imhotep, who created a step pyramid for King Djoser. The Step Pyramid was a stack of boxes that got smaller as they rose up. Imhotep's pyramid was the inspiration for King Khufu's Great Pyramid at Giza, which still stands today. The Great Pyramid was built around 2550 BC and took over 20 years to build, with a workforce of around 20,000 people!

The second pyramid at Giza was built by Khufu's son, along with the Great Sphinx. The Great Sphinx is a huge statue with a person's head and a lion's body.

Science activities for learning about Egypt

Rainfall comparisons

Egypt has very low rainfall. Compare the average rainfall in your country to that of Egypt!

Model pyramids

Use LEGO to build a model of a step pyramid. There's a great one on the LEGO Ideas website.

Mummify a vegetable

Ancient Egyptians believed the body was reunited with its spirit in the afterlife, so they preserved bodies by a process called mummification.

First, the body was washed, and then the organs were removed. The brain was thrown away as it was considered useless, and the liver, stomach, intestines and lungs were cleaned, preserved and sealed in canopic jars. The heart was put back into the body. The body cavity was then packed with salt to soak up moisture, and the body was left to dry for 40 days. The salt stopped the body from decaying. The final stage was to remove the salt and fill the body with spices, plants, and rags so it would keep a human shape. The corpses were then wrapped in linen.

This activity uses salt to dry out vegetables, demonstrating why ancient Eqyptians used salt in the mummification process.

You'll need

Three small plates

Fresh vegetables

Salt

Instructions

Create an identical vegetable shape on each plate.

Cover one with salt, place one in a fridge and leave one out at room temperature.

Check all plates each day for a week and record how the vegetables look.

The vegetables that have been kept in the fridge should look the healthiest, as the low temperature inhibits the growth of bacteria.

The salty vegetables should have dried out. Salt also inhibits the growth of bacteria.

Image and activity taken from Gross Science

Building Pyramids

Egyptian people had to move large stones from where they were located to the pyramid site and then lift stones up the pyramid. Scientists think Egyptians used ramps to move stones up the pyramid and dragged the stones over land on large sledges. Adding water to the sand would have reduced the friction, meaning fewer men were needed to move the stones.

If you've got a large tray of sand, try pulling a small wooden plank with blocks on top over the surface. It should be easier if the sand is wet!

Fun facts about Egypt

Egypt is divided into two parts. Upper Egypt is in the south, and Lower Egypt is in the North. This naming is because the Nile flows from south to north.

The capital city of Egypt is Cairo.

The Nile River is the longest river in the world. It is 6650km long!

There are over 100 pyramids still standing in Egypt today.

Ancient Egyptians sometimes mummified cats!

The Great Pyramid is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World left standing.

Egypt was also home to another of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Egypt's population is around 100 million people.

The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean.

Most of the population lives along the Nile.

The study of ancient Egypt is called Egyptology.

The Aswan Dam stops the River Nile Flooding each year.

The Hieroglyphic script had no vowels!

Cleopatra was the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt.

Find out more about Egypt

Find out everything you need to know about visiting Egypt's pyramids.

Learn more about mummification and the afterlife.

References

Climate https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine-in-Egypt

Imhotep https://www.britannica.com/biography/Imhotep

Pyramids https://www.livescience.com/32616-how-were-the-egyptian-pyramids-built-.html

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In today's Around the World in 50 Experiments adventure, we're heading to India, home to one of the oldest civilisations on Earth and a current population of over 1.4 billion people!

India is a magical land of spices, colour, mountains, beaches, swamps, rain, curry and crafts. India has 22 official languages and is the birthplace of chess, snakes and ladders and yoga!

Where is India?

India is a country in South Asia bordered by the Bay of Bengal on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other. India has a varied terrain and climate, including deserts, jungles and fertile areas perfect for farming.

As part of our virtual trip to India, we're going to learn about the monsoon, India's traditional drink and find out how the Himalayas formed.

India's Monsoon Season

What is a monsoon?

A monsoon is a seasonal change in the direction of prevailing winds. In India, monsoon winds lead to a rainy summer and dry winter.

India's monsoon season runs from June to September. The winds blow from the Indian Ocean to India. The monsoon isn't the rain but the movement of the wind that causes the rain. Monsoons are caused by temperature differences in the air over land and sea.

In summer, the land and air above it are very hot, but the sea and air above it are cooler. Hot air is lighter than cold air, so the hot air over land rises and is replaced by cooler sea air. The air from over the sea contains a lot of moisture which falls to land as rain.

In winter, the air above land cools to a lower temperature than the air above the sea. Warm air from the sea rises, and cooler air blows in from the land to take its place. Winds originating over land are generally dry, so the winter is dry.

