Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom

Goopy Stuff to Play With

printable pdf of these activities

  • 4 cups sugar
  • 4 quarts water
  • 2 cups dish washing liquid

Bubble Solution

  1. Stir the sugar into the water until it dissolves.
  2. Add the dish washing liquid and stir again.
  3. Divide the solution (four quarts) into several shallow tubs or buckets.
  4. Provide slotted spoons, canning rings, plastic lids with centers cut out or flyswatters for blowing bubbles.
  • 1 T cornstarch
  • paper cup or
    plastic bag
  • 2 drops corn oil
  • 1 t water
  • 2 drops food coloring

Biodegradable Plastic

  1. Place cornstarch in the paper cup or plastic bag.
  2. Add oil and then water. Stir.
  3. Add food coloring and stir.
  • 2 cups liquid starch
  • 2 cups white glue
  • food coloring

Green Slime

  1. Cover work surface with newspaper.
  2. Add a few drops of food coloring to the white glue.
  3. Stir in liquid starch, small amounts at a time.
  4. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and rubberlike. The dough should move away from the sides of the bowl and be sticky to the touch.
  5. Add a few more drops of starch to eliminate the sticky feel.
  6. Store in an airtight container, and refrigerate overnight.
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1⁄4 cup salt
  • a few drops peppermint flavoring
  • food coloring
  • 2 t cream of tartar

Play Dough

  1. Cook all ingredients over medium heat until the mixture pulls away from the side of the pan and reaches the consistency of playdough.
  2. Knead until cool.
  3. Store in an air tight container.
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1⁄4 cup salt
  • a few drops peppermint flavoring
  • food coloring
  • 2 t cream of tartar

Surprise Play Dough

  1. Cook all ingredients EXCEPT FOOD COLORING over medium heat until the mixture pulls away from the side of the pan and reaches the consistency of playdough.
  2. Knead until cool.
  3. Divide the dough into balls, one for each student.
  4. Hide a few drops of food coloring in the center of each ball but DO NOT MIX. Use different amounts and colors of drops in each ball so that each child's dough will be different. As students start to play with their dough, they discover there is color and that the colors are different.
  • Green food coloring
  • Bowl
  • 1 16-oz box cornstarch
  • Table covering
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • Paper towels
  • Measuring cup

Oobleck

Oobleck is the name of this substance that resembles the green rain Dr. Seuss describes in his book Bartholomew and the Oobleck. It is a unique substance that exhibits properties of both liquids and solids.

  1. Add several drops of food coloring to the water.
  2. Pour half the water in the bowl.
  3. Add the entire box of cornstarch.
  4. Mix, adding the remaining water slowly until the mixture flows like a liquid when the bowl is tipped and feels like a solid on the surface.
  5. Add more cornstarch if the mixture is too soupy or water if it is too thick.

Oobleck is best cleaned up dry. Never pour it down the drain! It will cause a clog. Let any spillage dry, then sweet up or wipe away.

 

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Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a program of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Oklahoma State Department of Education