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Why Leaves Change Color and Fall in Autumn?

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Why Leaves Change Color and Fall in Autumn?

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Scientific Explanation

The chlorophyll pigment which gives green color to leaves nourishes with sunlight and provides photosynthesis. As the days shorten in autumn, the chlorophyll pigment cannot get enough nutrition. As a result of this, chlorophyll pigment decreases and other pigments become more prominent in the leaf. These pigments can give the leaf its yellow, red, or brown colors. In addition, when leaves can’t get nutrition, they become dry and the branch weakens and the leaves fall to the ground.

Child-friendly Explanation

The trees make food with the help of sunlight during the summer, but when autumn comes, the days get shorter and the sunlight decreases. When sunlight decreases, it cannot help trees produce food as it does in summer. So, the trees stop making food. When they stop making food, the leaves notice autumn is come , and just as we change clothes, they take off their green clothes and put on their yellow clothes, and then they come down from the tree branch to rest.

Open-Ended Questions

1)Why some leaves change color early, some late?

2)Why some leaves are more yellow while others are brown?

Short Hands and Minds On Activity

Let’s go out with the kids and collect leaves and ask them to compare their colors by examining the leaves they pick. Ask the children to think about why the leaves fall from the tree, why some are yellow and some are brown, or why some are changing color earlier.

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Why are Clouds Different from Each Other?

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Why are Clouds Different from Each Other?

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Scientific Explanation

Clouds form when water vapor in the air cools down and becomes small water droplets or ice crystals.External factors such as temperature, humidity, wind and air movement in the atmosphere affect the shapes of the clouds, and the shapes of the clouds look different because of the continuous change of these factors.For example, when determining what height and type of cloud will form, the wind's direction and speed change the shape of the clouds. The amount of moisture in the air is another factor that affects the shape of the cloud.The more moisture in the air, the more water vapor condenses. This affects the thickness and density of the cloud, and air currents also have an important influence on the shape of the clouds. For example, the air moving upwards allows the clouds to grow vertically. Because of these factors, no cloud in the sky is exactly the same.

Child-Friendly Explanation

The shapes of clouds in the sky are different, just as each person looks different from each other. Each cloud is different in size, sometimes a cloud is a big cotton shape, while the other cloud next to it is a tiny cotton shape. There are several reasons why the shapes and sizes of clouds are different from each other.The water vapor in the air cools and turns into tiny drops, forming clouds. These tiny drops encounter different events that affect the shape of the cloud. For example, if one of the drops is colder than the others, its shape will be very thin, and if another drop feels warmer, its shape will be puffy like a cotton ball. The shape of the clouds may also vary according to the wind that is constantly floating in the sky. The wind passes by some clouds quickly, thinning their shapes, passing very slowly, and the clouds are fluffy again like cotton. For these reasons, we see different clouds in the sky every day.

Open-Ended Questions

1) On what kind of days do you see more clouds in the sky?

2) Do you think the clouds are moving? What moves them if they move?

Short Hands and Minds On Activity

First, we take the children outside to observe the clouds in the sky.

We talk about their shapes, sizes, colors, and which ones look bigger or farther away.

Then, we go back to the classroom and give each child a blue cardboard to represent the sky.

They use cotton to create clouds, tearing and shaping them as they wish.

To support their creativity, they can also color their clouds in any colors they want.

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Scientific Explanation

The shadow is formed by the fact that light cannot reach that region by entering an obstacle in front of the light.Because light is emitted in a linear fashion, when an object passes in front of the light, a dark field forms behind it, and this subcontinent is called a shadow.The length and direction of the shadow varies according to the light source.For example, as the sun rises in the sky, the shadows become shorter and longer as they approach the west.In addition, the size of the light source also affects the sharpness of the shadow. A point light source creates clearer shadows, while a wide light source creates softer and more obscure shadows.

