This post idea, to test our sunscreen by painting on our paper with sunscreen and leaving them out in the sun, was inspired by the comment by Lady in a Small Town in my earlier post, Sun-bleached Alphabet Puzzle. She said that she’d heard of an experiment where they painted with sunscreen and watched the sun bleach the paper except for the painted portions. It sounded like fun! We added the Scientific method as I have always wondered which type of sunscreen was more effective: rub-on or spray-on.
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What is the scientific method? It is a way of finding a problem and searching for the solution, as provided by evidence. The Scientific Method requires four basic steps:
- Ask a question
- Make a hypothesis or a statement of truth
- Test hypothesis with experiments.
- Determine if your hypothesis was indeed true.
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Question: Which sunscreen is more effective: Rub-on or Spray-on
Hypothesis: Rub-on is more effective.
Setting up our Preschool Sunscreen Experiment:
We used the same brand of sunscreen for both experiments and with the same SPF. As there were variations in shades between the various pages of construction paper, we folded each page in half. On one half the kids free-style painted with sunscreen. We created a smiley face stencil and on the other half of paper we sprayed sunscreen over the page. Then all the papers were left out in the sun for a few hours.
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Solution: As you can see, they are both equally effective.
How cute!
Hee hee that’s me! We just saw the weather week wrap up episode of Sid and that’s the Fab Lab activity they did. I love that you ran with the scientific inquiry idea. It is great to have fun and learn at the same time. I am now tempted to spread sunscreen on the construction paper I use in my classroom posters. I hate when they fade. Or, maybe, this year I will use sunscreen to let the kids practice their letters and then leave them in the sun.
That is a super cool idea!
I’m so happy to see you make an experiment out of this! So often, teachers and parents give a demonstration only – especially for younger kids. Bravo for introducing preschoolers to the fun of hypothesizing and testing.
The result surprised me. I always thought that the rub on kind was more effective and I never let my children just wear the spray. I always asked them to put the rub on kind on and then if they needed to reapply they could use the spray. Was I ever wrong.
I was just over at JDaniel4′s Mom’s blog and told her that I added her button to my blog and I’m going to add yours too. I just love how you both share such fun and creative ideas for teaching little ones. You have a wealth of great stuff here that I’d love to share with my readers.
We are enrolled in an online school but school at home and a lot of times I hear paretns asking how can I teach my older child with toddler in tow. You have some wonderful answers to that question..
It did work! I had someone who had tried it earlier, but it didn’t work for them. I wonder if it’s how thick you spread it on.
Very satisfied with this article, appreciate it.