Moses Parting the Red Sea (Science Experiment)

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.

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 the parting of the Red Sea.  The effect is so quick that it really is exciting to watch.

Check out our other Passover activities below: