mixing sand and water experiment

Simple Sand and Water Science Activity for Toddlers

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This simple science activity for toddlers helps them explore and discover with a simple experiment. Mix just two ingredients in a plastic jar to promote hands-on fun and learning.

Sand and Water Science Experiment for Toddlers 

Nothing is more fun for kids than mixing stuff together. Whether stirring ingredients in a bowl in the kitchen or making stone soup in an outdoor mud kitchen, kids are at their happiest and most creative when they are ‘making something’.

Kids can often play on the beach for hours, exploring the interaction of sand and water with hands and feet, and shovels and pails. In this simple experiment , toddlers can observe more closely how sand mixes with water.

What you need for your sand and water experiment

• Sand - you can buy play sand HERE. 
• Plastic jars
• Small sea animals (I really love this brand ) or seashells

Use recycled jars that are a suitable size for toddlers to handle. Part of the fun is shaking the jar and watching the contents whirl around inside. Tape the lid in place if there is concern over spillage.

Instructions

Your toddler can add the sand and water to the jars by pouring water from a larger container, and scooping sand from the sand box with a small shovel or plastic cup.

Add water to one jar to almost fill the jar. Add sand to the other jar to approximately the half way mark.

Pour the sand into the jar of water. Watch how the sand flows through the water. Twist the lid on firmly.

Now comes the fun part. Shake the jar!

Once the contents have been thoroughly mixed together, set the jar on the table. Let it remain in place as you watch the water become calm and the contents settle.

Ask questions and make comments that will prompt your toddler to look closely and make observations.

Can you see the sand in the water?

Did the water change color?

What happens to the sand after the jar sits on the table?

Add a seashell or small sea animal to the jar. Does the toy sink or float? Does it get buried in the sand?

Talk about creatures like turtles and jelly fish that live in sand and water. Have you seen any small sea animals at the beach?

Simple science with toddlers is easy in everyday activities. No special tools or instructions are required to spark curiosity and make observations.

Choose other ingredients to explore in water, including ones that dissolve like salt or baking soda. Kids are inquisitive and love to explore. Simple activities like mixing sand and water help support their early learning.

For more fun toddler activity ideas why not  join our Facebook Group   or follow us on Instagram – follow  @myboredtoddler   and use #myboredtoddler. 

Find more easy toddler science experiments HERE. 

See lots more toddler water play ideas HERE. 

About the Author

Heather  is a former preschool teacher and founder of  preschooltoolkit.com ,  a website providing early learning resources for teachers and parents. She focuses on creating fun crafts and activities that engage developmental skills while promoting hands-on learning through play. Follow her on  Facebook ,  Pinterest ,  Twitter ,  Instagram

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Separating sand and salt by filtering and evaporation

In association with Nuffield Foundation

• Four out of five

Task students to separate an insoluble material from a soluble one in this experiment using sand and salt

This is a very straightforward experiment. It can be carried out individually or in groups of two. Pupils must stand up during heating activities and beware of hot salt spitting when evaporation is almost complete.

• Eye protection
• Beaker, 250 cm 3
• Glass stirring rod
• Filter funnel
• Filter paper
• Conical flask, 250 cm 3
• Evaporating basin
• Bunsen burner
• Heat resistant mat
• Mixture of sand and sodium chloride (salt), about 6–7 g per group of students (a suitable sand–salt mixture should contain approximately 20% salt by mass)

Health, safety and technical notes

• Wear eye protection throughout this experiment.
• Pupils must stand up during heating activities and beware of hot salt spitting when evaporation is almost complete.
• Sodium chloride (eg table salt), NaCl(s) - see CLEAPSS Hazcard HC047b .
• Pour the sand–salt mixture into the beaker so that it just covers the base.
• Add about 50 cm 3  of water, or add water until the beaker is about one-fifth full.
• Stir the mixture gently for a few minutes.
• Filter the mixture into a conical flask.
• Pour the filtrate into an evaporating basin.
• Heat the salt solution gently until it starts to decrepitate (spit). CARE: Keep eye protection on and do not get too close.
• Turn off the Bunsen burner and let the damp salt dry in the dish.

Source: Royal Society of Chemistry

Equipment for a class experiment to separate a mixture of sand and salt.

Teaching notes

If desired, the experiment can be extended to isolate dry samples of sand and salt. To do this, the damp sand in the filter paper can be transferred to another sheet of dry filter paper, and, by folding and dabbing, the sample can be dried. If necessary, another piece of filter paper can be used.

Students often like to present their specimens in small bottles for approval, so a spatula could be used to accomplish this. While the first student of a pair is transferring the sand, the other can be scraping the dried salt from the evaporating dish and transferring it to another specimen bottle.

If this extension is carried out, the students should be encouraged to label the bottles. They should be told that all samples prepared in this way need to be labelled, even if in this case, it should be obvious which substance is which.

Student questions

• Why can sand and salt be separated using this experiment?
• Why is the salt, sand and water mixture stirred in step 3?
• Why is the salt solution heated in step 6?
• How might the final traces of water be removed from your samples to ensure that they are totally dry?
• Give two reasons why the sand you have obtained might still be contaminated with salt.
• How could you adapt your experiment to obtain a purer sample of sand?
• Give two reasons why the salt you have obtained might still be contaminated with sand.
• How could you adapt your experiment to obtain a purer sample of salt?

Primary science teaching notes

If you teach primary science, the following information is designed to help you use this resource.

Skill development

Children will develop their working scientifically skills by:

• Drawing conclusions and raising further questions that could be investigated, based on their data and observations.
• Using appropriate scientific language and ideas to explain, evaluate and communicate their methods and findings.

Learning outcomes

Children will:

• Observe that some materials will dissolve in liquid to form a solution.
• Describe how to recover a substance from a solution.
• Use knowledge of solids, liquids and gases to decide how mixtures might be separated, including through filtering, sieving and evaporating.
• Demonstrate that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible changes.

Concepts supported

Children will learn:

• That there are various techniques that can be used to separate different mixtures.
• That dissolving is a reversible reaction.
• That not all solids are soluble.
• That the rate of dissolving can be affected by various factors.
• That melting and dissolving are not the same process.

Suggested activity use

This activity can be used as a whole-class investigation, with children working in small groups or pairs to look at how to separate the salt and sand. This could provide a stimulus for further investigations looking at how to separate other mixtures of solids, either of different particle sizes or by solubility. 

Practical considerations

Primary schools often don’t have Bunsen burners, so viable alternatives need to be sourced. Similarly, it may be difficult to source the equipment needed to evaporate water to recover the dissolved salt. Head stands and tea lights can work well as possible alternatives.

When carrying out this activity be aware that some insoluble solids are able to form suspensions. This is where the particles appear to have dissolved, when in fact they have been spread out throughout the liquid. A good indicator that a suspension has formed is that the liquid will go cloudy or the particles can be heard scraping as the mixture is stirred.

The layout of this activity is very prescriptive as the procedure is set out on a step by step basis. An open challenge activity, with children working in small groups and devising their own methods, would extend the children’s thinking. Different groups’ suggestions could be compared and evaluated as a class.

Additional information

This is a resource from the  Practical Chemistry project , developed by the Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Practical Chemistry activities accompany  Practical Physics  and  Practical Biology .

© Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry

• 11-14 years
• 14-16 years
• Practical experiments
• Compounds and mixtures

Specification

• AT.4 Safe use of a range of equipment to purify and/or separate chemical mixtures including evaporation, filtration, crystallisation, chromatography and distillation.
• Mixtures can be separated by physical processes such as filtration, crystallisation, simple distillation, fractional distillation and chromatography. These physical processes do not involve chemical reactions and no new substances are made.
• AT4 Safe use of a range of equipment to purify and/or separate chemical mixtures including evaporation, filtration, crystallisation, chromatography and distillation.
• 4 Safe use of a range of equipment to purify and/or separate chemical mixtures including evaporation, filtration, crystallisation, chromatography and distillation
• Safe use of a range of equipment to purify and/or separate chemical mixtures including evaporation, filtration, crystallisation, chromatography and distillation
• (i) atoms/molecules in mixtures not being chemically joined and mixtures being easily separated by physical processes such as filtration, evaporation, chromatography and distillation
• 1.9.5 investigate practically how mixtures can be separated using filtration, crystallisation, paper chromatography, simple distillation or fractional distillation (including using fractional distillation in the laboratory to separate miscible liquids…
• 2. Develop and use models to describe the nature of matter; demonstrate how they provide a simple way to to account for the conservation of mass, changes of state, physical change, chemical change, mixtures, and their separation.

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How to Separate Sand and Salt

Last Updated: June 15, 2024 References

This article was reviewed by Anne Schmidt . Anne Schmidt is a Chemistry Instructor in Wisconsin. Anne has been teaching high school chemistry for over 20 years and is passionate about providing accessible and educational chemistry content. She has over 9,000 subscribers to her educational chemistry YouTube channel. She has presented at the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AATC) and was an Adjunct General Chemistry Instructor at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. Anne was published in the Journal of Chemical Education as a Co-Author, has an article in ChemEdX, and has presented twice and was published with the AACT. Anne has a BS in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, and an MA in Secondary Education and Teaching from Viterbo University. This article has been viewed 192,879 times.

