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Touch the Rainforest Making Rubber Another great activity from Sallie Phelps. Background: Rubber comes from rubber trees grown in tropical climates. Natural latex oozes out of the tree when it is cut. Rubber trappers collect the latex in cups. Rubber is an extractive resource, which means that rubber can be removed without damaging the forest. Other products that can be removed from the forest without damaging it include ylang-ylang flowers (used to make perfume), wicker, rattan, palm oil, cashews, and Brazil nuts. What you'll need for each student or small group: • A paper cup into which one tablespoon of latex has been added. You can order liquid latex online from Life-Casting.com or call them at 866-278-6653. Their 32 ounce Rub-R-Mold (enough to make 50 balls) is $19.95. • A paper cup of water • A paper cup of vinegar • Food coloring (optional but fun) • Tablespoon measures • Popsicle sticks or coffee stirrers • A plastic sandwich bag What to do: 1. 1 tablespoon of latex into a paper cup. Dip the end of your finger in the latex and experience how it feels. 2. Measure 1 tablespoon of water and stir it into the latex with your stick. 3. Add 2 or 3 drops of food coloring (be careful not to overdo it). 4. Stir the mixture. 5. Observe closely as you add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and stir. 6. Rinse your rubber ball at the sink to remove extra latex and vinegar. You may wish to dry the ball with a paper towel. 7. After you've observed your rubber ball, put it in a small bag to keep. Follow-up questions: 1. Describe in detail any changes you noticed when you added vinegar to your mixture of water and latex. 2. Describe your rubber ball. What does it do when you drop it or toss it gently against a wall? 3. What other things are made with rubber? List as many as you can. Rainforest in a Bottle What you need: • A 3 liter plastic soda bottle with a separate bottom • Bird gravel (available at a pet supply place) • Charcoal (the type used for aquarium filters) • Potting soil • Plastic wrap • One small rainforest plant per child (suggestions include: prayer plant, strawberry begonia, baby tears, philodendron, aluminum plant, peperomias, artillery plant) • Duct tape An adult needs to do the first few steps. Remove the label from the soda bottle. Plunge the bottom of the bottle into a pot of almost boiling water to soften the glue, and then separate the 2 sections. With scissors, cut away the top part of the bottle just before it stops flaring out, and recycle. Save the rest. 
Line the inside of the bottle bottom with plastic wrap that has been folded over several times. Spread about an inch of bird gravel on the plastic wrap, and then spread a thin layer of charcoal over this. Fill to within an inch of the top with potting soil. With your finger, create a hole in the center of the soil, and plant your plant. Pour about 1 cup of water around the plant, and carefully fit the clear part of the bottle into the bottom section. Use duct tape to seal the pieces together, and place in a spot that receives indirect light. The "rainforest" never needs watering, and lasts through the entire year. |
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