Child-Friendly Explanation

Light travels in a linear way, that is, straight but sometimes it prevents light, that is, some objects come out, and the light cannot pass through and move forward. When light cannot pass through the object, the back of the object remains lightless and a dark shape is formed there. This dark form is called shadow. The shadow is actually like a copy of the object, but the color is dark.The sunlight also forms the shadow of the objects they encounter in this way.As the sun moves through the sky, so does our shadow. In the morning our shadow will be long, noon will be shortened and evening will grow again. The size of the light source also affects the shape of our shadow. Small light sources create more prominent shadows, while large light sources create more obscure shadows.

Open-Ended Questions

1) Why do you think we can't see our shadow in the evening?

2) Why do you think our shadow is black?

Short Hands and Minds On Activity

Let’s take the children out into the garden and ask them all to observe their own shadows. While they are observing their shadows, ask them questions like “Where is your shadow?”, “Does your shadow move?” .Then let's take a photo of each child's shadows and examine these photos when we return to class and ask to them “Why are some shadows longer, some shorter?” by comparing shadows.

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Scientific Explanation

The Moon appearing to follow an observer is a perceptual illusion caused by the parallax effect. Parallax is the apparent shift in position of objects at different distances when viewed from different vantage points. Because the Moon is approximately 384,400 km away from Earth, small movements of the observer do not significantly change its position in the sky. The brain interprets this stability relative to the observer’s movement as if the Moon is moving along with them, creating the illusion that it follows the observer.

Child-Friendly Explanation

When you look outside the window, trees, houses, and lamp posts are closer objects, so they seem to move fast when you walk or whem you go with car. Buildings that are far away move much slower than trees because they are farther from you. The Moon is very far away, about 384,400 km, and very big, about 3,474 km wide, because it is so distant, the angle between you and the Moon is almost zero, so it looks like it following you. Your brain sees the Moon staying still while nearby things move, so it tricks you into thinking the Moon is following you. This is called the parallax effect.

Open-Ended Questions

1)Do you think the Moon is following you?

2)If yes, when or where have you noticed this the most?

Short Hands and Minds On Activity

Let's take a ball and tell the kids that it'll be the moon when we're doing the activity. Then pick one of the children to be the moon and say them to stand in place without moving, holding the ball throughout the activity.While standing still in that place, let the other children walk and move in the direction they want and observe the ball, that is, the moon. During the event, ask to the children , "What does the moon seem to be doing?" When they answer “It is following us.” make them think by asking “Is the moon really moving or us?” Thus, children can understand that the moon does not actually move, only themselves moves, and this is just a visual perception illusion.

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Scientific Explanation

Stars are actually found in the sky both at night and during the day, but due to the excessive brightness of the Sun and the light scattering that takes place in the atmosphere, the stars are not visible during the day.Light from the sun interacts with gas molecules, water vapor and dust particles in the atmosphere, this phenomenon is called Rayleigh scattering.In this process, the sky appears blue because the short-wavelength blue light is scattered more, and this intense scattered light prevents the appearance of faint light from the stars.Another reason why stars do not appear during the day is the apparent brightness difference between the Sun and the stars. The visible brightness of the Sun is about - 26.7, while the brightest star, Sirius verse - is around 1.46 magnitudes. This difference causes the Sun's light to suppress the starlight. The human eye can also perceive a light source only on a dark background. Stars appear at night because this contrast is high, but the bright sky during the day eliminates this difference. Still, very bright planets like Venus and Jupiter can sometimes be selected even during the day; also, when the sky darkens during a full solar eclipse, the stars reappear for a short time.

Child-Friendly Explanation

The stars are not only in the night, but also in the sky during the day. But because the Sun is so bright, we cannot see them in the daytime.Sunlight collides with air molecules, water droplets and dust in the sky. During these collisions, the light is scattered in all directions and this event is called scattering light.Because the blue light is scattered most often, the sky appears blue during the day. When the sky is so light, our eyes cannot see them because the light of the stars is too weak.The light of the sun is much brighter than the stars, so the daytime sky is so bright that the glare of the stars disappears.But when it is night, the Sun goes to the other side of the Earth and the sky darkens. When the light of the sun goes away, the light of the stars begins to shine in the dark.Sometimes very bright planets, such as Venus or Jupiter, can be seen during the day. Even when the Sun is eclipsed, when the light of the Sun is turned off by the Moon, the sky becomes dark and the stars appear for a short time. This shows that they are always there, but they are hidden because of the light of the Sun.