Separating sand and salt is a fun science experiment you can do from home. If you were ever interested in the scientific idea of solubility, separating these two is a simple way of demonstrating the concept. Whether at home or in a classroom, it's an incredibly straightforward process, and you'll get a chance to see science in action.

Carrying Out the Experiment

• Salt. Most households have table salt in the kitchen. If you're in a pinch, you can get salt packets from a fast food restaurant.
• Sand. Although it depends on where you live, sand should be very easy to find.
• A coffee filter and funnel. If the sand has a lot of chunks it, you should sift those out first using a strainer. [1] X Research source
• A pan and heating element. If you're in a chemistry lab, a flask and bunsen burner are arguably even better. [2] X Research source A second pan or plate is also recommended to catch the strained saltwater.
• For the sake of keeping the experiment controlled, do your best to make the portions equal.
• You should have between 15g of salt and sand each. This roughly equates to 1 tablespoon of each. [3] X Research source
• It's better to use smaller proportions. The experiment will prove the same point regardless, and it makes it easier to set up and clean up afterwards.
• Too much water will make the experiment take too long to boil off.
• Exact measurements aren't needed, but it can help keep the experiment consistent if you repeat it.
• Medium temperature on a stovetop will do nicely for this step.
• If you don't want to tamper with the dissolving process, you should leave the mixture untouched overnight.
• Make sure not to heat the water to the point of boiling! This will simply cause the water to evaporate, and you'll have to start from the beginning again.
• If you don't have any coffee filters, use a paper towel or a piece of cotton fabric, such as a handkerchief or bandana.
• The boiling temperature of salt is much higher than water. For the sake of protecting your pot, you should keep the temperature relatively low on the stovetop. It may take longer to boil, but speed isn't worth the risk of damage.
• From here, you can retrieve the salt. Put the retrieved salt next to the sand for the sake of completion if you so desire.

Recording Your Observations

• Although a salt and sand experiment is generally pretty simple, you'll find you get more satisfaction by going through the paperwork.

• Although the salt dissolves in the heated water, the salt remains intact.
• The salt needs the water to be heated before it dissolves.
• The salt doesn't boil away with the water.

• If you're by yourself, checking out a recording of the experiment on a streaming site like YouTube can be interesting. Even if you know the result, it is nonetheless worthwhile to see how someone else went about it.
• "Does the type of heating surface affect how well the salt dissolves?"
• "Would the experiment be different if I tried to dissolve it by stirring in room temperature water?"
• "Is the salt pure of water after boiling, or has the salt changed?"

• For a lot of homebrewed experiments, baking soda is very fun to play around with. You could try adding that to your mixture next time. [7] X Trustworthy Source Science Buddies Expert-sourced database of science projects, explanations, and educational material Go to source
• Doing this as part of a group is more enjoyable than doing it on your own.

Community Q&A

• This is a very simple experiment and doesn't require a group, but it can be more fun if you do it with someone else. It also helps to discuss what you observed afterwards. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• You may need the help of an adult while heating the mixtures. Be careful! Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Repeating the experiment a second time isn't necessary, but it's always good to double-check your results if something goes awry. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

• Although sand and salt aren't volatile chemicals, it will hurt if you let any of it get in your eyes. Protective eye gear is recommended if you happen to have any at your disposal. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 2

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-separate-solutions/
• ↑ http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/res00000386/separating-sand-and-salt?cmpid=CMP00005908
• ↑ http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/convert/measurements.html
• ↑ http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Chem_p016.shtml
• ↑ http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Chem_p016.shtml#makeityourown

About This Article

To separate sand and salt, start by pouring the sand and salt mixture into a pan. Then, add just enough water to cover the mixture. Heat the mixture over medium heat on a stovetop, which will cause the salt to dissolve in the water. Once the salt has completely dissolved, pour the mixture through a strainer to separate the sand and salt water. Finally, boil the salt water until all of the water evaporates and you're just left with the salt you started with. If you want to learn how to get the salt out of your pan when you're finished, keep reading the article! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How can you separate a mixture of sand, salt and water?

In this lesson we will learn about how to separate soluble and insoluble solids from water.

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Slide decks, worksheets, quizzes and lesson planning guidance designed for your classroom.

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Lesson details

Key learning points.

