I would give you start to finish photographs but when I made my volcano I didn’t think to do that, since it was a few years ago but I will sign off with a few pictures of the volcano erupting.

What you need:

• a box lid or box cut in half. (this is for your base)
• Large piece of card stock or thin cardboard
• scissors
• paper mache paste (see Paper Mache Paste Recipe)
• strips of newspaper
• small plastic container (a margarine container works)
• paint
• masking tape

Directions:

1. Cut out a circle from the card stock and slice one side of it to the middle.
2. Make a cone from the card stock. Tape it to represent the height of the volcano that you want.
3. Cut off the tip of the cone so the margarine container can fit in it loosely (don’t go too snug or else the container won’t fit after you do the paper mache. I like to use a margarine container since you don’t have to use as much vinegar and baking soda for the eruption and you can just lift the container out to empty it.)
4. mount the cone to the base with tape.
5. Crumple up newspaper and tape it to the cone to create cliffs and ridges on the volcano.
6. Mix up the paper mache.
7. Cut or rip 1 inch strips from the newspaper and cover the volcano, make sure you leave the opening at the top.
8. Allow to dry completely once the entire volcano is covered. (This can take a few days depending on how wet the volcano was. Make sure to check the inside too)
9. Repeat paper mache and allow to dry completely each time. (You may have to do this 2 or 3 times)
10. When it is dry, paint it to look like a volcano. You can add some scenery, such as Pompeii like we did, although the paper buildings disintegrated after the 20th or so eruptions.
11. Erupt the volcano once the paint is dry.

To erupt the volcano, go to the post on Fun with Science: Baking Soda and Vinegar.

And now for the eruptions (in these pictures the “lava” is white but usually I color it with food coloring).

Sirena Van Schaik

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This is an excellent activity to teach children about cause and effect and also about predicting outcomes.  Before you do the actual activity, ask questions like, “What do you think will happen when we mix baking soda and vinegar?”  You can also mix it up and have different types of powder and liquid and ask for predictions for each.  Use flour and water, vinegar and flour, water and baking soda. 

After that it is just a matter of testing the theories (cause and effect).  All you need is the ingredients you listed in your questions and a cookie sheet for the overspill.

What you will need:

• a cup or water bottle
• vinegar (usually about a cup is enough for the experiment)
• baking soda (usually about one heaping tablespoon but you can add more or less depending on the size of the container)
• food coloring (optional)

What to do:

1. Pour the vinegar into the container.
2. Let your child add the baking soda and watch it bubble up.
3. Talk about what you just saw.

And that is it.  You can have your older child record your results so they start laying the foundation of documenting their research but it isn’t necessary.  

*Alternate: place the baking soda into an empty balloon and fasten the balloon to the top of the water bottle already filled with vinegar.  Be careful when you do this so the baking soda does not fall into the vinegar.  Have your child tip the balloon up so the baking soda falls into the vinegar while you hold the mouth of the balloon to keep it from slipping off the bottle.  The balloon will fill with gas and inflate.*

I hope you enjoy this activity as much as I do.  I will post directions to making your own volcano and a volcano cheat sheet in the next few weeks but until then have fun.  Oh, if your child wants to know what the chemical reaction is, all you need to know is that vinegar and baking soda combined makes the gas, Carbon Dioxide.

Sirena Van Schaik 

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