Make Chalk

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Description

No chalk? No problem!

Make your own chalk from ingredients you might already have at home.

Younger girls will need adult assistance to complete this project but will love playing with the end result.
Older girls will be able to complete this activity more independently.

Suitable for GGNZ Virtual Group Guiding

Kindly submitted by Nicola Bond


Resources

You will need:

Cornflour
Water
Food colouring
Cardboard tubes (like from paper towels or toilet paper or just roll up cardboard)
Baking paper
Scissors
Sellotape or rubber bands
Bowl
Fork

Note: Alternative ingredients include plaster of paris + tempera paint, or a 1:2 ratio of very finely crushed eggshell + flour.

Instructions

1. Make a mold by rolling up cardboard into a tube, chopping a paper towel roll into thirds or just use toilet paper rolls as they are

2. Cover the bottom of your cardboard tube with baking paper and tape / elastic band it into place.

3. Roll more baking paper and slot it inside your tube to line it

4. In a bowl, pour cornstarch and then add a few drops of food colouring of your choice. Slowly add water and mix well. You want to add just enough water to create a very thick mixture.

5. Pour or spoon the mixture into your mold

6. Repeat steps 1-5 with a different food colouring if you like

7. Place the mold in a hot water cupboard (or somewhere warm) so that the water can evaporate. The chalk should be as possible to dry before use (this will take 24-48 hrs)

8. Remove from the molds and try your chalk out on the driveway!

Note:
If you add too much water then it will have difficulty drying (and remaining contained within the moulds). Never fear! Treat it as a chemistry and physics lesson all-in-one. You have just created a non-Newtonian fluid called ooblek. You can take your ooblek outside for messy play fun. Pour it into your hands and watch how it becomes a solid if you clench your fist but magically liquefies if you release the pressure!


Tags

  • art
  • chalk
  • GGNZ
  • GGNZ Virtual Guiding
  • GGNZ Virtual Unit
  • Virtual Group Guiding

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