Magic Tricks Day Plan

Magic Tricks
K-1

What’s the BIG IDEA?

Science can seem like magic! However, there is always an explanation. There are lots of materials that
children come into contact with in their daily lives that can be used to show how science is magic. In this
class we are helping students to break down a number of different concepts through each ‘magic trick’. We
will help to make the science behind the trick more accessible and relatable so that students can see and
identify the physical mechanisms by which these tricks work. As each ‘magic trick’ is examined, students can
integrate their new understanding into their own knowledge schemas.

There are a lot of chemistry elements in this class which will be introduced through scientific investigations.
Students can get hands on and involved with the experiences.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Preparation and Notes

AT THE START OF THE DAY:

• COVER ALL TABLES WITH TARPS – USE TAPE TO HOLD THEM SECURELY IN PLACE
• COVER CARPET AROUND TABLES WITH NEWSPAPER

Clean and replace as needed. Clean tarps thoroughly at the end of the day.

Notes for Where possible do messy activities outside.

This Class Secure containers holding liquids to the table with blu tack.

Equipment
Notes

Risk Food colouring will stain carpets badly if spilt – where possible do these activities outside.

Assessment Educators only to handle the bottles of food colouring and distribute to students as
needed.

Care must be taken when using sharp knives - students are not to use knives. Knives must
be stored out of reach of students when not in use – clean and return to Common Supplies.

Dry ice can cause nasty burns on contact with skin – students are not to handle dry ice.
Educators are to use appropriate PPE – dry ice gloves with rubber inserts, safety goggles,
tongs. Doors and windows must be open during experiment.

Use of the iron poses a burn and fire risk – DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED. Students are not
to use the iron.

Preparation Lesson 3: cut the gummy worms.

For The Day Lesson 4: lemons will be in the fridge in the Admin/Common Supplies room.

Lesson 5: dry ice will be collected for you the morning of the class – see the Supervisor.

Lesson 7: mix paint in spray bottles – use a tiny amount of water or it will be too liquid to
work.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan

Day At A Glance
Lesson Resources/Equipment and Quantity
For The Day: 6 large tarps (or enough to cover all tables completely); 30 sheets of newspaper

1. Create Your Chopsticks (enough for one each), various craft materials for decorating (coloured glitter,
Own Magic coloured wool, feathers, pipe cleaners), paint, PVA glue, inspiration (images).
Wand
(1hr) Page 4

2. Walking on 15 glass jars, water, 3 x 2L plastic bottles (to fill with water on the day), food colouring –
Water two colours, cleaning towel, toilet paper, 2 pipettes.
(1hr) Page 6

3. Electric Eels 10 glass jars, 2 packets of sour worms, 1 box baking soda, 1 bottle vinegar, 2L bottle filled
(1hr) Page 9 with water, 1 chopping board, 1 sharp knife, 5 metal forks.

4. Lemon ½ large lemon per student plus extra lemon juice, baking soda, food colouring, 20
Volcano paddlepop sticks, plastic plates (with rim), cups and spoons, sharp knife, teaspoons,
(1hr) Page 11
dishwashing liquid.

5. Magic 1 box bicarb soda, 2 bottles vinegar, water (2L bottle to hold), 20 glass jars, food
Potions colouring (3 different colours), metal spoons, pipettes, newspaper, dry ice, 1 pair thick
(1hr) Page 13
gloves, 1 pair tongs, 20 kids lab coats, 2 adult lab coats.

6. Slimy Science 5 large mixing bowls, 5 metal dessert spoons for mixing, 2 ¼ cups of PVA glue (minimum),
(1hr) Page 16 green food colouring, 2 ¼ cups of water, 5 metal tsps or similar for mixing, 5 teaspoons of
Borax powder, 5 sets of measuring spoons, 5 sets of measuring cups, 1 bucket, 1 kitchen
strainer, 5 large plastic plates, 5 sandwich size zip lock bags, 1 box of small
latex/disposable gloves, glitter, 5 small jars (for mixing borax).

7. Wax Paper 1 roll baking paper, iron, ironing board or heat resistant surface, 20 sheets glossy white
Resist paper, 20 sheets wax paper, mini spray bottles, liquid water colours/food colouring.
(1hr) Page 18

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 1: Create Your Own Magic Wand
Lesson Overview

Students will create their own magic wand.

Lesson Australian Curriculum: NSW Syllabus:

Outcome Student identifies that objects are made of materials and

have observable properties. STe-9ME

Background http://www.sunhatsandwellieboots.com/2012/04/nature-wands.html

Information http://mykidcraft.com/nature-wands/

Equipment
Notes

Risk As students will be outside there is the risk of trips and falls. Explain what type of behaviour

Assessment is expected/appropriate.
Do not take students too far from the classroom, collect objects that are easily accessible.

To prevent too much sun exposure, students to wear hats and apply sunscreen if
necessary.

Preparation Set up materials.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 1 Steps
1. Discuss: What does every magician need? Brainstorm the answers on the board. Answer you are
looking for: A magic wand.

2. Explain to students that they are going to make their own magic wands to help perform magic today.
Show them some of the materials that are available to use and then ask if there is anything else they
might want to add – they can make their wand extra special by collecting things themselves!

3. Take students outside to collect items: leaves, flowers etc. Return to the classroom after 10min (max.).

4. Students will first draw a design of their magic wand – labelling the materials that they will use for each
part before putting their wand together.

5. Using the materials that they have collected and that have been provided, students create their own
magic wands. Students may want to paint their leaves on their wands.

6. Get children excited for the day. Talk about their wands – what kinds of things are they going to do with
them today? Can we use them to help us explore science?

Questions/Results

What might we use our wands for?

Do you think all magicians have wands? Why/why not?

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 2: Walking On Water
Lesson Overview

Students will develop an understanding of how water travels from one glass to another.

Lesson Australian Curriculum: NSW Syllabus:

Outcome Student identifies that the way objects move depends

on a variety of factors. Ste-6NE

Background http://coolscienceexperimentshq.com/walking-water-science-experiment/
Information In the video above, the water appears to defy gravity. It actually moves because of a
process called capillary action. The adhesive forces between the water and the paper towel
are stronger than the cohesive forces inside the water. As a result, the water travels up and
across the paper towel out of one glass and into another.

Equipment Only Educators are to handle the food colouring.

Notes

Risk Any liquid spillages could result in slips. Ensure any spillages are cleaned up immediately to

Assessment prevent any slips and falls.

Ensure tarps are taped securely to tables.

Lay down newspaper to prevent the food colouring staining the carpet.

Preparation Have materials prepared on a table to show the class.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 2 Steps
1. Get the class excited – they are about to perform their first magic trick! Show them the materials for the
experiment: the glass jars, water, food colouring and toilet paper.

2. Ask the class: what can we do with these materials? What might our magic trick involve? Get the class to
do a drum roll before you reveal what the magic trick is…. We are going to make walking water!

3. Explain that each group will have 2 glass jars filled with water. One jar will contain blue food colouring
and the other will have yellow. Explain and demonstrate on the table at the front what the experiment
will involve before you allow them to do it themselves. Keep in mind that you may need to provide extra
scaffolding for some groups of children.

4. Position two empty glass jars about 5cm apart.

7. Pour water into one glass until it is ¾ full, add a few drops of colouring into the water and stir until the
water is all one colour.

8. Repeat with the other jar, colouring the water another colour (blue and yellow work well).

9. Place the 3rd jar onto a surface that is lower. You may want to prop up the 2 jars on a thick book and
have the 3rd jar positioned on the table (so that it is lower).

10. Place a piece of toilet paper/paper towel from each of the colour water cups to the empty cup.

11. Ask students what they think will happen to the coloured water. Tell them this is an important step in
science – making predictions. Predictions are basically guesses that scientists make for what they think
will happen in an experiment.

12. The water will travel down the toilet paper/paper towel to the 3rd jar and the colours will mix (don’t give
this away). Return to this experiment in an hour or two, once you see that the water has travelled.
Explain to the class that they will be checking on it throughout the day to see what happens. This is a
slow magic trick… but it will be worth it!

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
13. Place the jars on a table in a safe place so you have room to complete other activities.

Watch:
http://coolscienceexperimentshq.com/walking-
water-science-experiment/

Questions/Results

Why do you think the water travelled?

How do you think the water moved from one cup to another?

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 3: Electric Eels
Lesson Overview

This Electric Eels experiment involves “marinating” gummy worms in a mixture of water and baking
soda and then bringing them to life in a glass of vinegar.

