Scientists Solving Environmental Polution

We have been experimenting with various environmental toxins or simulated toxins as it were. It's quite refreshing how many children already knew about organic gardening and foods. Good work parents! Our latest experiment was on how best to clean up an oil spill. The children devised a fair test for 6 different materials (newspaper, cotton balls, paper napkin, nylon stocking, copy paper, and coffee filters) and cleaned up a simulated oil spill using motor oil. It was amazing how quickly some test materials absorbed the oil and how others had to be saturated with water prior to absorbing the oil. The children had a great time and learned a lot about absorption and the current PB oil spill.