Monsoons aren't all bad. In India, monsoon rains are very much needed for crops, although too much rain can cause flooding, damaging crops and buildings.

Make a rain gauge

You can measure rainfall with a simple rain gauge. We made this one using a plastic bottle.

Use a ruler and measure rainfall daily or weekly.

Find out what the average rainfall is in your area and compare it to that in Cherrapunji!

Take the tea test

India is famous for growing tea and is the world's second-largest tea producer. One idea for a tea based activity is to make several different types of Indian teas and see if you can tell the difference between them. Assam and Darjeeling are two good teas to start with. Tea leaves get their name from the area that they are grown in and taste slightly different. The difference stems from climate and soil differences. When the tea is harvested can also affect the flavour of the drink.

Another idea is to make traditional chai tea. Perhaps make it for a friend and ask them if they can tell which spices are in the tea from the aroma and taste.

Or, try and grow your own tea!

How long is a King Cobra?

King Cobras are found in the rainforests of India as well as China and Southeast Asia. These impressive animals can reach 18ft long and can lift a third of their body off the ground to confront a potential predator.

King Cobras are the world's longest venomous snake!

Use a tape measure to find out how many feet tall you are and find out how much taller a King Cobra is than you!

The Himalayas

The Himalayas is the highest mountain range in the world and is spread over five countries: Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan and China.

The Himalayas are still rising at a rate of about 4mm each year, but this is offset by erosion and weathering.

How did the Himalayas form?

The Himalayas formed around 40 million years ago when India ( which was then not part of the continent we now call Asia ) moved across the sea towards the Eurasian plate. When the Indian plate and Eurasian plate collided, the Indian plate pushed against the Eurasian plate, forcing it upwards, creating a huge mountain fold that became the Himalayas.

Learn about plate tectonics

One way to learn about plate tectonics is to model the Earth and its tectonic plates with an orange covered in jam with the peel placed back on top. Push the edges of the peel ( tectonic plates ) together, and you'll see how the jam rises up, just like a mountain range!

Fun facts about India

India's national flower is the lotus.

Himalaya means home of snow.

India is the only country in the world with lions and tigers.

The capital city of India is New Delhi.

India's currency is the Rupee.

Hinduism is the most common religion, followed by Islam.

The Taj Mahal is one of the 7 New Wonders of the World and took 20,000 workers 21 years to build.

In the monsoon season, Cherrapunjee is the wettest place on Earth!

The Indian film industry is called Bollywood.

The Sundarbans is one of the world's largest mangrove forests and lies on the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

Where will you head next on our journey Around the World in 50 Experiments?

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Our next stop in our journey Around the World in 50 Experiments is a chain of islands in the Caribbean Sea called Grenada. Grenada is made up of three islands, Grenada, Petit Martinique and Carriacou. These volcanic islands have a beautiful tropical climate, gorgeous beaches, lush rainforests and abundant wildlife.

Grenada produces lots of spices, including nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, bay leaves and turmeric.

Grenada - Fun Facts

Grenada produces around one-third of the world's nutmeg!

As well as spices, Grenada is famous for its cocoa production.

The official language of Grenada is English.

Levera Beach is known for its population of Leatherback turtles, which are now critically endangered.

The population of Grenada is around 110,000.

Grenada is nicknamed The Island of Spice.

Grenada is home to the world's first underwater sculpture park. The structures are mostly made from pH-neutral concrete, which attracts marine life to form an artificial reef. This is great as it also attracts tourists reducing pressure on the natural reefs.

Science Activity Ideas - Grenada

Leatherback Turtles

Rainy Day Mum has a great activity with a plastic bag jellyfish showing how easily animals can mistake plastic for food. Eating just one piece of plastic can be life-threatening to a turtle*.

Spice and Smells

Smell and taste activity

Grenada is famous for its spices. Spices give off lovely smells and add delicious flavour to foods. Did you know how a food smells affects its taste?

Try eating something while holding your nose; you'll probably find it doesn't taste as good as when you can fully smell it.

The activity below is taken from my book, Gross Science, but you can download this activity free of charge.

Spiced play dough

Nurture Store also has some lovely spiced play dough ideas. These would work well as part of a guess the spice game.

Where will you go next on our journey Around the World in 50 Experiments?

Reference

• https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/what-do-sea-turtles-eat-unfortunately-plastic-bags

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Today, we're off to Canada on our trip Around the World in 50 Experiments. Don't forget to print the passport to record everywhere you go!

Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia, with the USA a close third. Canada is vast, rugged and beautiful, home to mountains, forests, vast wetlands, open prairies, rivers, lakes and cities.

The Canadian Arctic covers about 40% of the Northernmost part of Canada and is home to incredible wildlife, including polar bears, narwhals and walruses.

Fun Canada Facts

Canada gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1931.

Niagra Falls sits on the border between the USA and Canada and is the largest waterfall in North America ( by volume ).

Canada's coastline is over 125,000 miles long.

Almost 90% of Canada is uninhabitable due to extreme cold.

The capital of Canada is Ottowa, in the province of Ontario.

The population of Canada is around 37 million.

The national dish of Canada is poutine. Fries with cheese curds and gravy. YUM!

Canada is so vast it stretches along SIX time zones covering 4.5 hours.

In the province of British Columbia, Vancouver is often considered one of the best places to live in the world.

Canada is the largest country in North America.

The town of St Paul in Alberta is home to the world's first UFO landing pad, built-in 1967!

Canada's largest city is Toronto.

The Canadian train takes four days to travel from Vancouver to Toronto.

Around 85% of the world's maple syrup comes from Canada.

Animals found in Canada

• Bears
• Deer M
• Mountain Lions
• Bison
• Antelope
• Caribou
• Orca
• Moose
• Snowy owl
• and many, many more...

Science Experiments - Canada

Maple Syrup Investigation

Canada is famous for its maple syrup. As well as being a delicious sweet treat, maple syrup is full of antioxidants and minerals!

Maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees ( the leaf on the Canadian flag ). Traditionally maple trees are tapped by drilling holes into their trunk to collect the sap, which is then concentrated by heating to make maple syrup.

Maple Syrup Viscosity Investigation

If you want to compare maple syrup to other types of syrup or even different varieties of maple syrup to each other, try this syrup viscosity investigation.

The more viscous the liquid, the slower it flows.

Ice Hockey Investigation

Ice hockey is the most popular sport in Canada, followed by lacrosse! Learn more about the game and the science behind the hockey puck with my hockey puck investigation.

Animal Crossings Investigation

Highways in Canada's National Parks have special bridges and tunnels for animals to safely cross the road!

Can you design a bridge or tunnel for a small animal? How would you attract it to the crossing and away from the road?

That's the end of our trip to Canada, where will you go next in our journey Around the World in 50 Experiments?

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Mexico is the next country in our trip around the World in 50 experiments. Mexico is located in North America and shares a border with the United States. It's the 14th largest country in the World. Mexico is very hot, with deserts in the north, mountains and canyons in the centre and rainforests in the south.

Mexico is a fascinating country with a long and varied history. It's full of incredible animals and has many interesting geological features.

Mexico Facts

• Capital city - Mexico City
• Mexico has 31 states and Mexico City which is not part of a state.

• Main language - Spanish
• The national symbol of Mexico is the golden eagle.
• Mexico has over 700 species of reptiles!

• The longest river in Mexico is the Rio Grande which starts in Colorado.

Volcanoes and Earthquakes

Mexico is part of the Ring of Fire, a stretch of around 40,000km along tectonic plate boundaries in the Pacific Ocean. The Ring of Fire is home to over 450 volcanoes and unsurprisingly most of the Earth's Earthquakes occur on its path. Just off the west coast of Mexico is a subduction zone where the Cocos oceanic plate slides under the North American continental plate. This makes Mexico prone to earthquakes. Mexico city suffered an earthquake in 1985 that was particularly devasting for the country.

A baking soda and vinegar volcano is a great way to learn about volcanoes and I also have some ideas for learning about earthquakes including making a seismometer!

One simple way to learn about tectonic plates is with an orange! You can carefully unpeel it and break up the peel to represent tectonic plate boundaries. The orange peel moving over the jam shows how tectonic plates can push against each other.

Chichen Itza

Mexico is home to Chichen Itza, one of the new 7 wonders of the World.

Chichen Itza is an ancient Mayan city founded around the 5th or 6th century AD. At its peak, it was home to over 30,000 people with pyramids, temples and roads. In the centre of Chichen Itza is a temple called Kukulkan. The template was dedicated to the serpent god Kukulkan and was where the priests of the time communicated with Gods and performed ceremonies.

The Temple of Kukulkan ( also known as El Castillo ) has 91 steps on each side and one step at the top giving a total of 365, one for each day of the year.

The temple is incredible even by today's standards but if you consider how long ago it was built it's even more impressive!

During the spring and summer equinoxes, the shadow from the sun makes it look like the snake is sliding down the steps.

We created our own Temple of Kukulkan with Lego and used a torch to recreate the serpent shadow. It's still a work in progress, but you get the idea.

Nature

Mexico is handily located between the equator and the Arctic circle making it the perfect place for animals escaping from extreme temperatures. The gray whale is one example of a migratory animal. Gray whales make a long journey from the cold Alaskan waters to the much warmer Baja California Sur to breed.

Mexico's varied climate makes it home to a diverse range of animals. Axolotls are found in rivers and lakes in Central Mexico. These strange creatures are fascinating to scientists because they can regrow body parts including their limbs, spinal cord and heart! Sadly axolotls are almost extinct in the wild.

Red Ted Art has some beautiful axolotl colouring pages and crafts if you want to learn more about this fascinating animal.

Mexico is also home to one of the largest rattlesnakes in the World. The Mexican rattlesnake can be up to 5 feet long!

You'll also find sea turtles, anteaters, ocelots, monkeys, lemurs, parrots, sloths, armadillos and even donkeys in Mexico!

Sloths are particularly fascinating. Their fur is home to lots of different organisms including insects, algae and other microbes. Sloths have a symbiotic relationship with green algae. The sloth provides a home for the algae and the algae help camouflage the sloth, so predators find them harder to spot!

That's the end of our whirlwind trip around Mexico.

Where will you go next in our trip around the World?

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Welcome back to my Around the World in 50 Experiments series. Today we're off to Azerbaijan to learn about mud volcanoes!

Azerbaijan sits on the banks of the Caspian Sea in Asia. It's bordered by Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran and is home to around 10 million people.

What is a mud volcano?

Azerbaijan has lots of oil and gas reserves. Mud volcanoes have formed above some of these reserves which belch out gases causing eruptions of water, sand, gas and oil.

Most mud volcanoes are small and don't rise much more that a metre high, but occasionally they can erupt so explosively that they spontaneously combust. This happened in Azerbaijan on the 4th July 2021.

Make your own mud volcano

You can make a very simple model of a mud volcano with some cornflour gloop and a straw!

You'll need

Cornflour

Water

Straw

Bowl

Black or grey food colouring - optional

Instructions

Place about a cup of cornflour into the bowl and slowly add water until it turns into a thick liquid that runs through your fingers.

Place a straw under the surface and blow ( DO NOT suck up the cornflour as it won't taste very nice ).

Watch as the air you blow forms bubbles of cornflour that looks just like a mud volcano.

Facts about Azerbaijan

Wrestling is a popular sport!

The capital city is Baku.

Chess is a popular game.

Azerbaijan is home to around 400 mud volcanoes!

The Caucasus Mountains are home to roe and red deer, brown bears and lynx as well as over 300 bird species.

Yanar Dag is a fire which never stops burning. The fire is caused by a constant stream of natural gas leaking to the surface.

Where will you head to next?

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The idea of a map stick or journey stick is to creative a visual representation of a journey or area.

Aboriginal people in Australia used journey sticks to help recount their journey to others. Items on the stick represent features of the journey. Journey sticks are sometimes called storytelling sticks as they tell the story of a journey.

This activity is part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series for Australia!

Around the World in 50 Experiments - Australia

How to make a journey stick

You'll need

A stick - at least 20 cm long

String or elastic bands

Instructions

Go for a walk and stop every 5 minutes or whenever you see something interesting. At each rest point take a good look around and choose an object that reminds you of the location.

Try to only pick objects from the ground, not flowers that are still living.

Extension task

Ask a friend follow your route using the objects you have chosen.

Make a journey stick for the same route at different times of year, think about how the environment changes through the seasons.

Ask a friends o make a journey stick for the same route. Does their stick look the same as yours?

Why make a journey stick?

A journey or map stick is great for working on observational skills, communication and for learning about habitats.

Encourage children to think about features of their local environment, consider similarities and differences and think about how best to record their jourrey.

About Australia

Australia is huge with vast areas of desert as well as rainforests, cities and rural towns. It's home to the World's largest rock ( Ayers Rock ( Uluru ), coral reefs, around 7000 beaches and lots of deadly animals including the red back spider, venomous snakes, box jellyfish and saltwater crocodile.

Australia is also famous for kangaroos, platypus and koalas which aren't found anywhere else in the world!

Aboriginal Australian people were the first to live in Australia and have lived in the country for 50,000 years!

Activities for learning about Australia

Jumping Kangaroos

Kangaroos can jump up to 8 metres thanks to their springy legs. How far can you jump? Do you think you would be able to catch a Kangaroo?

Can you make a Kangaroo food chain? Kangaroos eat grass, but don't have many natural predators, so the food chain is very short!

Lake Eyre

The Lake Eyre basin is one of the driest parts of Australia and Lake Eyre is Australia's largest salt lake. The lake is usually a salt flat as most of the water evaporates as it travels to the lake.

You can make your own mini salt flat by leaving a mixture of water and salt outside on a sunny day. The water will evaporate leaving just the salt behind!

Lake Eyre gets very little rainfall. To compare rainfall in your area compared to Lake Eyre you can make a rain gauge and measure how much rain falls over a period of time.

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Next in my Around the World in 50 Experiments series is Germany. Germany has the second biggest population in Europe but much of the land is still covered in forest.