Lesson Australian NSW Syllabus:

Outcome Curriculum: Student identifies ways that everyday materials can be physically
changed and combined for a particular purpose. ST1-12MW

Background The worms (or eels) start to jump and wriggle as the acetic acid (AKA vinegar) reacts with
Information the sodium bicarbonate (AKA
baking soda) to form bubbles on
the worms. They jump around
for quite a long time until the
chemical reaction stops.

Equipment Students are not to use the knife.

Notes

Risk Cutting gummy worms could result in students cutting themselves - prepare before

Assessment students complete the activity begins (do this in the morning as prep).

Preparation Cut the gummy worms – cut each worm lengthwise into a few sections with a knife (do
prior to activity starting). You want long, thin strips of worms.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 3 Steps
1. Place students in groups of 4. Give each group 2 glass jars.

2. In one glass jar mix 1 cup of water and 3 tablespoons of baking soda (1 per group). If all baking soda
dissolves, add more until there is some undissolved powder at the bottle of the glass.

3. Add the pre-cut worms to the baking soda mixture and mix.

4. Let the worms sit in the baking soda mixture for 15-30 minutes.

5. While you’re waiting you might want to watch some science videos relevant to today’s course, such
as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-iOYEToVys

6. Pour vinegar into the other glass jar. Drop a worm into the vinegar – what happens? At first you may
notice noting, but bubbles should start to surface on the worm…until it starts moving! Keep adding
worms to see if you can make them all move!

7. What is happening? Discuss possible reasons with the class. What did the baking soda do to the
worms? Do you think they absorbed it? What happens when baking soda and vinegar combine (link
to magic potions lesson).

8. Explain that the worms absorbed the baking soda and when they came into contact with the
vinegar, a chemical reaction occurred! They started to bubble and fizz (like our magic potions
experiment will). Note: if this doesn’t work, more baking soda needs to be added to the solution
where the worms soak.

Questions/Results

What do you think makes the gummy worms move?

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 4: Lemon Volcano
Lesson Overview

Students explore and observe a chemical reaction between citric acid and baking soda.

Lesson Australian NSW Syllabus:

Outcome Curriculum: Student identifies ways that everyday materials can be physically
changed and combined for a particular purpose. ST1-12MW

Student relates the properties of common materials to their use for

particular purposes. ST1-13MW

Background Lemon juice contains citric acid which, when mixed with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate),
Information reacts to form carbon dioxide and sodium citrate, causing the liquid to fizz and bubble.
Citric acid is a common food additive used in soft drinks as a preservative and flavouring.

Video: https://babbledabbledo.com/science-activity-kids-lemon-volcano/

Equipment Students are not to use the knife.

Notes

Risk Mixture may splash into eyes – wear safety glasses if necessary. As students will be

Assessment touching the ingredients, they must wash their hands when finished, or use latex gloves.
Food colouring can stain badly – students are not to handle food colouring themselves.

Ensure tarps are securely taped down and newspapers are covering areas under the tables.

Preparation Prep your lemon by slicing a very small amount from the
bottom to make them sit flat (don’t cut into the flesh).
Flip the lemon over and slice out the core. If you are
making an open-faced volcano, slice the lemon in half.

Have a bottle of lemon juice ready in case extra is

needed.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 4 Steps
1. Break students into pairs so they can participate in the experiment as you do it.

2. Place your lemon on a tray. Use your paddle pop stick to mush the center of the lemon and bring out
the juices. Be sure to keep the juice in the lemon!

3. Place a few drops of food coloring or liquid watercolors (do not

dilute) in the centre of the lemon.

4. Add in a squeeze of dishwashing liquid to the lemon. This is not

necessary but causes the bubbles to ooze and froth more and
longer.

5. Add a spoonful of baking soda into the lemon. It should start to

fizz. Take your paddle pop stick and stir the lemon and lemon
juice. It should start foaming as you stir it!

6. To keep the reaction going, alternately add more baking soda,

colouring, dish soap and the reserved lemon juice to the
reaction. Squeezing the lemon to release the juices also
enhances the reaction. Or stick your whole hand in there and
give it a good squeeze…ha!

Questions/Results

What made the lemon explode?

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 5: Magic Potions
Lesson Overview

Encourage creative and imaginative play in creating their own mad scientist potions.

