STATEWIDE – If you and your family are stuck inside for the day, you might be looking for something fun to do.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Tweeted Friday about a family-friendly experiment you can do at home.
Using materials found in your kitchen, you can make “Blubber Gloves” that will allow you to simulate the fat layer found on many Arctic animals.
To complete this experiment, you will need:
- Two large zipper-lock bags that can accommodate your hand
- Shortening
- Spoon
- Duct tape
- Ice water
- Bucket
Steps:
- Fill a bucket with ice water. This will represent the near-freezing waters of the polar regions.
- Spoon three or four heaps of shortening into a zipper-lock bag.
- Put your hand inside a second zipper-lock bag of the same size and push it into the shortening-filled zipper-lock bag.
- Spread the shortening around the zipper-lock bags until the inner bag is mostly covered. Fold the top of the inner zipper-lock bag over the top of the outer zipper-lock bag, keeping the shortening between the two. Duct tape the fold in place so that the shortening cannot get out.
- Stick your hand in the glove and dip your “blubber-gloved” hand into the ice water.
- Try comparing a hand inside the “blubber glove” to a hand stuck in the water without the glove.
You can also conduct this experiment using materials like butter, margarine, or cotton balls to compare.
Learn more about blubber here.