Germany is the birthplace of the Grimm Brothers and home to many much loved Fairy Tale characters including Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. It's perhaps no surpirse that Germany is also famous for it's incredible castles. You can read more about the history behind Germany's fairy tale castles here.

Fairy Tale Science Experiments

Here at Science Sparks we love Fairy Tales and science activities related to them.

Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm didn't actually write the Fairy Tales in their famous book, but studied German folklore and gathered stories told and passed down the generations. Grimms' Fairy Tales ( Children's and Household Tales) was first published in 1812, but there have been many new editions since then.

Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel's father leaves them in the forest at the request of his wife. Hansel and Gretel first find their way back home using small stones to follow home, but after their breadcrumbs are eaten by birds they become lost in the forest.

Leave messages for Hansel and Gretel with this invisible ink activity using lemon juice.

Another idea is to build a house from sweets for the witch!

Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood goes to visit her Grandma, but gets a nasty surprise...

This interactive map with problems to solve to help Little Red Riding Hood escape the wolf is a brilliant hands on activity.

Witches Potions

Hansel and Gretel push a witch in an oven, Rapunzel is imprisoned by a witch and a witch steals the Little Mermaids voice.

Try making fizzy potions, colour changing potions and creepy witches potions to bring these stories to life.

Rapunzel

A witch traps Rapunzel in a tower when her parents fail to give her up after she helped them years before.

Help Rapunzel escape her tower with a mini zip line! We've also made a zip line for Jack and the Beanstalk which is an English Fairy Tale.

If you fancy a road trip full of history and folklore, check out Germany's Fairy Tale Road.

Where will your journey around the world with us take you next?

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Monaco is the world's second smallest country, but one of the richest! Monaco is located on the French Rivera and is well known for it's wealthy inhabitants and the annual Monaco Grand Prix!

This post is part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series so don't forget to check out the rest! Where will you go next?

Supercharged Balloon Powered Car

To celebrate the Monaco Grand Prix you can make a balloon powered car! We made this one a bit extra special, but if you'd rather try a more basic balloon car I have instructions for that too.

The key to making a successful balloon powered car is keeping it light. This plastic bottle version is heavier than a cardboard car, which is why we need the extra balloons.

You'll need

A clean, empty bottle

4 plastic lids/thick cardboard circles or other wheels

3 balloons

Tape

2 skewers

3 Elastic bands

3 Straws

How to make a balloon powered car

Carefully attach each skewer to one plastic lid ( or other wheel material ) to make a wheel and axle.

Ask an adult to help you make four holes in the plastic bottle for the axle to fit through.

Push the axle through the holes and attach the second wheel.

Check the wheels turn freely.

Use the elastic bands to attach one balloon to the end of each straw. Take care not to squeeze the end of the straws with the elastic bands.

Check you can inflate each balloon by blowing down the straw.

Use tape to attach to straws to the bottle.

Blow up the balloons, place the car on the floor and watch it go!

If the car doesn't work, try making it lighter if possible. I had to make the axles smaller to reduce the weight of my car.

How does a balloon powered car work?

This balloon powered car is a great example of Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

Air is forced out of the end of the balloon, which means there must be an equal and opposite reaction pushing the car forward!

Facts about Monaco

You can walk across the country is less than an hour!

The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the oldest car races in the world.

The entire country is only 2 sq km!!

Find out more about Monaco.

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France is one of the biggest countries in Europe and is famous for the Tour de France, it's sense of style, the Eiffel Tower and of course cheese!

These STEM Challenges are part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series. How far around the world have you travelled so far?

I have two fun challenges for France. First, find out how much smell affects taste, you could use a lovely pungent cheese, or different flavoured jelly beans if you're not a cheese fan!

The second challenge is to build a model of the Eiffel Tower. Did you know if has 1665 steps?

France - STEM Challenge 1

The World's Smelliest Cheese - Hold Your Nose!

Eposses de Bourgogne is so smelly it's banned on public transport in France!! How different do you think it would taste if you couldn't smell it?

Smelly STEM Challenge

Did you know there’s a lot more to what we taste than what goes on in our mouths? How the food smells and looks are important, too!

In this challenge you're going to find out how much smell influences what you taste by holding your nose while you eat!

You'll need

Strong tasting foods such as an orange or different flavoured jelly beans work well too! You could even use different types of cheese!

Blindfold

Helper

Smelly STEM instructions

Hold your nose and try one of the foods, how does it taste?

Ask a friend to blindfold you.

Cover your nose and ask your helper friend to give you a jelly bean.

Can you tell what flavour it is?

Try a few different beans with your nose covered and without your nose covered. Is there a difference?

Why does holding your nose stop you tasting a food?

