Materials
Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss
Mixing bowl
Water Green food coloring
Cornstarch Rubber gloves
Durable plastic or wooden shapes or blocks, optional Water table or plastic tubs
Instructions
1. Prepare oobleck as follows: Pour 2 cups (500 ml) of water and 8 drops of green food coloringinto a large mixing bowl. Add 2 boxes of cornstarch and 1 1/3 cups (330 ml) water. Userubber gloves and a lifting motion with your fingers to blend mixture to an even consistency.The mixture should flow when you tip the bowl, yet feel stiff when you rub your finger acrossits surface. Add small amounts of water or cornstarch to alter as needed.
2. Pour the oobleck into a water table or into plastic tubs to place on tables. Cover to preventthe mixture from drying out. Set shapes/blocks aside for possible use.
3. Gather the children for a reading of Bartholomew and the Oobleck. In this charming story, aking becomes bored with the weather and orders a green, gummy, gooey substance calledoobleck to fall from the sky.
4. After the story, invite the children to explore the amazing texture of the oobleck you have prepared.Props can be added to represent things in the kingdom that were covered withoobleck.Note: A more advanced version of this activity is described in Oobleck: What Do ScientistsDo? A Teacher's Guide by Cary I. Sneider.More to doArt: Give the children green finger paints or playdough.Snack: Add green food coloring to vanilla pudding for an ooblecky snack.