Open-Ended Questions

1)Where do you think the stars go during the day?

2)If the stars were visible in the daytime, what would the sky look like?

Short Hands and Minds on Activity

First, create a dark environment in the classroom. Let's find a small flashlight and another source of light larger and brighter than that. Let's tell the children that the small flashlight is the star and the big light source is the sun.Then, in the darkened area, we turn on the small flashlight and say to the children, “Look, this is our star.” Then we turn on the big light source and ask, “Can you see the star now?” Then, let’s explain to the children that the small flashlight is there, but just as we cannot see it because of the brightness of the big light, the stars are actually in the sky during the day as well, but we cannot see their light because of the brightness of the Sun.

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Scientific Explanation

Quicksand is a mixture of sand and water, or sand and air, that appears solid but becomes unstable when any additional stress is applied. Most quicksand forms in areas with natural springs, such as at the base of alluvial fans, along riverbanks, or on beaches at low tide. In these environments, the loose packing of sand grains is maintained by the upward movement of water. Once the air in the void spaces is expelled, the grains become too densely packed to allow further compaction, which limits how deeply a person can sink. In normal sand, grains are packed tightly together, with about 25–30% of the space between them filled with air or water, whereas in quicksand the voids can make up 30–70% of the total volume.

References

Long, D. G. F. (2006, July 3). What is quicksand? Scientific American.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-quicksand/

Child-Friendly Explanation

Quicksands look like hard sand when you look at them from outside, but actually they are very soft because they contain water. The sand grains are loosely packed and the spaces between them are filled with water, so when you step on them, the grains slide and your feet slowly sink. If the grains were tightly packed, you could walk easily, but the water in the spaces makes them move more easily. If you move slowly and spread your weight, the mud-and-water mixture won’t hold you too much, and you can get out easily. That’s why quicksand, although it looks solid from the outside, is actually a kind of flowing sand-and-water mixture.

Open-Ended Questions

1)Where do you think quicksand is most likely to be found? Where could you see it in nature?

2)If you got stuck in quicksand, what kind of tool or object could help you get out more easily?

Short Hands and Minds on Activity

First, we will read a book about quicksand to introduce the topic to the children. Then, we will place soft pillows in one corner of the classroom to pretend it is a quicksand area. Children will practice moving slowly and carefully while stepping on the pillows. As the teacher, we might give instructions such as lying on their backs, moving more slowly, or lifting their arms, while observing each child’s movements and discussing how to improve. Finally, we will add additional tools, like a rope, so children can help each other, promoting collaboration.

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Scientific Explanation

The main reason why worms get to the soil surface more often when it rains is because the amount of oxygen in the soil decreases(Edwards & Bohlen, 1996).Worms normally live comfortably in moist soil and breathe by taking oxygen from their skin.However, during heavy rainfall, oxygen flow is reduced as the soil pores are filled with water, and the worms come to the surface to avoid choking hazards. In addition, wet ground allows worms to move faster and easier on the surface.Worms that move on dry floors can be damaged, while they can progress more safely on damp surfaces after rain.Some research suggests that the vibrations generated by the sound of rain are also perceived by the worms as predatory animal vibration, and therefore their rise to the surface is accelerated. The combination of these factors leads to the appearance of more worms in rainy weather.

References

Edwards, C. A., & Bohlen, P. J. (1996). Biology and ecology of earthworms (3rd ed.). Chapman & Hall.

Child-Friendly Explanation

When it rains, you see the soil getting very wet. In fact, not only the top side, but also the inside of the soil is filled with water. Worms normally love to live under the soil because it is soft, moist and safe for them. And worms, breathe with their skin, not like us with their mouth. For this, there must be enough air in the soil.But when it rains a lot, the small gaps of the soil begin to fill with water. As the water increases, the air inside the soil decreases. That's when the worms have trouble breathing inside. As if “Here the air is running out, I must go up!” they think. So they go out of the land.And after the rain, the places are always wet, you know. Worms can be easily damaged in dry places or their bodies can harden. But when the floor is wet, their body becomes slippery and they move more comfortably. So it is both safer and easier for worms to go out after rain.So the reason we actually see worms more in the rain is not because they like to walk outside; they come to the surface to breathe and move more comfortably on wet ground. That is why on rainy days we see plenty of worms on paving stones or on the side of dirt roads.