Your tongue is covered in taste buds which can detect salty, sweet, sour and bitter foods. However, your sense of taste isn’t just down to your tastebuds.

When you eat, chemicals are released from the food that travel up your nose. It’s these chemicals and taste buds that tell your brain about the taste.

Challenge 2

Eiffel Tower STEM Challenge

This challenge is easy, or is it?

This newspaper model of the Eiffel Tower was our third attempt. Paper straws and plastcine didn't hold up, rolled paper and masking tape wasn't much better, so finally we settled on rolled up newspaper and tape!

What do you think?

Inspiration Laboratories has a brilliant LEGO version of the Eiffel Tower you might like too.

I have some more easy newspaper STEM Challenges if you enjoyed this activity. Can you make a landmark from a different country using a newspaper?

Eiffel Tower Facts

Did you know the Eiffel Tower was the world's tallest building for 41 years? The Chrysler Building in New York took the crown in 1930!

It took two years, two months and five days to build.

The tower is repainted every seven years.

The names of 72 French engineers and scientists are etched into the tower.

The tower grows and shrinks by up to 7 inches in hot and cold weather.

Find out more about the history of the Eiffel Tower.

Challenge 3

Design a jersey for the Tour de France

The Tour de France covers over 2000 miles and takes 23 days.

The race is split into different stages, with the lead rider at each stage getting to wear a special yellow jersey! The best sprinter wears a green jersey and the best climber a polka dot jersey!

Your task for this challenge is to design a jersey for a Tour de France rider. Think about the best materials to use. Wool or sweatshirt material would be a bit sweaty, but perhaps cotton or a stretchy, breathable material would be better?

If it's hot, a black jersey that absorbs heat might be uncomfortable, so think about the best colours to use, too!

What features can you add to your jersey? Do you want it simple and streamlined or with a hood and phone pocket?

Draw your own or download the free template!

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The first person in space was a Russian cosmonaut named Yuri Gagarin who completed a single orbit of the Earth on the 12th April 1961 onboard Vostock 1. Yuri's spaceflight lasted 1 hour 48 minutes.

The second person in space was Alan Shepard, Jr on May 5th 1961 aboard Mercury-Redstone 3. Less than 10 years later the American Apollo 11 crew walked on the Moon!!

This activity is part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series for Russia. To celebrate the amazing achievement of getting the first man into space you can make and launch your own rocket!

Homemade Mini Rocket

You can make your own rocket using a bottle, straws and baking soda and vinegar!

To make your own rocket you'll need

Empty 500ml bottle

Cork which fits tightly inside the bottle neck

Half a piece of kitchen roll

1 bicarbonate of soda ( Baking Soda )

Vinegar

3 Straws

Tape

How to make a baking soda rocket

Attach the 3 straws to the side of the bottle using tape so it stands up, upside down.

Pour about 2 cm of vinegar into the bottle.

Wrap the baking soda up in the kitchen roll to make a little parcel.

Choose a launch site outside. It needs to be on a hard surface with space all around.

When you’re ready to launch, drop the baking soda parcel into the bottle, quickly add the cork, put the rocket down and stand back!

Warning – make sure you have a clear empty space and keep observer well back from the launch site as the rocket shoots up very quickly.

If you want to make a bigger and better rocket, a water powered bottle rocket is a great step up. You'll need a big landing site though!

Make an Model of the Earth, Moon and Sun

Yuri Gagarin completed an orbit of the Earth during his historical trip. You can make a very simple model to demonstrate how the Sun, Earth and Moon orbit each other.

This is made using card and split pins to allow movement!

Image and activity taken from This IS Rocket Science

Russian Space Flight Facts

The first artificial Earth satellite ( Sputnik 1 ) was launched by the then U.S.S.R on October 4th, 1957.

Shorty after that on November 3rd, 1957 Sputnik 2 carried a dog into space for the first time!

Luna 2 was the first spacecraft to land on the Moon in 1959.

The first woman in space was Valentina Tereshkova onboard Vostock 6 in 1963.

Yuri Gagarin's space flight came 58 years after the Wright Brother's first powered flight!

Facts about Russia

The coldest permanently inhabited village in the world is in Russia. Oymyakonskiy's subarctic climate means the ground is always frozen ( permafrost ) and the average temperature is below freezing for 7 months of the year!

Russia is the biggest country in the world!

The longest river in Europe, Volga, is in Russia.

Russia is home to Mt Elbrus, which is the tallest mountain in Europe.

References - https://www.britannica.com/science/space-exploration/Major-milestones

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Leprechauns are a much loved aspect of Irish folklore and have become a symbol of Ireland. They are usually portrayed as happy little old men dressed in green, but historically they were the trickster shoemakers of the fairy world, thought to live in hollowed out tree trunks or caves.