• Define 'solution', 'solute', 'solvent', 'soluble' and 'insoluble'
• Describe how to use filtration to separate some mixtures
• Describe how you can use evaporation to separate some mixtures

This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

Starter quiz

5 questions, 6 questions, lesson appears in, unit science / separating mixtures.

Resources you can trust

Filtering sand and water

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How to separate sand and water? 10 methods and examples

Table of Contents

How to separate sand and water

2. Slowly pour the sand and water mixture into the container.

4. Use a spoon or other object to gently scoop the sand out of the container.

7. To remove any remaining sand from the water, you can use a coffee filter or a piece of cloth.

9. Sand will be trapped in the coffee filter or cloth while the water will pass through.

Separation by gravity

A funnel: This technique can be used when there is a small amount of sand and a large amount of water. Simply place your sample into a funnel and allow it to settle over time.

This type of tool allows you to separate these materials by size so that they stay on different sides of the mesh material and can use in its construction (i.e., if you're using metal wire mesh, only those particles bigger than what fit through that hole will fall through; anything else will stay behind).

Separation by evaporation

First, we filled the pot with about 2 cups of mixed sand and water—a ratio that will ensure both substances are covered by liquid at all times.

Separation by using filter paper

The water will pass through the paper, while the sand will be trapped inside. Once all the mixtures have filtered through, you will leave with a clear water container and a piece of filter paper with the sand trapped inside.

Separation by using a coffee filter

Using tea bags or paper towels works similarly to a coffee filter—they're both made from absorbent paper that will catch any loose pieces of sand. So, to give them a try:

Pour off what remains onto another surface so that only clean water comes out.

Separation by distillation

The first step in distillation is putting your mixture into an apparatus called a separatory funnel or separating funnel (a glass tube with two hinged glass bulbs at each end).

Once this happens, you can use tubes coming out from each side of each bulb (these will be connected by rubber tubing), as well as one pipe coming out from each end just above where they meet together at their base (these will also be connected by rubber tubing).

Separation by dissolving salt in water

You first need to make a saturated solution of salt in water: put as much salt into a large container as you can (so that it becomes saturated). The more saturated your answer is, the better it will work.

Distillation and evaporation at the same time

This means that the water level rises while sand sinks at the bottom end of your container due to gravity forces.

Centrifugation method of separating sand and water.

This can be done by placing your sand and water mixture into a tube or container and then shaking it until you get all the sand on one side of your container. It is necessary to use this method to keep any dirt from getting into your solution or experiment.

Using a beam balance and measuring cylinder method.

Then, you will subtract one from another (weight - volume), giving you the amount of sand in your sample. To do this:

Also, make sure it isn't too wet either because then it's hard for us here at 'How to do things too.

Use of a separating funnel.

It is also possible to separate liquids through evaporation - this is done by placing some salt crystals in your separating funnel, adding alcohol or water, and then heating gently until all.

If you want to separate sand and water, think about the difference between how much each one weighs.

The next step is figuring out what proportion of weight your mixture represents: divide its total mass by its volume (which you could measure using a scale or measuring cup).

How to separate sand and water (FAQs)

What is the difference between sand and water.

For example, sand is made up of tiny pieces of rock, while water is a molecule made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Sand is also much coarser than water; the particles that make up sand are much larger than those that makeup water.

How do I use the sand and water separation machine?

After the pump runs for 30 minutes, turn off the power and let the machine sit for about 5 minutes.

Why is it essential to separate sand and water?

What’s the difference between wet and dry sand.

There are two main types of sand: wet and dry. Wet sand occurs near water sources, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. Dry sand usually occurs in arid or desert regions.

Is there any technique that doesn’t require separation by weight?

There is a technique that doesn't require separation by weight, but it is not nearly as effective. The method is to pour the sand and water into a container, then swirl the container around.

What is an excellent way to separate sand and water?

There are many ways to separate sand and water, but some methods are more effective than others. One standard method is to use a filter.

Finally, you could use a decanting method, which involves slowly pouring the mixture into another container, allowing the sand to settle at the bottom before pouring off the water.

Is it possible to separate sand and water without a filter?

What are the benefits of using sand and water to clean.

Water is a powerful solvent that can break down oils and other substances that cause staining. When used together, sand and water can clean almost any surface.

What are the disadvantages of using sand and water to clean?

Another disadvantage of using sand and water to clean is that it can be very time-consuming.

As you can see, there are many ways to separate sand and water. The best way to determine which is right for you depends on your available materials. When it comes down to it, the most important thing is that you're having fun with your kids (or friends).

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May 2, 2011

It's a Solid... It's a Liquid... It's Oobleck!

Bring Science Home: Activity 1

By Katherine Harmon

Getty Images

Key concepts Liquids and solids Viscosity Pressure From National Science Education Standards : Properties of objects and materials

Introduction Why is it so hard to get out of quicksand? Is it a solid? Is it a liquid? Can it be both? In this activity, you will make a substance that is similar to quicksand—but much more fun. Play around with it and find out how it acts differently from a normal liquid and a normal solid. Other, more familiar substances change states (from solids to liquids to gases) when we change the temperature, such as freezing water into ice or boiling it away into steam. But this simple mixture shows how changes in pressure, instead of temperature, can change the properties of some materials. Background Applying pressure to the mixture increases its viscosity (thickness). A quick tap on the surface of Oobleck will make it feel hard, because it forces the cornstarch particles together. But dip your hand slowly into the mix, and see what happens—your fingers slide in as easily as through water. Moving slowly gives the cornstarch particles time to move out of the way. Oobleck and other pressure-dependent substances (such as Silly Putty and quicksand) are not liquids such as water or oil. They are known as non-Newtonian fluids. This substance's funny name comes from a Dr. Seuss book called Bartholomew and the Oobleck .

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Materials •    1 cup of water •    1 to 2 cups of cornstarch •    Mixing bowl •    Food coloring (optional) Preparation •    Pour one cup of cornstarch into the mixing bowl, and dip your hands into it. Can you feel how smooth the powder is? It's made up of super-fine particles. •    Now pour the water in, mixing slowly as you go. Keep adding more water until the mixture becomes thick (and hardens when you tap on it). Add more cornstarch if it gets too runny, and more water if it becomes too thick. •    Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. (If you want to turn your Oobleck another hue, it’s easier to add the coloring to the water before you mix it with the cornstarch.) •    Oobleck is non-toxic, but please use caution when doing any science activity. Be careful not to get it in your eyes, and wash your hands after handling the Oobleck. Procedure •    Roll up your sleeves and prepare to get messy! Drop your hands quickly into the Oobleck, then slowly lower your hands into it. Notice the difference! •    Hold a handful in your open palm— what happens? •    Try squeezing it in your fist or rolling it between your hands— how does it behave differently? •    Move your fingers through the mixture slowly, then try moving them faster. •    What else can you do to test the mixture's properties? •    Extra: If you have a large plastic bin or tub, you can make a big batch of Oobleck. Multiply the quantity of each ingredient by 10 or more and mix it up. Take off your shoes and socks and try standing in the Oobleck! Can you walk across it without sinking in? Let you feet sink down and then try wiggling your toes. What happens?

Read on for observations, results and more resources.

Observations and results What is happening when you squeeze the Oobleck? What is happening when you release the pressure? Does the Oobleck remind you of anything else? The Oobleck mixture isn't your typical liquid—or solid. The cornstarch-and-water mixture creates a fluid that acts more like quicksand than water: applying force (squeezing or tapping it) causes it to become thicker. If you were trapped in a tub of Oobleck, what would be the best way to escape? Share your Oobleck observations and results! Leave a comment below or share your photos and feedback on Scientific American 's Facebook page . Cleanup Wash hands with water. Add plenty of extra water to the mixture before pouring it down the drain. Wipe up any dried cornstarch with a dry cloth before cleaning up any remaining residue with a damp sponge. More to explore " What is Jell-O? " from Scientific American " Ask the Experts: What Is Quicksand? " from Scientific American " States of Matter " overview from Idaho Public Television's Dialogue for Kids Slime and Goo activities from the American Chemical Society's Science for Kids Oobleck, Slime & Dancing Spaghetti: Twenty terrific at-home science experiments inspired by favorite children's books by Jennifer Williams, ages 4–8 The Everything Kids' Easy Science Experiments Book: Explore the world of science through quick and easy experiments! By J. Elizabeth Mills, ages 9–12 Up next… The Magic of Gravity What you'll need •    Coin •    Bottle, jar or canister with a small top opening (larger—but not too much bigger—than the coin) •    3- by-5-inch note card or other sturdy piece of paper •    Scissors •    Tape •    Pen or pencil •    Water (optional)

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Mixtures for Kids

September 2, 2020 By Emma Vanstone 5 Comments

What is a Mixture?

A mixture is a substance in which two or more substances are mixed but not chemically joined together, meaning that a chemical reaction has not taken place.

Mixtures can be easily separated and the substances in the mixture keep their original properties.

Imagine mixing skittles and full size marshmallows, the individual components (skittles and marshmallows) could easily be separated using a filter and each component of the mixture ( skittles and marshmallow ) doesn’t change. 

