Water Chimes

Oooo ... I've been looking for a place to use this activity ...

This site calls them "water chimes" (you know, filling glasses of water to create a musical scale). http://www.creativekidsathome....ties/activity_6.html

• The kids could be involved in the process of random amounts of water to see what they sound like.
• Then use the exact amounts, using food coloring to color the water and creating different shades and hues.
• It also ties in with Julie's thoughts of joyful noise!
• It might be fun for each child - or each group - to choose one verse in the Psalm and put it to music with their new "instruments".

Why is this Science?
If you're wondering why I'd call this "science" ... I think the above site sums it up nicely ... "Science is about understanding the world around you. Don't think of complicated formulas, lab coats and text books. Think of the curiosity children are born with, always asking why? That's what science experiments are all about. Science experiments give you and your children the opportunity to invent, create and learn how things work."

Moderator Notes:

 

In cleaning up this forum I thought these ideas from the bible background in this lesson set would tie in nicely with this science idea.

 

Using the 7 imperatives in Psalm 100: MAKE, WORSHIP, COME, KNOW, ENTER, GIVE, BLESS as a basis for each glass water chime. 

 

Using the food coloring to color the water and creating different shades and hues to represent each of the above imperatives.

 

 

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Background by wsigurdson (guest) 2003

 

The Book of Psalms is the Hymnbook of the people of God, through the ages. Other than Psalm 23, Psalm 100 is the most often sung. This is the Psalm that 3rd graders recite when they get their Bibles each year.

 

The 1st verse of this Psalm is the same as the 4th verse of Psalm 98.

 

The Psalm is addressed to all the people of God. The subject is Thanksgiving and Praise to God.

 

There are 7 imperatives in this Psalm are: MAKE, WORSHIP, COME, KNOW, ENTER, GIVE, BLESS.

 

Why do we do these things? Because we are God’s people, and because The Lord is good and His love and faithfulness are for all time, throughout the ages.

 

The 7 imperatives above, are also action words…make what? Worship whom? Come where? Know what? Enter where? Give what? Bless whom?

 

This Psalm tells us about God’s love and faithfulness, and about how we respond as God’s people.

 

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Joy Like a Fountain

Lesson Idea

This would be something to do OUTSIDE, but it would certainly express excitement and joy!

Supplies:

• 3 - 1 liter bottles of cola
• penny
• marble
• Mentos Mint

Advance Preparation Requirements:

• As with anything, you will want to try this out at home first!
• You may want to do some research about WHY this happened with the MENTO mint.

Directions:

1. Place 3, 1- liter bottles of cola on a flat surface.
2. Show the children three objects- a penny, a marble, and a MENTOS mint.
3. Ask the children what they think will happen when the objects are dropped into the bottles.
4. Then, Into one bottle, drop a penny
   
   the second bottle drop a marble
   
   the third bottle drop a MENTOS mint.
   
   (the cola will spew out of the bottle like a fountain!)

Discussion: 

• Then you can talk about worshipping God with joy, joy like a fountain, etc.
• Also talk about what things Christians need in their lives in order to worship God with joy and excitement.

Have fun!
Blessings
Jan S

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Originally posted by Neil from an idea inspired by member Julie Burton

"Noise" = "Sound"

Interesting thing about sound...

• It can MOVE/CHANGE THINGS.  How could the sound of God's voice steer you in the right direction?
• It can BREAK THINGS.  What words can break through bad feelings, pain, feeling unloved?
• It can MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD. What words sound good to people?
• It can be AMPLIFIED (shared)   What do we use to amplify God's voice in our lives?

The concept:  

Do several experiments and have the kids help you EXPRESS THE FAITH METAPHOR (object lessons) which the experiment could be used to illustrate.

Below are some basic science experiments the kids can perform that will form the basis for your follow up question.... such as in the first one here, "What are the objects that help transmit the Word between people? In the church?

Note: There are a MULTITUDE of "Sound Experiments for Children" on various science websites.

1. Experiment: Another experiment to investigate whether sound travels better through a solid or a gas.

Materials:

You will need-

• One friend.
• One table.
• A piece of paper and a pen to record your results.

Method:
What you have to do-

1. Sit opposite your friend.
2. Knock on the table.
3. Listen to how loud the sound is.
4. Ask your friend to place their ear against the surface of the table.
5. Knock on the table again.
6. Ask your friend to describe how loud the sound is through the table.

Results:

• Did you discover what we did?
• When you listen to the knocking sound through the table, it is much louder.

Conclusions:

• Sound travels better through a solid (table), than through a gas (air).
• "What are the objects that help transmit the Word between people? In the church?   How is  BEING THE BIBLE TO SOMEONE better than simply SPEAKING the Bible to them?

2. Talking String!

Experiment: 

To prove / examine how sound can travel through objects.

Materials:
You will need-

• Two pieces of tracing paper.
• One pencil.
• Sticky tape.
• String.
• Two rubber bands.
• Two paper clips.
• Two cardboard tube.

Method:
What you have to do-

1. Fold a piece of tracing paper over one end of each tube.
2. Fix it with a rubber band.
3. Pull the paper tight and tape it to the tubes.
4. Thread the string through both holes.
5. Tie a paperclip to each end to stop the string slipping back through.
6. Use the tubes as a simple telephone.
7. Hold one tube to your ear and listen while your friend speaks softly into the other tube.

Results:

• What happens?

Conclusions:

• Why do you think this is happening?
• What happens when you place cotton wool into the tubes?
• What "cotton" do you/people use to DAMPEN or WEAKEN the Word that is being spoken to them?

Levitation by Sound

Have kids try to move an object by shouting at it.

Now place a large loud speaker on its back with the speaker facing up. Make sure it is flat.

Place a very light paper tray made out of copy paper on top of the speakers.

Have three different objects to place in tray at different times.  Ask: Which can the sound make move?     RICE,  NAILS,  FEATHERS

Play some thumpy heavy BASS music (pick the right kind)

Turn up the volume SLOWLY and see what happens.

• How does the sound of God's Voice feel?  Make us move?
• Why do some people need more volume to move?
• What makes a person "heavy" (unreceptive) to God's desire for them?
• How does our church "turn up the volume"?

Invite students to draw themselves on a piece of paper and see how the volume can make them move.

Making a Glass Xylophone

Remember that scene in Miss Congeniality where Sandra Bullock plays the glasses filled with water?   That's what this experiment is going to create.

Ideas to relate:

• God is the master musician, how do we get filled up and in tune?
• What if we dump out our water?
• How important is it to the song that we be part of a group of glasses?
• Where do you get the water?  

Harmony! Working Together, "all the earth!"

There are a MULTITUDE of "Sound Experiments for Children" on various science websites. If you come up with some, please ADD THEM HERE !

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