Lesson Australian NSW Syllabus:

Outcome Curriculum: Student identifies ways that everyday materials can be physically
changed and combined for a particular purpose. ST1-12MW

Student relates the properties of common materials to their use

for particular purposes. ST1-13MW

Background Vinegar and baking soda react because one is an acid and the other is a base. When they
Information are first mixed together, the hydrogen ions in the vinegar react with the sodium and
bicarbonate ions in the baking soda, creating two new chemicals: carbonic acid & sodium
acetate. The next reaction is a decomposition, where carbonic acid is formed, causing
carbon dioxide bubbles to form (which is why it fizzes and bubbles out of the jar).

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. It is approximately -78 degrees C and can burn your skin.
As dry ice is exposed to oxygen, a process of sublimation occurs as it breaks down. Instead
of melting like regular ice, it turns into carbon dioxide gas. The same process occurs when
you place dry ice into warm water. The carbon dioxide produces bubbles in the water and
releases CO2 as a gas, making a spooky looking potion!

Equipment Ensure all tarps are secured properly to the tables.

Notes

Risk Activity is non-toxic but use caution to avoid splashing as food colouring stains - use latex

Assessment gloves to protect from staining. This experiment can become messy, so it is good to do this
on a flat surface outdoors.

Any liquid spillages could result in slips - clean up immediately to prevent any slips/falls.

Students are not to handle dry ice. Educators must wear gloves and use tongs.

If doing indoors, ensure windows and doors are open for ventilation.

Preparation Set up all materials outside where possible (or on each group of tables for students).
Collect warm water for dry ice (as close to the experiment as possible – needs to be warm)
and dry ice from Common Supplies/Supervisor.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 5 Steps
1. Ask the class: what kinds of things do you think a mad scientist would make? Would they like to make
things explode? Explain that magicians and mad scientists both like to make things explode, so we’re
going to do just that!

2. Explain all mad scientists need to wear lab coats. It will help get into character! Hand out lab coats so
that the class can get into the role of a mad scientist. Tell the class that as mad scientists we will be
making spooky potions.

3. Show the class the materials they will be using. Point out the baking soda and vinegar. What could
happen when we mix the two of these together? (Students should be able to answer – it fizzes!)

4. Explain that each child will get to make their own spooky potion. They will each have a glass jar, half
filled with water. They will then mix in a heaped spoonful of baking soda and mix it into their water until
it is completely dissolved. They will then choose a colour of their choice to change the colour of their
potion. They can combine colours e.g. red and blue to make purple.

5. Use a pipette to add a few drops (they don’t need a lot to change the colour of the water). Mix well.

6. Next, they will add vinegar to see what happens. This is the messy part, so if doing inside make sure all
tarps and newspapers are securely in place.

7. Make predictions about what will happen when they add each part of the magic potion (encourage
creativity). Explain the steps above before conducting the experiment. Make sure you control for mess
during the experiment.

8. Students make their own potions and observe what happens!

9. Ask the class: what happened when we added vinegar? Why do you think this happened? Explain that
vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base. When added together they produce a chemical reaction,
causing bubbles of gas to form and fizz. It creates a certain gas that we all breathe out… ask the class if
anyone knows what it’s called? Carbon dioxide! This makes the potion bubble and fizz.

10. Tip out the liquid in the jars and tell them we’re going to take the experiment one step further. Show
the class a tub of dry ice and ask what they think it is?

11. Explain that dry ice is made from the same gas we breathe out (carbon dioxide!). It is actually frozen
carbon dioxide. Ask the class if they know what happens when you take ice out of the fridge and leave it
for a while (it melts). Dry ice does a similar thing except it doesn’t melt… it releases carbon dioxide
instead of melting. This is a process called sublimation.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
12. Ask the class: how cold do you think dry ice is? Explain that it is -73 degrees C and is very dangerous to
touch. It is so cold it can burn your skin! For this reason, only the Educators can handle the dry ice,
wearing thick gloves and using tongs.

13. Ask the class: what do you think will happen if we put dry ice into warm water? Half fill a jar with warm
water. Put a few drops of food colouring into the jar and mix well. Drop a pellet of dry ice into the jar
and watch what happens!

14. Allow the class to make their own spooky potions using dry ice. They will all need warm water in their
jars and a few drops of food colouring. One Educator will walk around dropping pellets of dry ice into
each jar.

15. Clean up all mess. Pour all liquids onto grass outside or into a bucket to tip out later. All glass jars need
to be rinsed out. Any left-over dry ice can be left inside the esky away from the class.

Questions/Results

What happened when you added that?

Why do you think that happened?

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 6: Slimy Science
Lesson Overview

Students will explore how to make slime.

