Homeschooling with MEL Science: Green Sparklers

Each Tuesday afternoon, I get to spend time with my precious Abigail. Usually we do some chemistry from MEL Chemistry. Abigail wants to be a missionary doctor when she is older and has always had a fascination with anything scientific. MEL Science is a GREAT way for Abs to do some real grown up science. She loves this SO much!

Our last foray into all things chemical resulted in some lovely green sparklers…

Each experiment from MEL Science comes with everything you need to have a really successful scientific experience! The instructions are crystal clear, and there are enough ‘ingredients’ to do the experiment multiple times. Here is Abigail all ready for her chemistry lesson:

Abs had already prepared a beaker of cold water. Using a match…

…she lit the paraffin candle and left it for a few minutes to melt:

She dipped the end of the wooden stick into the melted paraffin wax:

And then dipped it into the copper sulphate. The wax encourages the copper sulphate to stick to it:

The wooden stick needed to stay in the crystals for 30 seconds:

She then dipped it once more into the wax to help the crystals to stick even more:

Abigail dipped the stick quickly into the water to cool it down:

and held it in the flame until it caught:

She was delighted when it sparkled green:

So delighted was Abigail that she called her sister to watch her do it again!

I just love seeing this kind of enthusiasm 🙂

After Abs had shown Becs how to do it safely…

She let her have a go of her own:

And Becs was just as delighted!

Abs had read all the instructions and it had said that other salts gave off different colours. Wondering what colour table salt (sodium chloride) would give when burned, she begged to be allowed to try…

It burnt a bright yellow/orange:

I know I say this each time I post about MEL Science, but it is seriously the best Christmas present EVER! It is the gift that just keeps giving!