How to make a mixture

You can make your own mixtures with items from around the house.

1. Firstly try to make a mixture of toys.

2. This time use cereals or sweets.

What is a solution?

A solution is made when a solid (which we call a solute) dissolves into a liquid (that we call the solvent) One example of a solution is salt dissolved in water. The salt and water can be separated again by evaporation ( the water will evaporate if left in a hot place leaving he salt behind ).

Investigation

Aim : To test out these three mixtures to see which form solutions and which don’t

• Salt and Water
• Sugar and Water
• Sand and Water

Results Table

You should find that both salt and water and sugar and water dissolve and form solutions and that sand sinks to bottom!

How do you separate mixtures?

Can you separate the components out of the mixture again? Hint – to separate the sand from water you could use a sieve. This is possible as the sand is insoluble ( doesn’t dissolve in water ).

Salt and sugar are soluble ( dissolve in water ) and can be separated by evaporation.

Another way to separate a mixture is by using a process called chromatography .

Challenge – how would you separate rock salt and water?

Rock salt is a mixture of salt and sand and is often spread on roads in winter to stop cars skidding.

Stage 1 – Grinding

First the rock salt should be ground using a pestle and mortar.

Stage 2- Dissolving

The ground rock salt should be dissolved in a beaker and stirred thoroughly.

Stage 3 – Filtering

The solution of water and rock salt should be passed through the filter paper where the sand ( which will not have dissolved in the water ) will collect.

Salt does dissolve in water and so will pass through the filter paper.

Stage 4 – Evaporating

To separate the salt from the water the water needs to be evaporated off, either by leaving the salty solution in the sunshine or placing under a heat source.

The salt will form as crystals – this process is called crystallisation .

Last Updated on May 24, 2021 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

July 18, 2012 at 2:17 pm

Those are great educational play activities. I love your ideas for teaching the difference between a mixture and a solution in a meaningful way. Families can try out your mixtures and solutions and then come up with their own too. Thank you for sharing this on Artsy Play Wednesday on Capri + 3.

: 0 ) Theresa

July 23, 2012 at 6:50 am

Thank you. I’m glad you like it. x

October 08, 2020 at 12:08 pm

This helps me to keep my child busy and I love it So well done!

February 24, 2021 at 8:44 pm

Simple, fun, and accurate!! Thanks from myself and my e-schooled granddaughter 😉

October 08, 2021 at 3:29 pm

I´m a middle school student and and it has helped me understand things better

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“Once upon a time… a beach sand grain”: a bed-time story and scientific outreach activity for young children to increase sediment literacy

• Sednet 2023
• Open access
• Published: 16 September 2024

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

• Cristina Ponte Lira   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9947-6724 1 , 2 ,
• Fátima Valverde 1 , 2 &
• Ana Matias 3  

Learning science in early years can cultivate children’s curiosity and enjoyment in exploring the world around them, laying the foundation for the progression of science learning and ultimately increasing science literacy. Here, we present an example of a tailored preschool scientific activity designed to enhance literacy about sediments and illustrate their importance to both humans and nature.

The activity centres around a captivating story detailing the journey of a sand grain from the mountains to the sea. This storytelling experience is enriched with hands-on observation of various sand grains, informative cards on key topics, and culminates in a creative colouring activity.

To date, the activity has been repeated five times, engaging 110 children (from 2 to 10 years). It has yielded positive outcomes with both preschool and primary school students, as they were actively engaged in the story and delighted in handling and observing the magnified sand grains.

Conclusions

The activity was successfully implemented for preschool and primary school students, fostering engagement with the story and the sand samples. However, while the immediate engagement was evident, the impact on sediment literacy remains to be measured. Future structured evaluations are needed to assess the long-term effectiveness of such initiatives in enhancing sediment literacy among young learners.

Explore related subjects

• Artificial Intelligence

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

Scientific literacy is the ability to use scientific knowledge to identify questions and draw evidence-based conclusions to understand and make informed decisions about the natural world (Laugksch 2000 ; Howell and Brossard 2021 ; Li and Guo 2021 ). Learning science in early childhood can foster children’s curiosity and enjoyment in exploring the world around them and lay the foundation for progression of science learning (Gottfried et al. 2016 ; Bonnette et al. 2019 ; Henriksson et al. 2023 ; Wu et al. 2024 ). Eshach and Fried ( 2005 ) further support the inclusion of science as part of the curriculum in both kindergarten and the first years of primary school, giving six main reasons: 1) children naturally enjoy observing and thinking about nature; 2) exposing students to science develops positive attitudes towards science; 3) early exposure to scientific phenomena leads to better understanding of the scientific concepts studied later in a formal way; 4) the use of scientifically informed language at an early age influences the eventual development of scientific concepts; 5) children can understand scientific concepts and reason scientifically; and 6) science is an efficient means for developing scientific thinking.

