Beckham County’s Summer Science Series Begins!
This summer, while school’s out and the sun’s high, the Beckham County Record is bringing something new to your Saturday mornings: a weekly Summer Science Project that’s safe, simple, and actually fun. Each week, we’ll highlight a science experiment that can be done with common household items — no fancy gadgets, no budget blowouts, just good old-fashioned curiosity.
We’re talking about the kind of projects that make your kitchen feel like a lab, your back porch look like a launchpad, and your kids feel like real scientists (even if the vinegar volcano gets a little out of hand).
What’s the catch? There isn’t one. We’re doing this because learning doesn’t stop when the school doors close — and neither should the joy of discovery. Think homemade lava lamps, cloud-in-a-jar experiments, edible slime, baking soda rockets, and other messy, magical, memory-making moments.
So get ready, Beckham County. Grab your baking soda, your curiosity, and maybe a towel or two. This Saturday’s experiment is coming in hot — and no, we’re not liable for any kitchen lava flows.
Let the science (and the giggles) begin.
THIS WEEK’S PROJECT: MAKE YOUR OWN LAVA LAMP!
Have you ever stared at a real lava lamp and wondered how the colorful blobs float and swirl like they’re dancing? You don’t need to buy one — you can make your own right at home with a few things from your kitchen.
This little science project is like a magic trick; except it’s all chemistry. And better yet? No lava. Just fizzy, fizzy fun.
What You’ll Learn: This experiment teaches kids about liquid density and chemical reactions. Oil and water don’t mix — and when you add an effervescent tablet, things get bubbly really quick!
Parental Note: This one’s safe, fun, and easy to clean up. Great for kids 5+ with supervision.
HOW IT WORKS
Oil is lighter than water, so it floats on top. Food coloring mixes with the water but not the oil. When you drop in a fizzy tablet like Alka-Seltzer, it reacts with the water and sends colorful blobs shooting up through the oil like lava. Science magic!
HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED • A clear bottle or jar (an empty water bottle works great)
• Vegetable oil
• Water
• Food coloring (any color — go wild!)
• Alka-Seltzer tablet or any fizzy tablet (can be generic)
LET’S MAKE A LAVA LAMP!
1. Fill the bottle about 2/3 full of vegetable oil. 2. Fill the rest of the bottle (almost to the top) with water but leave a little space. 3. Add 10 drops of food coloring. It’ll fall through the oil and mix with the water. 4. Now for the fun part: break an Alka-Seltzer tablet in half and drop it in! 5. Watch what happens! Blobs of color start bubbling up, then sinking back down. 6. When it stops, add another piece of tablet and keep the show going!
Bonus Tip: Try it in a dark room with a flashlight under the bottle for lava lamp vibes!
Tried it? Got a photo? A funny story?
Send your pics and tales to [email protected], post them to our Facebook page The Beckham County Record or drop them off at the offi ce. We’d love to feature your creations — even if they don’t go quite as planned. Messy is welcome. Science is messy.