Lesson Australian Curriculum: NSW Syllabus:

Outcome Participate in guided investigations and Student identifies ways that everyday materials
make observations using can be physically changed and combined for a
the senses. ACSIS011 particular purpose. ST1-12MW

Share observations and ideas. ACSIS012 Student relates the properties of common
materials to their use for particular purposes.
Science involves observing, asking
ST1-13MW
questions about, and describing changes
in, objects and events. ACSHE021

Background
Information

Equipment Ensure all tarps are secured properly to the tables.

Notes

Risk The use of food colouring can be very messy.

Assessment It is good to do this experiment on a flat surface outdoors if possible, or as a minimum use
newspaper/tarp to protect surfaces (carpet, tables etc).

Preparation This is a super messy activity so students MUST wear lab coats to avoid the food colouring
and slime going on their clothes.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 6 Steps
1. Show the class the resources for this activity. Ask them: what could we be making with all these
materials? Go through each resource and ask what it is used for and what we might use it for in this
lesson, e.g. Borax is used for cleaning stains and mould.

2. Discuss with children what slime they have played with in the past and what they think makes the best
slime?

3. Explain that we are going to perform magic. We are going to put all these odd items together to make
something magical: slime!

4. Place students in groups of 4.

5. In a large bowl, each group is to mix ¼ cup of glue, 5 drops of green food colouring and ¼ cup of water in
a bowl. Combine this together well.

6. You should wear gloves and premix in a small jar per group: 1 teaspoon of Borax powder into ¼ cup of
water (warm water will react faster). Mix this together well until fully dissolved.

7. Ensure children are wearing gloves before mixing the Borax mixture into their slime. There are some
rare cases where children’s skin can be sensitive to Borax, so it should not be allowed to contact their
skin.

8. Add the Borax mixture in the jar into the bowl with the glue mixture and mix well. Do this slowly, and
thoroughly stir before adding more, as it does take some time to react (this slime may need straining if
too much liquid due to students not combining enough – have a bucket on stand-by and strain if
needed).

9. Once you are sure that it is all combined well, students may put the slime on a plastic plate and have a
play with it.

10. Remind students that they should not get the slime onto their clothes, hair or other body parts as it
will get stuck.

11. Store slime in a zip-lock bag for the last activity.

12. Ensure all children wash their hands once finished.

13. Give each child a zip lock bag to put their slime into. Clean up any mess by disposing of newspaper or
folding up tarps that need to be washed. If any spills on the carpet, clean immediately.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 7: Wax Paper Resist
Lesson Overview

Creating and exploring amazing patterns with wax paper.

Lesson Australian NSW Syllabus:

Outcome Curriculum: Student identifies ways that everyday materials can be physically
changed and combined for a particular purpose. ST1-12MW

Student relates the properties of common materials to their use for

particular purposes. ST1-13MW

Background
Information

Equipment Ensure all tarps are secured properly to the tables.

Notes

Risk The use of food colouring can be very messy. It is only used to colour the water.

Assessment Students ARE NOT to use the iron. Iron could cause burns if used incorrectly – Educators
ONLY to use.

Paint can be messy, please use appropriate covering to protect surfaces.

This experiment can become messy, so it is good to do this on a flat surface outdoors.

Preparation Place the iron in an area that is safe and out of reach of students – DO NOT LEAVE
UNATTENDED.

Mix paint in the spray bottles, using a small amount of water only.

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Magic Tricks Day Plan
Lesson 7 Steps
1. Prior to lesson starting, mix up paint into spray bottles. Squirt some paint into spray bottles. Use a very
small amount of water to liquify the paint inside the bottle (so that it can be sucked into the spray tube).

2. Kids crumple the wax paper into a ball and then flatten it out.

3. Sandwich the piece of wax paper between 2 pieces of glossy white paper. Make sure the glossy side is
facing in.

4. Optional: Leave some paper out without putting waxy baking paper layer in (to compare between the
effects).

5. Iron the paper layers slowly.

6. Place paper glossy side up.

7. Randomly spray over the entire paper. The pattern left behind
from the wax paper will begin to emerge as the paper is covered in
bright spray.

8. Repeat with particular folds on the wax paper (eg origami) then
flatten it out.

Questions/Results

Why do you think the watercolours make this pattern?

If we didn’t use the iron, what do you think would happen?

What is the iron doing to the paper?

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