This D.I.Y. take on a childhood classic is a fascinating and interactive science project that the whole family can enjoy. The best part? You don't have to run down to the local toy store for one of those chintzy plastic kits, although you may need to add pie tins to your grocery list. The hardest part will be collecting ants, which is - unfortunately - all too easy, virtually anywhere you live. With a simple pie pan, jar and a few handuls or dirt, kids will learn about ant environments, food needs, and colony behavior and of course, will be able to observe the
colony behavior in a controlled way. Simple, fun, and a great way to get kids excited about, or introduce them to, earth science.
You will need:
- 1 quart or larger clear glass jar
- 1 8 – 10 inch pie plate
- 1 2 inch deep pan, larger than the pie pan, to hold water
- Soil
- Pencil
- String
- Water
- Ants
Directions:
Fill the jar and the pie plate two-thirds full with
soil. Set the jar into the bowl of soil so it is level and stable. Place the pie plate into the larger
pan and add at least 1 inch of water to the pan. The water acts as a
moat to keep your ants from escaping. If you use a quart jar, you can
substitute a soup bowl for the pie plate and a 10 inch pie plate for
the water pan. The pencil leans against the jar, acting as a little bridge.
Don’t cover the jar! Ants are curious and
active creatures who will appreciate being able to wander over the top
of the jar and into the surrounding dirt. They may crawl over the edge
of the pie plate, or up and down the pencil, but when they hit the moat, they will turn back to
the soil. Ants won’t cross water, so you don’t have to be
concerned about an ant invasion in your kitchen (though I'd probably do this one outside, just in case).
