BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Every Wednesday after school, a group of fifth-grade girls gets a hands-on science experience at Nativity Miguel Middle School in Buffalo during the school year.
For 12 years, Dour Knorr, or as the students call him, Mr. Doug has been coming up with science activities. Projects from testing pond water, to taking apart owl pellets, to making paper airplanes, Mr. Doug is making science fun for fifth-graders.
"It gives them a chance to explore, and they discover their own abilities and their own potential," Knorr said.
When school switched to at-home learning, the "Science First Hand" program did too. Nativity Miguel has sent students supplies to make at-home friendly science projects while the whole class is on Zoom. They have had four lessons so far and hope to continue until the school year is over.
"I hope they are having a little fun with science even during these tough times and learn a little bit more about themselves and the world," Knorr said.
Their latest project-- Slime. Seven Eyewitness News Reporter Rebecca Thornburg jumped in on their Zoom call to check out how polymers in glue change to make slime.
"You get to be creative, so you're not just learning all day," 12-year-old Anyiah said. She created some pink slime when we were on the call.
Fifth-grader Samira made some blue slime. "At first, I wasn't really into science until I figured out everything that happens in science," Samira said.
Here's the recipe the students used to make slime.
SLIME INGREDIENTS
- One 8 oz Bottle of Elmer’s Glue
- Two (2) cups of warm water, divided equally Food Coloring
- 1.5 tsps. Borax (liquid starch)
- DIRECTIONS 1. Mix the entire bottle of Elmer’s Glue with one cup of warm water in one bowl. Add food coloring and mix. 2. In the other bowl pour the Borax into the one cup of warm water and mix thoroughly. 3. SLOWLY pour the Borax solution into the glue mix bowl. You won’t need to add this entire amount of Borax solution, just enough to start the polymer reaction and make it “slimy.” 4. Mix initially with plastic spoon. As mix solidifies, you can mix by hand. 5. Discard bowls (if disposable). 6. Slime can be stored in a ziplock bag; keeps better in refrigerator. KEEP AWAY from pets and young children.
