We are stuck at home due to COVID-19 and I have been teaching my preschool class through ZOOM for the past couple weeks. This week we have been focusing on activities about Passover and I found a fun science experiment on The Maker Mom’s blog that my students enjoyed. Coincidentally, this science experiment has been quite popular during this pandemic to teach children the importance of washing the germs off their hands. But for this lesson, it’s a fun way to show the kids how Moses parted the Red Sea. For more Passover ideas for the classroom, please click here.
Explain the story of Moses to the children before doing this activity with them.
Once upon a time, there was a man named Moses who was leading his people called the Israelites out of Egypt. They were trying to escape from a mean king who had been making them work very hard and treating them badly.
One day, they came to a big body of water called the Red Sea, which was blocking their way. The Israelites were very worried because they didn’t know how to get across.
But then, something amazing happened. God helped Moses part the waters of the Red Sea so that the Israelites could walk through it safely. It was like the water made a big pathway in the middle, with walls of water on both sides.
So, Moses and the Israelites walked through the middle of the Red Sea on dry land. They were very happy and grateful to God for helping them.
After they all crossed safely, the mean king and his army tried to follow them, but the water came crashing down on them and they couldn’t cross. So, the Israelites were safe and free to continue their journey.
Materials:
To make your Moses:
Use your imagination and materials you already have, but here are some ideas:
-The body can be a popsicle stick or disposable spoon
-Draw a face with marker
-You can make an outfit for him out of cloth, tissue paper, napkin or if you dare…toilet paper. Then tie it with string, rubber band, twist tie.
-You can take a cotton ball and color it with marker for hair.
-If you wish make some arms out of a pipe cleaner
-Moses holds a staff…you can use a toothpick or q-tip.
For the experiment:
-Your Moses
-Shallow Dish
-Black Pepper
-Small bowl with a small amount of dish soap
Instructions:
First make your Moses. Here are two examples of our creations.
Then gather all the rest of your supplies.
Add a thin layer of pepper to your bowl of water.
Next dip the end of your Moses into the bowl filled with dish soap.
Then dip Moses (with the soap) into the dish with the black pepper. Magic happens!
The black pepper immediately radiates out to the sides of the bowl. Sort of like when Moses parts the Red Sea. The effect is so quick that it really is exciting to watch.
What you will see is that the black pepper will quickly move away from the soap. The reason why this happens is because soap is made up of special molecules that are attracted to both water and grease or oil.
The black pepper flakes float on the surface of the water because they are lighter than water. The soap molecules spread out on the surface of the water and as they do, they pull the pepper flakes away from them. This is why the pepper flakes move to the edge of the bowl.
Check out our other Passover activities below:
