A fun science experiment for Pre-K through early elementary school age children is dying carnations.
The Lesson:
This experiment will show that water travels up the stem of the plant into the leaves and flowers. The plant uses the water to make food.
Supplies:
Several white carnations
Vases or bottles
Scissors
Food coloring
Hypothesis: Formulate your own hypothesis by asking your child what he or she thinks will happen if you place a white carnation in colored water.
Running the Experiment:
First fill your vases or bottles about halfway with water. Then add several drops (10 or so) of food coloring to color the water. You can have as many vases of colored water as you have different colors and carnations. Now place one carnation each into the different vases leaving two vases without carnations. Now take one carnation and cut the stem in half lengthwise about halfway up the flower and stick one end in one vase and the other end in a vase with different colored water.
Results:
The results can take up to 24 hours so be aware of that. As the flower “drinks” the food colored water the water runs through the flower to the petals. Once the water arrives at the petals you can see the edges begin to turn the color of the water. In the flower where you put half the stem in one vase and half in another you will notice that half the flower will be one color and half will be another color.
Tip: We had the fastest and best results with red, blue and green food coloring. We tried using purple but the flower only looked blue.
What to have on hand:
You may want to have paper and writing supplies for your child to draw before and after pictures of the experiment. You will also want to be sure to time the experiment to see which flowers and colors showed up the fastest.