#1647. Slimy Art Ideas

Art, level: Pre-School
Posted Tue Mar 28 15:36:51 PST 2000 by Jennifer (jphilippart@yahoo.com).
Oklahoma Christian University, Edmond, OK
Concepts Taught: states of matter

Here are tons of recipes - the flubber and gluep
are both kind of like silly putty. A bunch at the
end were contributed to the early childhood mailring by Mary Ann Kohl. There are a whole bunch of other similar ideas in Mudworks and some of her other books, too.

Oobleck
Mix:
4 boxes of cornstarch
63/4 cups of water
15 drops of food coloring

Let stand. Stir with hands 15 minutes before
needed
for class.Cover work
area with newspaper.
Do NOT pour or dispose of in drains.

Gleup or Flubber
Spread newspaper down on a flat surface.

In a large container, mix:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups white glue
2-4 drops of food coloring

In a small container, mix:
1 1/3 cups warm water
3 tsp. Borax powder
Stir until dissolved

Pour the contents of the smaller container into
the
larger container a
little at a time constantly stirring. Do not stop
stirring and do not pour
all of the small container in at once, do it a
little
at a time. Gently lift
and turn the mixture in the large container until
it
forms.

It will hold its shape as long as it is manipulated,but if left alone, it will loose its consistency. It will also pick up newsprint like silly puddy
and bounce.

or....

Gluep
It has the properties of both a solid and a liquid. Here is the recipe:
per child:
1TBS Elmer's Glue
1 TBS Water
2 TSP Borax solution--60 ml borax + 1 L water
measuring spoons
plastic cups
spoon or coffee stirrers
food coloring (optional)

Directions:
Several hours before hand, mix borax solution of
60 ml
borax (1/4 cup) to 1
liter water; completely dissolve borax and set
aside.
Mix borax solutions,
water, food coloring and glue, stirring
constantly
until gluep takes form.
Remove from cup and work in palm. Try using as
silly
putty.

Adaptations:
Use model magic on a chopstick to stir
Use dosage cups or droppers for measuring
Mount cups in muffin tin to prevent spillage
(place
sticky tac on the
bottom of the cup)
Use rubber shelf liner to hold items in place.

Note: This is not edible!

Slime
Borax Solution
1/2 tsp borax (2 ml)
1/2 cup water (125 ml)
Mix thoroughly

Mix 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) contact wetting solution
(containing polyvinyl alcohol -
generic brands work well) with tsp.. (10 ml) of
the
borax solution. A film
canister works great for this.

Pour the solution in your hand. It is endothermic!
This can also be poured out on a metal jar lid to make a plastic film.

Here are a bunch of recipes. --- physics-defying "stuff" to make, play with and learn from. I like the scientific
explanations for some of them. Someone sent these to me, and I don't know the authors, but several o the ideas arein many books in one form or aother

FLUBBER
Borate solution:
2/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoon powdered Borax
3 drops food coloring
Mix together in a 1 cup measuring cup using a
wooden spoon Glue Solution:
3/4 cup warm water
1 cup white school glue
Mix together in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon. Pour the borate solution into the bowl with glue solution. Use
your hands to gently lift and turn the mixture until only one tablespoon of liquid is left. Flubber will be sticky for a moment or two. After the excess liquid has dripped
off, Flubber is ready. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. When you are through, discard in a waste can. DO NOT try to wash it down the sink. If it dries on carpet or clothing, cover it with a cloth soaked in vinegar to de-gel it, then wash the area with detergent and water.

GLARCH
Measure 1/2 cup liquid white school glue into bowl. I get the best results with Elmer's School Glue. Measure 1/4 cup
Sta Flo liquid starch into the same bowl. Mix together with a wooden spoon. After the substance becomes too thick to use the spoon, continue mixing with your hands. This works quicker with warm hands. Glarch may be stored in a plastic bag. Wash all supplies.

OOBLECK
Measure 1 1/2 cups of cornstarch and put in a pie pan or container If you want a color of Oobleck add the coloring to the water first. Then gradually add approximately 1/2 cup of water to the cornstarch. Stir well (this will take some time). Add small amounts of more water or cornstarch
until you get a mixture which 'tears' when you quickly scrape your finger through it AND THEN 'melts' back together again. Oobleck is often referred to as a 'non-Newtonian' substancebecause it does not behave as Newton's Third Law of Motion states; for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Applying this pinciple,
you would expect Oobleck to 'splash' when you 'smack' it with your hand. (Smacking is the action, splashing is the reaction.) However, when you try this out. Oobleck does not splash, in fact, it becomes a solid substance for a few moments. Why?

Scientists explain this as follows. Uncooked corn starch particles are structured in both crystalline and noncrystalline arrangements. When slowly mixed with water, the non crystalline structures of corn starch absorb most of the water. When you smack or stir it rapidly, you increase the temperature and pressure on the mixture which causes more non crystalline structures to form. These new
noncrystalline structures absorb more water and the mixture becomes thicker:hence the appearance of a solid. When you
discontinue the pressure, the number of noncrystalline structures decrease and water is released, creating the 'soupy' mixture.

GUAR GUM SLIME
Put 1/3 cup warm water into a paper cup. Use a
stirring stick and add 1/4
teaspoon guar gum into the water. Stir until
mixed and the guar gum is
dissolved. Optional:add 2-5 drops of food color.
Mix thoroughly. While
stirring, add about 2 tablespoons 4% borax
solution to the guar gum
mixture. Once the mixture has gelled, remove the
Slime from the cup and
knead it in your hands. Place the Slime in a
zipper-type plastic bag to
prevent it from drying out. A few drops of Lysol
can be added to the
Slime to minimize the formation of mold and
extend the lifetime of the
Slime. You can get guar gum from Flinn
Scientific.

POLYVINYL ALCOHOL SLIME
Put 2 tablespoons 4% polyvinyl alcohol solution
into a paper cup. Add
2-3drops of food color. Mix Pour in 4% borax
solution into the cup of
polyvinyl alcohol solution. Stir constantly while
the borax solution is
being added. Once the gel has formed, remove it
from the cup and knead it
in your hands. Place the Slime in a zipper-type
plastic bag to prevent it
from drying out. A few drops of Lysol can be
added to the Slime to
minimize the formation of mold and extend the
lifetime of the Slime.

SLIME OLYMPICS
Experiment with each of the Slimes by squeezing
it; forming it into a
ball and throwing it onto a tile or linoleum
floor; by pulling I gently
and then quickly; and by pressing the putty on
top of your name written
with a water-solubnle, felt-tip marker. Note:
Differences: The Guar Gum
Slime is less viscous (more runny) and can be
stretched further before
breaking than the Polyvinyl Alcohol Slime.
Similarities: Both slimes are
clear and colorless (if food color is not added),
can be molded into
different shapes, will flow from a funnel over a
period of time, will
bounce (to a certain degree), and will become
flat if left sitting on a
flat surface.

LOTION PLAYDOUGH
1 cup flour
1T vegetable oil
2T hand lotion
1/2cup salt
2 t. cream of tartar
1 c water
food coloring
Mix. For kids crafts.

FUN DOUGH
1 cup corn starch
1 1/2 cup baking soda
food coloring
water
Add water to dry ingredients to desired texture
and consistency. Color
with food coloring.