A Hair-Raising Experiment

A Hair-Raising Experiment

You will need: One balloon.

Have you ever realized how easy it is to turn a balloon into a magnet? The secret lies in the static electricity which can be generated by briskly rubbing the inflated balloon on some fur or woolen cloth. You can use your sweater to produce a very effective charge of static electricity in the balloon.

The second illustration shows how the balloon attracts hair. And strangely enough, although the young lady said that she could feel nothing when her hair was attracted toward the balloon, both a pet cat and dog showed distinct signs of uneasiness when the balloon was held close to their coats.

Children learn best through doing

Before children can understand a thing, they need experience: seeing, touching, hearing, tasting, smelling; choosing, arranging, putting things together, taking things apart. Experimenting with real things.

Old-time school teaching used only words and the teachers thought children knew something if they could repeat it. Now we know better. To reach practical understanding we do not need to use many words with young children.

Children are clever. They learn a lot, without being taught. The greatest skill - to be able to talk, to communicate is learnt outside school. In the classroom it's the children who need to talk the most. Unfortunately it is the teacher who does most of the talking!