Growing up in Ohio was a blessed experience. My parents did an amazing job of showing me the magic in everyday experiences and provided me strong roots through traditions repeated year after year.
This experiment, that I’m calling Easy Ohio Science for Kids, was no exception. Though very simple, Mom repeated it for a few summers for me and later for my brother.
Though the lesson and science behind the activity was pretty basic, I will always have the memories of time spent with Mom. If you haven’t already, spend some time today on this activity with your children or grandchildren.
Queen Anne’s Lace
The flower is Queen Anne’s Lace (daucus carota if you care to know the official name). It’s a common weed found roadside here in Ohio.
Finding the Flowers
You’ll want to include your child or grandchild in collecting your specimen, it’s all part of the experience. Take with you sharp scissors and a trash bag for collection. In some people with sensitive skin, the plant can cause a rash. If you will be close to home, wash your hands and forearms right away. If you will be more than a few minutes from home, take some wet wipes with you in the car.
Be careful not to look on busy roads and stay away from personal property. I collected some of mine at a local school and a few more at a local park. Cut a long stem and place them in the trash bag.
Easy Ohio Science for Kids
Once home, you’ll want to gather supplies. You’ll need: a food coloring set, scissors, four clear glasses or jars, and water. I used the old fashioned, dropper style food coloring. You could use the paste if you’d like, just stir to dissolve it in the water.
Run three to four inches of water into each glass and put a few drops of food coloring into each one (I put in eight, but that was probably overkill).
Using the scissors, trim the stems to appropriate height. Divide the flowers into four sections and place a small group of flowers into each glass.
And Now We Wait
Place the glasses in an out of the way place. You can talk to your child about plants and how they move water from the roots, through the steams, to the leaves and flowers. This simple explanation should be adequate to spark the curiosity of preschoolers through about first grade.
For older children, perhaps second through fifth grades, you can have them research the subject on the internet. In a quick search I found several sites, including this homeschool lesson.
Check and Document Changes
Check the flowers every day. Note how the flowers are changing, slowly at first of course. Use your phone to take a picture everyday and document the changes.
My flowers reached peak color at about four days. At that point I took a final picture and discarded the weeds.
I think we can see how the title Easy Ohio Science for Kids fits this experiment. It’s cheap, uses available resources, and takes very little time. And yet, it is a wonderful tradition that will add memories of time spent together for your children or grandchildren.
Ohio Traditions
What are your favorite Ohio traditions? Did you do this experiment as a child?
Looking for more projects to do together? Try making our homemade ornaments! They are great for a wide variety of ages and an awesome way to make memories together.