Joint book reading by an adult and small child is one of the most recommended practices for building vocabulary and emergent literacy competencies in preschool children (National Research Council 1998 ; Leung 2008 ). Thus, incorporating science picture books in kindergarten activities can enhance children's cognitive and affective engagement with both literacy and science (Mantzicopoulos and Patrick 2011 ). Regarding specifically the contact with geoscience concepts and topics, recent works have identified that storytelling is an effective way of communicating geoscience with small children (Matias et al. 2020 ; Kall et al. 2024 ; Peters 2024 ).

Sediments are ubiquitous in all environments, and there is a growing demand for tailored management practices to ensure their health and ecosystem service provision (Bergmann and Maass 2007 ; Brils 2020 ). However, scientific literacy concerning sediments-such as understanding sedimentary processes and related topics-remains a significant knowledge gap for many, from policymakers to the general public (Ausili et al. 2022 ). Scientists bear the responsibility of communicating their findings not only to their peers but also to non-experts, including children. To enhance public understanding, a stronger foundation in scientific literacy regarding sediments must be established (Pedrozo-Acuña et al. 2019 ).

A bottom-up approach to sediment literacy involves starting at the individual or community level and working upwards towards broader understanding and engagement with sediment-related concepts (Mondesir and Griffin 2020 ). This approach focuses on building knowledge, awareness, and skills from the ground level, targeting specific groups or communities.

Here, we present an example of a tailored preschool scientific activity that is aimed to increase literacy about sediments and closely related natural processes, thus showing how important they are to nature and humans. The activity comprises a bed-time story, the observation of different sand types, information cards and a colouring activity. The activity was specifically developed for preschoolers but is also adaptable for primary school students.

2 Educational approach

2.1 scientific contents.

The activity was designed to introduce and convey concepts and processes related to the topic of sediments, tailored for children aged 2 to 9 years old. The activity was structured into four distinct segments, introducing various scientific concepts and allowing different experiences:

Segment 1: A storytelling session, where a bedtime story about a sand grain is shared with the children. This is the main activity.

Segment 2: Presentation of information cards providing additional details (this step can be omitted for very young children).

Segment 3: Hands-on exploration of different types of sand grains.

Segment 4: Engaging colouring activity.

The key processes and concepts related to sediments being communicated in the different activities were: (i) the erosion process, including erosion agents; (ii) the concept of source-to-sink transfers (Laceby et al. 2019 ; Mahoney et al. 2019 ); and (iii) different textural and composition characteristics of the sand grains (Dixit et al. 2024 ).

Erosion is one of the key concepts to grasp when talking about sediments. The erosion process and erosion agents are responsible for creating sediments and facilitate the transport of sedimentary particles along different environments. The notion of source-to-sink is important to recognise sediment pathways, sediment connectivity and sediment continuum from the catchment to the open sea (Owens 2007 ). Lastly, the concept that there are different characteristics of the sedimentary particles, like shape, size and colour (Lira and Pina 2009 , 2011 ; Deal et al. 2023 ; Haddad et al. 2023 ), is also important to convey the notions of different sediment sources and textural/compositional characteristics.

2.2 Creation of the bed-time story (Segment 1)

The bed-time story, in picture book format, was created using as the main character a grain of sand named Sandy and its journey from the mountains, where it was “born”, to the bottom of the sea. The story develops over 12 pages, with short sentences in a simplified language, accompanied with colourful cartoon images (Fig.  1 ). The story revolves around the following sediment related scientific topics:

Erosion – the grain of sand is born larger, with more angular edges, and becomes smaller and rounder with time, distance of travel and the effect of flowing water and waves (erosion agents). This is the opposite of people, who are born smaller and grow up with time.

Source to sink – the grain of sand is born on the mountains (source), and travels through rivers until it reaches the beach and the sea. Later, it will be deposited at the bottom of the ocean (sink). During this path, the grain of sand changes its characteristics as an effect of the different environments it passes through.

Different types of sand – the story also talks about different grain types, presenting many colours, that are the grain siblings. Different grains are related to different sediment compositions. Information about this topic is also provided in the information cards.

