Homeschoolers at the Library
Friday, October 10, 2014 @ 1 PM
Let’s Make Some Magic
Parent Resource List
What We Did This Month
· This month, we explored the world of magic from a science perspective! First, we discussed magic tricks a bit and found out what we know about magic. Then we read parts of Magic Up Your Sleeve by Helaine Becker. This book has a lot of tricks to try, but we focused on the information pages.
· Next, we read some magician tips in Kids Make Magic! The Complete Guide to Becoming an Amazing Magician by Ron Burgess. We discussed how these tips may help us if we were to put on a magic show.
· For the remainder of the program, we tried our hand at some magic from It’s Not Magic, It’s Science! by Hope Buttitta. These tricks were more science based than most and each experiment was explained after it was performed. We first tried three tricks/experiments as a group: The Great Phone Book Strength Test (page 16), Balloon Kebabs (page 30), and More is Less (page 56).
· Then we individually completed the following tricks/experiments: Balloon First-Aid (page 31), Ice Fishing (page 48), and Waterproof Paper (page 59).
· Our craft for the day came from It’s Not Magic, It’s Science! We made two different tricks to take home: thaumatropes and cackling cups. After making the craft, we all learned how to use them and tried them out on each other. Each student received an instruction sheet for each to take home. The thaumatrope patterns came from the following websites:
o Fish http://www-tc.pbskids.org/zoom/grownups/clubzoom/pdfs/ClubZOOMsci_D_launch_thaum.pdf
o Stick Man http://classroomcopilot.com/main/archives/688
o Bird http://madebyjoel.com/2011/01/bird-thaumatrope.html
· The students were challenged to check out a magic trick book from the display and find a trick to learn, and then figure out the science behind the trick. A tracker sheet was sent home with each student so they can record what they found.
Books Used in This Program
· It’s Not Magic, It’s Science! 50 Science Tricks that Mystify, Dazzle & Astound! by Hope Buttitta
· Kids Make Magic! The Complete Guide to Becoming an Amazing Magician by Ron Burgess
· Magic Up Your Sleeve: Amazing Illusions, Tricks, and Science Facts You’ll Never Believe by Helaine Becker
Additional resources to use at home:
· There are plenty of YouTube video links for different science experiments found on the Scholastic Teacher’s website at http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/40-cool-science-experiments-web
· ABC Science has a good variety of “trick” experiments to try at http://www.abc.net.au/science/surfingscientist/tricks/. All have step-by-step photos and a video.
· More science magic tricks are available at http://magic.about.com/od/science-magic-tricks/tp/Science-Magic-Tricks.htm
· 10 awesome magic science ideas! http://www.science-sparks.com/2013/03/20/science-magic-2/
If you are looking for some nonfiction books to take home, find them under the following call numbers:
· Magic Tricks – j793.8
· Science – j500
Guess Which Coin
Learning to perform simple magic tricks is a great way to build a child's self-esteem. Here is a simple coin trick that will amaze everyone.
What you need:
· Five or six coins, all with different dates on them
The effect:
You can appear to read someone's mind by guessing which coin they chose from a handful of coins on the table.
The trick:
· Put all your coins on the table.
· Turn your back. Ask your spectator to choose one coin from the pile. Tell them to take special note of the date on the coin and to keep that date firmly in the front of their mind.
· Ask them to put the coin back on the table with the others.
· Turn around again to face the coins on the table. Pick up each coin, examine it carefully as though trying to magically determine which one your spectator picked up.
· As you pick up each coin, note which one feels the warmest. There will be a noticeable difference between the one that has been recently handled and the ones that haven't been picked up at all. The one that is warm will be the one the spectator chose.
· When you figure out which coin it was, take special note of the date. Then put your hand to your forehead, close your eyes as though the date is coming to you magically. Say something like, "I'm seeing the date 2002 (or whatever date the coin is)
· Then say, "Is this your coin?" And hold up the right coin.
How it works:
When someone holds a coin in their hand for a small amount of time, the heat of their hand transfers to the coin.
Courtesy of http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-and-games/Magic-tricks+29/Guess-the-coin+11820.htm
Guess the Number Magic Trick
Calculators are still a great source of amusement for children. This simple magic trick will have everyone amused for hours.
What you need:
· A calculator
Activity:
· Get a friend to enter any number (up to seven digits) on the calculator. They should also write the number down somewhere hidden in case they forget it.
· Then ask them to use the calculator to perform the following arithmetic with that number:
· Multiply by 3.
· Add 2.
· Multiply again by 3.
· Add the number which is two greater than the first number.
· Ask your friend to write the answer on a piece of paper and show it to you.
· Leave out the last digit of the number and that will be the number your friend first put in.
Courtesy of http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-and-games/Magic-tricks+29/Guess-the-number-magic-trick+11805.htm
Let’s Make Some Magic
Magic Trick Tracker Sheet
Check out a magic trick book and find a trick to learn. Then, figure out the science behind the trick. Use this tracker sheet to record what you found.
Book used: ______
Magic Trick: ______
How to Perform Trick:______
______
Science Behind Trick: ______
______
______
Let’s Make Some Magic
Magic Trick Tracker Sheet
Check out a magic trick book and find a trick to learn. Then, figure out the science behind the trick. Use this tracker sheet to record what you found.
Book used: ______
Magic Trick: ______
How to Perform Trick:______
______
Science Behind Trick: ______
______
______