Popular culture often shows a leprechaun at the end of a rainbow with a pot of gold. This is because Leprechauns are said to hide their gold at the end of a rainbow, which of course can never be found!

Leprechauns, green and rainbows are all associated with Ireland and St Patricks Day!

This activity explains why there are lots of rainbows in Ireland, how rainbows form and how you can make a rainbow even on a cloudy day!

Make a Rainbow

Rainbow with a hosepipe

The easiest way to make a rainbow on a sunny day is to stand with the sun behind you and spray water from a hosepipe.

Rainbow in bubbles

If you have some bubble mix you can look for rainbows in bubbles. If you don't have a mix try making your own bubble mix.

Another idea is to do some washing up and look for rainbows in the bubbles!

Rainbow with a prism

If you have a prism, you can make a rainbow either on a sunny day outside or with a torch inside.

Follow my instructions for making a rainbow with a prism.

What is a rainbow?

A rainbow is a multicoloured arc made when light from the sun passes through drops of rain or mist. For a person to see a rainbow they must be stood between the sun and the rain with the sun behind them.

The colours of the rainbow ordered from longest to shortest wavelength are:

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet

How do rainbows form?

Rainbows happen when sunlight is refracted and dispersed in drops of rain or mist.

Sunlight slows down as it moves from the air into a raindrop ( as water is more dense than air ). The light reflects off the inside of the water droplet and is split up into it's component colours because of their different wavelengths.

Why does Ireland get so many rainbows?

Irish weather is great for rainbows! Ireland basically gets a lot of rain and sun, both of which are needed to make a rainbow!

Can you ever reach the end of a rainbow?

Sadly no one will ever get to the mythical pot of gold at the end of a rainbow as a rainbow is an optical phenomenon. To see it you need to be a distance from the rain or mist with the sun behind your back. As you move, the rainbow will move with you!

This post is part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series.

If geology is more your thing Giants Causeway is a great rock formation to study. The columns are thought to have formed from flows of lava cooling as they reached the sea.

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Greek architecture is famous for its tall columns. Columns support a roof without the need for walls.

Greek buildings often used the post and lintel system of columns with a roof ( or architrave ) on the top. Another example of post-and-lintel construction is Stonehenge in the UK.

Column and Lintel Demonstration

This activity uses paper cups to act as columns to demonstrate how strong these types of structures were. Many Greek buildings still exist today despite being thousands of years old!

You’ll need

Paper Cups

Thick cardboard

Instructions

First, stand on one paper cup, it should crumple. This is because your weight pushes down on the cup and compresses it.

Try spacing several cups out evenly and then place a sheet of cardboard on the top. You should find the cups can now hold your weight.

Carefully try a second layer.

Ask a heavier person to try to stand on your cup tower, do the cups hold their weight too?

When the cups are arranged neatly spaced apart with a piece of cardboard over the top, the weight is spread out over all the cups rather than focussed on just one, which means the paper cup structure can hold more weight.

Greek Architecture Challenge

Build your own Greek temple using paper cups and cardboard.

This post is part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series for Greece!

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Tornados ( also known as twisters, cyclones, or funnels ) are powerful vertical columns of rapidly spinning air that extend from a thunderstorm to the ground. With the right conditions, tornados can occur almost anywhere, but Tornado Alley in the United States is a hotspot area. It includes Northern Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota.

Tornados can cause huge amounts of damage, from destroying buildings and bridges to picking up and dropping people. Flying debris is a major cause of injury from tornados.

This activity is part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series and shows you how to create a mini tornado in a jar!

Tornados are a fairly frequent occurrence, with over 1000 per year in the United States alone.

How to make a tornado in a jar

You'll need

A small wide jar with a lid

Water

Dish soap ( washing up liquid )

Glitter

Instructions

Fill the jar to almost the top with water and add a little dish soap ( washing up liquid ) and glitter.

Pop the lid on the top and swirl the jar around . You should see a vortex form which looks like a tornado.

Tornado Facts

A tornado is only classed as a tornado if it hits the ground.

Most tornados form once the sun has had time to warm the ground and air in the afternoon.

The intensity of a tornado is measured on the Enhanced Fujita Scale between EF-0 and EF-5. F5 is the most violent, and EF-0 is the weakest.

Hail is a common thunderstorm feature that precedes or accompanies a tornado.

Tornados can look invisible until they pick up dust and debris.

A tornado can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours once it hits the ground.

Tornado wind speed can be up to 300 miles per hour!

Tornados can have more than one vortex!!

The most destructive tornado on record was in Bangladesh in 1989. It destroyed over 20 villages and killed about 1300 people!

How does a tornado form?

Tornados usually form when moist, warm air collides with dry, cold air in the atmosphere.

