Outer Space Snow Globe

I am a college student who likes to build hands on projects and incorporating different subjects in my work. For instance, in this project I have combined Tech Design Engineering type work with Chemistry. During my free time I wanted to make something cool and include chemistry and I wanted to explain viscosity by making water more viscous. This is a hands on project geared towards high school students that is fun and provides decoration for your room! All the materials can be found at home or at a crafts store. When everything is put together you get a cool rocket ship shaped snow globe with a slow moving interior to give the outer space effect of objects moving slower. For high school students, working with your hands is always more than sitting in a chair all day, but they are challenged when they are deciding their design for their rocket ship, and challenged again when they are faced with thinking how to make the objects in water move slower to give the outer space effect.

I am applying Core Disciplinary Standard #3: Integration of Knowledge, Technologies, and Practices

This practice shows and proves how water can become more viscous when adding glycerin (a product found in hand sanitizer) as the integration of knowledge aspect, integration of technologies for effects and viewing/design purposes, such as led lights, and practices of being creative with your design.

Supplies

Pickle Jar

Scotch Tape

Cardboard

Foam Sheets

Glitter

Glitter Paper

Wooden Balls

Black Paper or Black duct tape

Blue Spray paint (optional)

Hand sanitizer

box cutter

Small LED Lights

Glue

Water

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies.

All of these supplies can be found at a Michaels craft store, grocery store, or a hardware store for the box cutter. This project is meant for high school students with adult supervision just in case there is an accident with the box cutter. This project can be completed at home as well and instructed over zoom fairly easily. This project is designed for kids who are interested in space and curious about chemistry. If this product is manufactured it would be the perfect toy/decoration for a young child interested in space.

All items can be found easily and would come out to a total of $50-$60.

Step 2: Cut Out Fin Shapes From the Cardboard

Take your box cutter and cut out a rounded fins like these! You are going to need a set of 3 and a set of 4. You can pick your own size of fins but I recommend no bigger than 2 inches wide and 5 inches tall. This can give you the ability to make your rocket ship fins any shape or size you want. This will allow students to be as creative as they want with their design.

Step 3: Tape Your Fins

Next you need to tape your set of 3 fins. I used black duct tape but any color will work. These will go on the side of your rocket ship for when it is all ready to be put together. Being creative with the color or colors you choose is always fun but be careful as using more than 1 color could make your overall cost increase.

Step 4: Tape or Glue Paper to Your Jar

Next you will need to cover your pickle jar in tape or paper! Again you can use whatever color you want but this might change your overall cost. I chose black to go with a solid color that does not pop too much that way when I add the inside ingredients it pops even more.

Cover the top of the jar with tap and use the box cutter to cut off excess tape.

Next you will need to get the glitter paper (color of your choice) and tape it around the jar but make sure to leave an opening in the front. You can choose the shape of your opening, however I chose a big rectangle to show as much of the inside as possible.

Step 5: Add Fins

Next you need to tape or glue your fins to the jar. You may place them in what ever fashion you like, but I put 1 on the left, 1 on the right, and 1 in the back.

Step 6: Hand Sanitizer, Glitter, Wood Balls

Next add your hand sanitizer, your glitter, and your wooden balls!

The hand sanitizer is necessary to make the water more viscous or thick. Hand sanitizer contains glycerin, and when glycerin is mixed with water in larger amounts, the water becomes thicker. This lets your glitter become suspended in the water for longer when you shake it. I would recommend about 400-500 milliliters of hand sanitizer to get the water thick but not too thick.

When adding the glitter, I chose a silver and black mixture of glitter as well as a light and dark blue mixture of glitter. Any color will suffice though. The glitter also acts as stars in the mixture.

As for the wooden balls, I chose to spray paint half of mine so they look more similar to different planets when they move around in the snow globe. You can choose any paint you'd like however I chose blue!

Step 7: Lights, Water, Tape and Shake!

Next you want to add your LED lights! you can choose whatever color you want, I chose white to make sure it shows up well. Then you add your water, screw on the lid, and tape it all down to prevent leaking. Then give it a good shake to mix up the hand sanitizer, water, glitter, and balls!

Step 8: Final Touches

Lastly you need to cut out your foam sheet and form the shape of the fins you set aside (the set of 4). Glue the foam sheet to each side of the fins and trim them so they end in the same shape! Then cut long strips of the foam sheet to wrap around the top and to frame your rocket ships window! then you're done! You now have a rocket ship snow globe.

Step 9: Shake and Watch!

Finally you are done! Now all you have to do is give it a shake!