Plan
- What supplies will you need for this activity?
- How can you make sure that you do not make a mess while doing this activity?
- How will you test your Oobleck to see how it acts?
Do
- Mix two cups of cornstarch and one cup of water. Add a couple of drops of food colouring if desired (this will make the activity messier!)
- When you poke, hit or lift the oobleck it should be solid. When it is left alone or poured, it should act like a liquid.
- Oobleck is a non-newtonian fluid – this means it doesn’t follow the rules that most materials do. Sometimes it acts as a liquid and sometimes it acts as a solid.
- Play with your oobleck! Try hitting the oobleck with a spoon. The spoon should hit the oobleck as if it were a solid. Then, try gently poking the spoon into the oobleck. It should move into the oobleck as if you were putting it into a cup of pudding.
- Pick up the oobleck with your hands and form a ball. Then let go of the ball and watch it melt into your hands like magic!
- To dispose of your oobleck, leave it out overnight and it will dry. Then you can dispose of it.
Review
- What is one thing that happened that you did not expect?
- What was challenging about this activity?
Materials
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Bowl or container
- Spoon
- Food colouring (optional)
Keep it Simple
- Start by making a small amount of Oobleck with the help of an adult. Then, try poking it with your finger or with a spoon. What happens? From there, try some of the different activities outlined in the “do” step.
Take it Further
- There are lots of other experiments that you can do with liquids! Learn how to make your own lava lamp or try making a density jar.