Open-Ended Questions

1.Why do you think worms want to get out of the ground when it rains?

2.How do you think worms feel when too much water enters the soil?

Short Hands and Mind on Activity

Before we start, let's say that the long and thin threads that we put on the children rough will represent the worms. Let's pour the soil into the container and place the ropes well under the soil. Bury it in the ground to completely close the strings and tell the children, “Look, right now our worms live in the soil. Let's say this is their house.”

Then,ask children “What do you think happens here if rain falls?” Now let's slowly start pouring water over the soil. As the water penetrates into the soil, children will notice that the ropes, the worms, are moving upwards.At this point, let’s ask the children, ‘Why do you think the worms started coming up?’

As we add more water, let’s make it look like the air inside the soil is decreasing.Then let us explain:

“Look, the water filled all the gaps in the soil. Our worms felt like they could not breathe inside. So they had to go up. Just like real worms go out when it rains.” After the activity is over, we can ask the children to examine and observe the appearance of worms (ropes) on the surface.

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Scientific Explanation

A rainbow is formed by the refraction of sunlight as it passes through raindrops, its reflection within the drop, and its refraction again as it leaves the water, resulting in the separation of light into its colors (Britannica, n.d.). White sunlight consists of multiple colors with different wavelengths, and the refractive index of the water drop varies depending on these wavelengths, meaning each color of light leaves the drop at a different angle. As a result of this scattering of light, colors such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet appear as arcs in the sky.For a rainbow to form, the Sun must be behind the observer and the raindrops must be opposite the observer. Also, sometimes the light is reflected twice within the drop, resulting in a second, dimmer rainbow with the color order reversed.

References

Britannica. (n.d.). What causes a rainbow? Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/What-Causes-a-Rainbow

Child-Friendly Explanation

As sunlight passes through raindrops, it separates into its colors, creating a rainbow. Sunlight appears white, but it contains many other colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Raindrops absorb sunlight, refract it, reflect it back, and then emit it again. As each color of light travels a different path, creating a distinct color spectrum.We see these separated colors as an arc in the sky. For a rainbow to appear, the Sun must be behind us and the rain must be in front of us. Sometimes the light rotates twice within the drop, and we see another rainbow with fainter colors.

Open-Ended Questions

1) In what weather do you see the rainbow?

2) Are there always the same colors in the rainbow?

Short Hands and Minds on Activity

Let's fill a glass with water and place it on the edge of the table. Let's place a sheet of white paper in front of the glass. Then, let's shine a flashlight into the glass of water at a certain angle. This will create a colored light reflection on the paper. As a result, let's tell the children that they can think of sunlight as the light from the flashlight here, allowing them to visualize the processes of light refraction, reflection, and color separation.After the experiment, children are given paints and papers, and they are asked to create their own rainbows by mixing colors.

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Scientific Explanation

The main reason ships do not sink in the sea is explained by the principle of Buoyancy, discovered by the Greek scientist Archimedes, who was born in 287 BC. According to Archimedes’ Principle, the upward force (buoyant force) exerted on an object submerged in water is equal to the weight of the water displaced by the object. Ships are designed to occupy a large volume and their interiors are mostly hollow, containing air. This makes the ship’s average density lower than that of water, preventing it from sinking. As long as the ship’s weight (gravitational force) is less than the buoyant force created by the displaced water, the ship remains balanced on the surface and moves safely across the water.

Child-Friendly Explanation

Ships don't sink because of a magical power called Buoyancy! They are built with a special hull that is shaped like a giant, empty bathtub with pointy ends. This clever design helps to spread the ship's heavy weight out evenly on the water, making it float like a champ. The biggest trick is something called "displacement," which means the ship acts like a whale and simply pushes a lot of water out of its way. This pushed-out water fights back with an upward force, making the floating fortress stay safe and sound on the waves. So, thanks to that clever shape and the pushy water, the ship can glide smoothly across the sea.