Warm air rises, and cold air falls, creating a large thunderstorm. The combination of updrafts of air and winds moving at different speeds can cause a spinning effect. If a funnel cloud forms and becomes long enough to touch the ground, it turns into a tornado!

What is a waterspout?

A waterspout is a tornado that occurs over water; this is especially common in the tropics. Water is drawn up into the waterspout. They are usually less violent than a tornado but can capsize boats.

What is a supercell?

A supercell is a big thunderstorm that lasts a long time. The most destructive tornados are formed inside supercells.

More Weather Science Experiments

Try one of my collection of easy weather science experiments.

Learn all about rainbows. How and why rainbows form and how you can make your own.

This rainbow rain activity from Steam Powered Family is brilliant, too!

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The biggest living butterfly in the world is the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing butterfly ( Orinthoptera alexandrae). It's one of the rarest butterflies in the world and is only found in the rainforest of Papua New Guinea.

The wingspan of the female Queen Alexandra birdwing is up to 28 centimetres!

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing butterfly was named by Walter Rothschild and named after Queen Alexandra of Great Britain.

The male and female butterflies differ in size, the colour of their wings and body colour. Females are larger with brown wings and a cream coloured body.

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing butterfly is poisonous to animals who eat it.

Find your wingspan

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing butterfly has a much larger than average wingspan for a butterfly. Can you calculate your wingspan and compare it to that of your friends?

Spread your arms out straight as far as you can.

Ask a friend to measure the distance from the tip of the longest finger on one hand to the tip of the longest finger on the other hand.

That is your wingspan!

You can also try comparing your wingspan to your height, this is known as ape index.

Make a Butterfly Life Cycle

Another lovely butterfly activity is to make a model butterfly life cycle.

All butterflies and moths undergo a process called metamorphosis. Metamorphosis means transformation! There are four stages to butterfly metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa/chrysalis and butterfly

Another lovely butterfly activity is to watch the process in action with this brilliant butterfly growing kit from Insectlore.

This activity is part of my Around the World in 50 Science Experiment series. Download the passport and try them all!

affiliate links

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This blubber experiment is a simple, easy way to demonstrate how animals ( not just polar bears ) stay warm in cold temperatures. There are some fun polar bear facts at the bottom of the page, too. How many do you already know?

The same experiment works for talking about how penguins stay warm in winter as well!

How do Polar Bears stay warm in winter?

First, we talked about how some animals live in a very cold environment, and I asked the children how they thought those animals stayed warm. The first answer was that animals have fur to keep them warm, and then we talked about how humans stay warm in cold weather. We put on extra clothes, we warm up our environment by heating it, and we stay indoors longer. Animals don't have those options, but one way they can stay warm is by growing a thick layer of fat, which acts as an insulator to keep them warm.

Polar Bears are extremely well insulated and have a layer of blubber that can be up to 10cm thick, covered with another 15cm of fur. They also have black skin under their fur, which helps trap heat.

We set up this simple activity to demonstrate how blubber helps keep animals warm.

Blubber Experiment Materials

Lard or shortening

Latex gloves

Ice or snow

Water

Washing up bowl

Stopwatch

Blubber Experiment Instructions

Place ice and water in a washing up bowl.

Carefully place your hands in the ice water and time how long you can keep them in the water before it gets uncomfortable - be careful not to leave them in longer than that.

Put the glove on and cover it with lard.

Put the gloved hand in the ice water and record how long it takes to feel uncomfortable this time.

You should find that the lard acts as an insulator and protects your hand from the cold of the icy water.

What is an insulator?

An insulator is something that doesn't easily allow heat to escape. In this investigation, the lard is insulating your hand from the icy cold water.

Blubber Investigation Extension Ideas

If you have a thermometer, can you record the water temperature?

How do polar bears stay warm in winter?

Some animals hibernate. They build a den or burrow and sleep for the colder months. Their body temperature drops and their heart rate slows down to conserve energy.

Other animals migrate for Winter, which means they move to a warmer climate where food is available.

Some animals adapt to the change in climate. They grow warmer fur or feathers or grow a layer of insulating fat. Fat also acts as a food store when food is scarce.

Polar Bear Facts

Did you know that polar bears only live at the North Pole ( Arctic ) and penguins at the South Pole ( Antarctic )?

Polar bears mostly eat seals.

Female polar bears usually weigh about half as much as male polar bears.

Polar bears can run at speeds of 25mph on land.

Did you know polar bears can live to around 30 years old?

Polar bears have hollow, colourless fur, which traps the sun's heat to keep them warm.

Polar bears can overheat in summer when temperatures are the highest. They often roll in the snow to cool down.

Polar bears have an amazing sense of smell and can smell seals 1km away!!

This post is also part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series!

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