Materials
Chart paper Marker
Matches Candle
Pail of water Small jar with top, such as a baby food jar
Instructions
Caution: Point out that fire is dangerous, and that these experiments should be done only by an adult. This would also be a good time to talk about fire safety.1. Ask the children, "What do we know about fire and heat?" Chart their responses. Have a short talk about safety procedures during circle time.2. As you light the candle, ask, "What does fire need to keep burning?" Now introduce these vocabulary words: air, heat and fuel. Fire must have all three in order to burn. Fuel is something that keeps the fire going, like gasoline keeps the car going and healthy food keeps your body going. What is the fuel here? The candlewick and wax are the fuels.3. Light the candle; watch it burn for a few seconds.4. Put the baby food jar over the lit candle and watch it burn. Watch the flame go out. Why did it go out? There is no air. Try this a few times.5. Light the candle again. When you blow on the flame, why does it go out? Because there is less heat.More to doMore science: After the experiments, chart the children's answers to: what do we know about fire and heat?
