Snow Volcano! Reading away from a book

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Snow. Volcano. Snow volcano? This reading opportunity is about to get exciting. Not all reading needs to be from a book. This is a super exciting, seasonal activity to bring some added excitement and fizz to your reading.

YOU WILL NEED FOR THIS VOLCANIC WINTER WONDERLAND:

What you need to do to create your own snow volcano:

Download your free printable challenge cards (coming soon)! Cut them out and laminate them if you want to use them again.

Hide the challenge cards around your garden in the snow.

Your child needs to find all of the rock cards first and then find the equipment and ingredients shown on the cards.

Next, they need to go in hunt of the step by step instructions in number order. They must complete each step upon finding that card.

EASY READ METHOD For creating your Snow Volcano:

1. First build a volcano shape in the snow.
2. Once you have built your volcano, make a hole in the top and place your container inside.
3. After placing your container inside, fill it 3/4 full with the vinegar.
4. Following the vinegar, pour in a 1/4 cup of washing up liquid.
5. Add a generous amount of food colouring to the vinegar and washing up liquid mixture.
6. When you have all 3 ingredients in the container, stir together with a spoon.
7. Finally, tip in a heaped 1/4 cup of bicarbonate soda and step back. Watch your lava flow!

TRICKIER READ METHOD For creating your Snow Volcano:

If you want to add a little extra reading comprehension, deduction and inference into your task. Try out some trickier steps. Do not number them. Can they read the steps to help them find clues to get the method in the correct order?

• First build a volcano shape in the snow.
• Once you have built your volcano, make a hole in the top and place your container inside.
• After placing your container inside, fill it 3/4 full with the vinegar.
• Following the vinegar, pour in a 1/4 cup of washing up liquid.
• Add a generous amount of food colouring to the vinegar and washing up liquid mixture.
• When you have all 3 ingredients in the container, stir together with a spoon.
• Finally, tip in a heaped 1/4 cup of bicarbonate soda and step back. Watch your lava flow!

So what’s the Science?

When you combine an acid mixed with water (vinegar) and a base (baking soda), the base will turn into water and carbon dioxide (CO₂). The CO₂ causes the bubbling, which is made more impressive with the washing up liquid in this experiment.

If you’d like a more detailed explanation, I’d recommend popping over to Stem Mayhem. Don’t forget to come back to download your FREE CHALLENGE CARDS (coming soon).

Looking for more ways to have fun with reading away from a book? Check these activities out!