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PROJECT #4: Dirt and Sand
You will need: microscope
several clean, blank slides
several slide covers
samples of dirt and sand from different places
specimen vials to hold the samples
pipette
water
Dirt can have small pieces from rocks in it. It can also have lots of organic
material. This is made up of decomposed plant and animal material. Dead
leaves and grass get broken down and eaten up by friendly bacteria and
small animals like earthworms. Dirt that has lots of organic material in it is
called loam, and it is very good for growing flowers and vegetables.
Sand can be made up of small grains of different rock types that have been
broken down from bigger pieces. There can also be tiny fragments of shells
from long-gone sea creatures. In some places the beach sand is black
because the fine particles have been worn down from pieces of coal!
Collect dirt and sand from around your house and from different beaches.
Bring small samples home from a vacation. Use the specimen vials in your
microscope kit to hold the samples. Place a very thin layer of each sample on
a slide. You will see many small types of particles. Then add one drop of
water and place a slide cover over the sample.
Notes:
What do you see in your samples of dirt and sand? Which samples would
make good garden soil? Be sure to wash your hands when you are finished.
Material Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4
Rock
Samples
Shell
Particles
Small Pieces
from Plants
Coal
Particles
Insect
Parts
PROJECT #5: Paper
You will need: microscope
2 clean, blank slides
writing paper, tissue paper, newspaper
paper towel
pen
water
Paper can be made from many things. Most paper is made from trees.
Sometimes the paper maker adds finely chopped up cotton rags. Other types
of paper are made from paper that has been used before.
Paper can be thick or thin. It can be smooth or rough. It can be very strong or
very weak. Paper is used to write on, to make packages with, to clean up
spills, to blow your nose on, and even to make clothes with. Paper to write on
is smooth, while paper tissues are soft. Paper towels are thick, while
newspaper paper (called newsprint) is thin.
Get different types of paper and compare them. Try to write on them. Try to
clean up a few drops of spilled water with each type. Then place small pieces of
the different samples between two slides. Look at them through your
microscope. If you look at small pieces from a magazine or newspaper, you will
see that the pictures are printed with tiny dots of colored ink.
Notes:
Writing
Paper
Newsprint
Paper
Towel
Facial
Tissues
Can you write on
it with a pencil?
Can you write on
it with a pen?
How well does it
pick up spilled water?
How strong is it?
How smooth is it?
Through your microscope you should have noticed that tissues and paper
towel have soft, fuzzy fibers that have big air spaces between them. These
air spaces can also hold water, which is why these two samples did well
picking up the water spill. The writing paper did not have these air spaces
and did not pick up water very well. The newsprint did not work well either
because its fibers are also closely packed.
(11 pages)
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