Open-Ended Questions

1)Why do you think that even though the ships are so heavy, the water does not pull them down?

2)Do you think the ships would still be able to float if they were shaped differently?

Short Hands and Minds On Activity

First, let's fill a large bowl with water and give each child a piece of aluminum foil. Ask them to crumple the foil into a ball. Then, let's drop the crumpled foil into the water. The children will observe that the foil immediately sinks. After seeing this, let's ask, "Do you think the same piece of foil could stay in place?" Then, let's distribute the same pieces of foil again and this time, let's shape them into a ship. Simply fold the edges up slightly. When they drop this shape into the water, they'll observe that it floats. Let's encourage children to think by asking, "Why doesn't the foil that just sank sink now?" At the end of the activity, let's explain that when the children shaped the ship, they made the foil wider, and this wider shape pushes more water, which in turn exerts a greater buoyant force on the ship, so the ship doesn't sink.

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Scienfitic Explanation

The process begins with the spider producing silk in its silk glands and extruding it through spinnerets. The spider first establishes a "bridge" by releasing a thread into the wind and then constructs spokes extending from the center to the outer edges to create the framework. Once the framework is complete, the spider creates temporary spirals of "dry" silk to maintain the shape. It then replaces these with a "sticky silk" spiral, which is coated with a glue-like substance to trap prey. The spider carefully constructs this final sticky spiral from the outside of the web inward. Since the sticky silk can dry out or become damaged over time, webs are often rebuilt or repaired regularly.

References

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2025, December 14). How do spiders make circular webs? Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/How-Do-Spiders-Make-Webs

Child-Friendly Explanation

Spiders make silk inside their bodies. Inside, this silk is wet like water. When it comes out, it dries and turns into a strong string. To start the web, the spider lets the wind carry a string to another place to build the foundation. Spiders do not get stuck in their own webs because they use two types of strings. They use "dry" strings to walk on, and "sticky" strings to catch flies. The spider knows where to walk and only steps on the dry strings. Because the sticky strings get old or dry out, spiders have to make their webs again very often.

Open-Ended Question

1) Which animals do you think can be caught in the spider's web?

2) Do you think spiders can make webs in different shapes?

Short Hands and Mind on Activity

First, spider pictures drawn on cardboard are handed out to the children. The children are asked to color these spiders in any colors they like and then cut them out. Next, a piece of string is glued to the abdomen (middle) of the cut-out spider. Using this string, the children create a spider web in whatever shape they choose. In the next activity, children place different colored tapes across a large open area in the classroom, leaving gaps between them. These tapes represent a giant spider web. The children's goal is to carefully cross to the other side without touching these "tape webs" at all.

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What are the Physics behind Bouncing Balls? 

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What are the Physics behind Bouncing Balls? 

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Scientific Explanation?

The process of a bouncing ball begins with gravity converting potential energy into kinetic energy as the ball accelerates downward. Upon impact, the ground exerts a normal force opposing gravity, causing the ball to rapidly decelerate and deform until its velocity momentarily reaches zero. At this point of maximum deformation, due to elasticity, the ball pushes against the surface with a force greater than its own weight, creating an upward acceleration that launches it into a rebound. While gravity immediately begins to slow the ball's ascent, real-world factors like friction can reverse the ball's spin, and continuous energy losses due to air resistance, heat, and sound eventually cause the ball to come to a rest.

REFERENCES

English, T. (2023, June 28). What are the physics behind bouncing balls? Interesting Engineering.

https://interestingengineering.com/science/what-are-the-physics-behind-bouncing-balls

Child-Friendly Explanation

When we drop a ball, gravity pulls it downwards. If we drop the ball from a higher point, it falls faster because the longer it falls, the faster it gains speed. A faster-falling ball compresses more upon impact, causing it to bounce higher.

When the ball hits the ground, the surface stops it, and it is compressed for a short time. Because balls are elastic, they tend to return to their original shape after being compressed. It is during this time that the ball pushes against the ground and bounces upwards again. But not all surfaces are the same. If the ball lands on a hard surface like concrete or tiles, the surface moves very little, pushing the ball back more. Therefore, the ball bounces better. If the ball lands on a soft surface like carpet, grass, or sand, the surface also sags slightly, absorbing some of the ball's energy. Therefore, the ball bounces less.

