Summer Science

What do you think this might be? A beautiful frosted window? An ice scape picture left over from last winter? No! It's salt crystals!

I've done some science experiments with the boys this summer to keep their minds engaged in learning. And also to keep them from fighting too much. But anyway, here's a fun experiment to do outside during a spell of hot sunny days; believe me, we've had plenty of those this summer.

This experiment was inspired by Usborne Books' What's Under the Sea? It was one of Ethan's (and now Andrew's) preschool books.

1) Dissolve 1 1/2 cups of salt (regular old table salt will work fine) in a quart of water. You'll have to stir it for several minutes.

2) Pour the salt water into a baking pan. If I were to do this again I'd use glass instead of metal... you'd think after 7 years of living in coastal Florida I'd remember how corrosive salt is. But either material will work.

3) Set the pan in a bright, sunny area where it will be undisturbed. Observe it daily to see what  becomes of the water, and the salt.

4) Once the water is all gone, "harvest" the salt and see how much you have left. Compare it to how much salt you started with in step 1. Compare the appearance of the salt to how it looked before you poured it into the water.