Why do magnets pick up some things, but not others?

You’re a scientist. You can try this too!

Things you need • A tray full of miscellaneous items • Magnet • Journal • Markers or crayons

Vocabulary • Force: a push or pull. Forces are always at work in the world around us. • Observations: information you gather when you look really closely at something or observe it with your other senses.

Try It! 1. Take the magnet and hold it close to each item in the tray. 2. Which items are attracted to the magnet? 3. Sort the items into two groups - ones that are attracted to the magnet and ones that are not. 4. What is the same about all the items that are attracted to the magnet? 5. Draw your observations in your journal.

Did you know? A magnet pulls metal objects containing iron toward it. Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company

Do magnets have an invisible force?

You’re a scientist. You can try this too!

Things you need • Pencil • 2 circle magnets • Journal • Markers or crayons

Vocabulary • Force: a push or pull. Forces are always at work in the world around us. • Observations: information you gather when you look really closely at something or observe it with your other senses.

Try It! 1. Put the pencil through the hole in one of the circle magnets. Hold the bottom of the pencil so the magnet won’t fall off. 2. Place the other circle magnet on the pencil. Do the two magnets pull together, or do they push apart? 3. Draw your observations in your journal. 4. Take the top magnet off, turn it upside down, and place it back on the pencil. What happens this time? 5. Draw your observations in your journal. 6. When the magnets float apart, try pushing them back together. What happens?

Did you know? Magnets have two sides, or poles. Magnets have the power to pull other magnets toward them or push them away. When like poles are together, the magnets push apart. When the poles are different, they pull together. Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company

Are some magnets more powerful than others?

You’re a scientist. You can try this too!

Things you need • A pile of paperclips • Two circle magnets • Other types of magnets • Journal • Markers or crayons

Vocabulary • Force: a push or pull. Forces are always at work in the world around us. • Observations: information you gather when you look really closely at something or observe it with your other senses.

Try It! 1. Hold one circle magnet about one inch above a pile of paperclips. What happens? Count how many paperclips leap to the magnet. 2. Draw your observations in your journal. 3. Now put two circle magnets together. Hold them over the paperclips. How many paperclips leap up this time? 4. Draw your observations in your journal. 5. Try other types of magnets. Are some more powerful than others? Which one attracts the most paperclips?

Did you know? The power of a magnet travels through the air and pulls the paperclips to it. When two magnets are put together, they become more powerful. Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company

Can you observe a chemical reaction?

You’re a scientist. You can try this too!

Things you need • Baking soda • Vinegar in a clear container • Clear cup • Tray • Spoon • Pipette • Journal • Markers or crayons

Vocabulary • Observations: information you gather when you look really closely at something or observe it with your other senses.

Try It! 1. Put a small spoonful of baking soda into the clear cup. Place the cup on the tray. 2. Use your sense of smell to investigate the clear liquid in the container. Is it water? It looks like water, but it is actually vinegar, a weak acid. 3. Squeeze a pipette full of vinegar from the container into the clear cup to create a chemical reaction. What happens? 4. Draw your observations in your journal.

Did you know? There are some substances that, when mixed together, cause a chemical reaction. When this happens, a new substance is usually created. The reaction between vinegar and baking soda creates bubbles of a gas called carbon dioxide. Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company

What happens if you mix two colors together?

You’re a scientist. You can try this too!

Things you need • • Three small containers • Water • Red, yellow and blue food coloring • Coffee filters • Tray • Three pipettes • Journal • Markers or crayons

Vocabulary • Observations: information you gather when you look really closely at something or observe it with your other senses.

Try It! 1. First, fill the three containers with water and mix a few drops of food coloring into each one to make red, yellow and blue water. 2. Take a coffee filter and spread it open on the tray. 3. Use the pipette to put a small amount of blue water on the coffee filter. 4. Put a small amount of yellow on the blue. What color did you make? 5. Try putting blue water on top of red water. What color did you make? Now put red water on yellow. What color did you make? 6. Draw your observations in your journal.

Did you know? Red, blue and yellow are primary colors. When two primary colors are mixed together, they create the secondary colors of green, purple and orange. Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company

You’re a scientist. You can try this too!

Why are rocks all so different? Things you need • Magnifying glass • Several different rocks in a container • Journal • Markers or crayons

Vocabulary • Magnifying glass: a science tool that we use with our eyes to make things look bigger so we can observe them better. • Observations: information you gather when you look really closely at something or observe it with your other senses.

Try It! 1. Close your eyes and pick a rock out of the container. 2. With a magnifying glass, carefully observe your rock. • Is your rock one color or many colors? • Does it have a luster (sparkly look to it)? • What shape and size is your rock? • Is your rock rough or smooth? 3. Draw your observations in your journal. 4. Put your rock back in the container and mix up the rocks. 5. Now find your special rock. Did your observation skills make it easy to find?

Did you know? Geologists are scientists who study rocks. They make careful observations of rocks and then classify them into different types of rocks. Each rock is unique because of where and when it was formed and how it changed over time. Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company

Where does sound come from?

You’re a scientist. You can try this too!

Things you need • Loaf pan or shoebox (or similar sized item) • Rubber bands (several different widths) • Journal • Markers or crayons

Vocabulary • Sound waves: you can’t see them or smell them or taste them, but sound waves travel through the air and you use your ears to hear them. • Observations: information you gather when you look really closely at something or observe it with your other senses.

Try It! 1. Choose four or five rubber bands of different widths. Stretch them around the pan or shoebox. 2. Pluck the rubber bands. What do you hear? What do you see? 3. Draw your observations in your journal. 4. Listen to the sounds. Which one makes the highest sound? Which makes the lowest? Can you put them in order from highest to lowest?

Did you know? Plucking the rubber bands makes them move back and forth quickly. This is called vibration. Vibrations create sound waves. Sound waves travel through the air, and you use your ears to hear them. Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company

Can you quickly estimate how many shells are in the jar?

You’re a scientist. You can try this too!

Things you need • • Clear jar • Shells, marbles, marshmallows or similar sized items • Journal • Markers or crayons

Vocabulary • Estimate: to make a good guess about quantities of things. • Observations: information you gather when you look really closely at something or observe it with your other senses.

Try It! 1. Count out 10 shells from the jar and observe how much space they take up. 2. Draw your observations in your journal. 3. Now use your observations to make a good guess. How many total shells do you think are in the jar? 4. To check your estimate, count all the shells by putting them in groups of 10. Count by 10’s to find the number of shells. Was your guess a good estimate?

Did you know? Estimating is an important math skill. Engineers and scientists may need to guess quantities quickly. They estimate to get a close answer so they can continue their work. Later, they can go back and check their estimate. Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company

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the Science Kid’s Journal

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the Science Kid’s Journal

Draw a picture of yourself as a scientist!

Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company.

Draw a picture of yourself as a scientist!

Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company.

Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company.

Draw pictures of your observations below:

Scientists record what they observe in a journal.

Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! created by The Magic House in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company.

Draw pictures of your observations below:

Scientists record what they observe in a journal.