The ball loses some energy each time it bounces. This energy is lost through sound, heat, and friction with the air. Therefore, the ball bounces a little less each time and eventually stops completely.

So how high a ball will bounce depends on: How high it is dropped from,how fast it falls,and the surface it hits.

Open-Ended Questions

1) Why do you think the same ball bounces higher when dropped from a higher height?

2)If we made this ball from playdough instead of rubber, do you think it would still bounce? Why or why not?

Short Hands and Mind on Activity?

First, let's create a safe space in the classroom. Give each child a basketball, a balloon, and a ball made of playdough. Ask each child to drop their ball from the same spot on the floor. Together, count how many times the ball bounces after it hits the ground.

Then, ask the children to drop the balls from different heights. In each attempt, have them count how many times it bounces and compare their results to previous attempts. Expect them to notice that the balloon, basketball, and playdough balls behave differently.

Ask the children questions like, "Which ball bounced the most?", "Which one didn't bounce at all?" and encourage them to share their observations. After the children notice, explain that the bouncing of the balls is related to elasticity, gravity, and energy. Elastic balls compress and are pushed back up when they hit the ground, while inelastic balls don't bounce for this reason.

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Scientific Explanation

When sugar is thrown into water, it does not actually disappear, it only dissolves. Sugar and water are made up of very small molecules. When sugar is added to water, the water molecules enter and separate the sugar molecules, and the sugar grains are evenly distributed throughout the water. This is called dissolution. So when I throw the sugar in the water, it doesn't disappear, it just breaks into pieces that are too small to be seen by the eye and spreads into the water. So the water is sweet, but sugar is not visible in it. If we mix sugar after throwing it into the water, we can make it dissolve faster. Also, hot water dissolves sugar faster than cold water (Dr. Sevda Seçer Esmer, 2023).

References

Dr. Sevda Seçer Esmer. (2023, 06 Ocak). Çözünme nasıl gerçekleşir? TÜBİTAK Bilim Genç. https://bilimgenc.tubitak.gov.tr/makale/cozunme-nasil-gerceklesir

Child-Friendly Explanation

When we throw sugar in water, the sugar is not lost, it is stored in water. Water and sugar are made up of tiny particles, these particles are called molecules. When we throw sugar into the water, the water particles enter the sugar grains and break them down into tiny particles, distributing them everywhere. These pieces become so small that we can't see them with our eyes and we think the sugar has disappeared. In fact, sugar is still in the water. We call this matter dissolution.When sugar is distributed everywhere in water, the taste of water is sweet, but we cannot see sugar in water. It dissolves faster when we put sugar in hot water and mix it.

Open-Ended Questions

1) How do we know that sugar is still in the water?

2) Where do you think sugar has disappeared into the water?

Short Hands and Minds On Activity?

First, fill one transparent glass with hot water and the other with cold water. Add the same amount of sugar to both glasses. Initially, let them sit without stirring and ask the children to observe what happens to the sugar. Help them notice that the sugar dissolves faster in the hot water. Then, ask the children to stir both glasses with a spoon. After stirring, observe together what changes occur in the sugar. Ask the children questions like, "In which glass did the sugar disappear faster?", "What changed when you stirred?" At the end of the activity, simply explain to the children that the hot water and stirring caused the sugar to dissolve faster, that the sugar didn't actually disappear but spread throughout the water.

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1) Elif Ocakhan-Merve Demirel (Why Is Paper White Even Though It Comes from Trees?)

2) Hilal Yıldırım-Sıla Engin (Dissolving)

3) Pakize Sude Ceylan-Öykü Batıhan (Cloud Shapes)

4) Ayçin Çalışkan-Ahmet Kara (Why Does Sugar Disappear in Water?)

5) Ece Aydın-Damla Sönmez (How does out tongue taste flavors?)

6) Osman Onur Ak-Selman Alyüz (Where does water go?)