Student is standing in
a tub, placed in a children's pool, filled with bubble soap solution. The hula hoop
encloses her inside a huge bubble. If your hands were covered with soap, you would
be able to shake hands through the soap film without breaking the bubble.
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Bubbleology Video
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Some FAQs about soap bubble activities
(from the teacher handbook)
Safety Considerations
A layer of newspaper on the floor will
soak up excess soap. Students should be cautioned to walk slowly and pick up their
feet. Grass and cement also can become slippery. A little kitty liter or sand
spread over the activity area will help reduce potential problems. Soap can have
some detrimental effects on grass and other plant life. Talk about soap in the eyes
with your students before beginning the activity. Use a moist wash cloth or eyewash
fountain to cleanse affected eyes. Safety goggles are very helpful when doing
activities with soap bubbles. Do not use glass containers, as they get very
slippery. (consult the handbook for more safety info)
Finding the right solution
(condensed info)
For the basic soap bubble solution, try
Joy or Dawn dish soap and use 1 cup of soap per gallon of water. To this add one
quarter cup of clear Karo syrup to add strength to the soap
bubbles. The handbook deals with this in depth as a wonderful way to do an
experiment as there are so many variables (ie distilled vs/ tap water). Soap bubble
solutions actually get better with age. Mix yours at least 5 days before the
activity.
Humidity
You will get best results and the
longest lasting soap bubbles on days of high humidity. Although not required, you
can increase the humidity by running a humidifier in your room. Start it at least an
hour before your activity.
Clean up
Always an important question.
Adding more water will only increase the amount of bubbles. First run a squeegee
over the table tops to reduce the quantity of solution. Then sprinkle the table top
with vinegar to cut the soap film. Use newspapers to soak up spills. With
these techniques, you'll find that bubbleology is a fairly clean activity. |