Bed-time story: a book cover; b page 8, as an example: this page introduces the concepts of grain erosion and erosion agents

The story is brought to life with illustrations of Sandy and his siblings, accompanied by whimsical cartoon depictions of the diverse environments Sandy encounters along his journey - from mountains and rivers, to beaches and the sea. Sandy and his sister, Saya, were designed by the first author, while the charming environmental cartoon images were created using AI technology ( https://www.freepik.com/ ).

Sandy was designed as a round grain of sand, like the grains of sand found in the beach environment. Its design is simple but appealing to young children, with a bright yellow colour. The cartoon images accompanying the text are also attractive to children and are intended to symbolize the idea of the different environments that children might already have experienced (e.g., a blue sea with small waves).

2.3 Complementary activities (Segments 2 to 4)

The bedtime story serves as the central activity, around which additional enriching experiences are designed to reinforce learning and encourage interaction among children with various sand samples. In addition to the bedtime story, these complementary activities include:

Cards that communicate information about different environments where sand can be found (e.g., beaches, deserts) and the importance of sand as a resource (e.g., for construction, for leisure).

The observation of different types of sands (handling different sand samples), including the observation of different grains using a geology hand lens.

A drawing of the Sandy character that the children can colour and take home. This gives them the opportunity to tell their parents about the activity, allowing them to revisit, and further cement the information.

2.4 Implementation of the activity

The activity commences with segment 1, when the children seated on the floor prepare to listen to the story, ensuring everyone has a clear view of the picture book. The scientist leading the storytelling session engages the children by asking them about their experiences at the beach and what they enjoy most about it. This interactive moment sets the stage for the story about to unfold. Throughout the storytelling, a larger drawing is presented depicting Sandy in various poses, enhancing the narrative. For instance, when Sandy tumbles over a mountain and finds himself near a river, there is an illustration of Sandy upside down, synchronized with the events in the storybook.

Once the story concludes, the session transitions to presenting information cards, tailored to the age group of the children. This second segment allows time for any questions the children may have about the story, the information on the cards, or even their personal experiences related to the topic at hand.

Following this segment, a hands-on activity unfolds, inviting children to explore various sand samples. Most of the sand samples are in plastic tubes or bags, while a larger sample is in a tin, allowing the sand to be manipulated, and providing an opportunity for children to touch, feel, and examine the sand using geology magnifying lenses. This tactile experience aims to deepen their understanding of the diverse textures and compositions of different sand grains (Fig.  2 b, d). Here, the scientists elucidate the distinctions between sand grains from various environments. For example, they explain that sand grains from rivers are typically less rounded compared to those from beach environments.

Examples of the activities targeting toddlers (panels a and d ) and pre- and primary children (panels b ,  c and e ). Panels a and c show the storytelling activity, and panels b , d and e show the hands-on activity involving the observation of different sand grain

The last segment involves giving each child a drawing of Sandy to colour as they please. This personalized artwork allows them to express their creativity and take home a memento from the experience. They are also encouraged to share their drawings and tell their parents about the experiment, fostering a discussion at home about the fun and educational activities they participated in.

2.5 Creation of the website Sandy Story

To engage a broader audience, the team decided to establish a dedicated website. This platform intends to serve as a centralized hub to present and share the activity's objectives and materials, facilitating dissemination to a wider community. With this goal in mind, we developed the website ( https://sandy-story.com ) in English to ensure accessibility to as many people as possible. While the website is still under development, and some resources are not yet fully available, visitors can already access the storybook in the available languages, some resources related with the activity (e.g. Sandy drawing-activity sheet) and news about the project. Future additions will include various resources, such as a comprehensive teacher’s manual designed to facilitate the implementation of the activity in kindergartens and schools.

The outline of the website is as follows:

Home – front page of the website

The project – a short introduction about the project and its objectives.

The bed-time story – the storybook can be accessed in a digital Issuu flipbook format ( www.issuu.com ) in different languages.

Activity Resources – download related resources (e.g., Sandy drawing, information cards) in multiple languages to facilitate independent implementation of the activity.

News – stay updated with the latest news and activities related to the project.

The team – here you can access information about the project team.

Related Resources – some sediment literacy resources can be found here, without an exhaustive list of what can be found online.

Contact – details on how to further engage with the team.

The website was created as a resource for scientists and educators interested in knowing more about the project and/or implementing the activity, in collaboration with the project team or on their own. Nevertheless, the website, as is, might also be used to read the story to the children, in a digital format, or present a live animation of the Sandy character to the children.

3 Pathway to impact

Studies about scientific activities development and importance in education are relatively recent, particularly in early childhood, as most studies are implemented for elementary, middle, and high schoolers (Impedovo et al. 2017 ; Convertini 2021 ). There is a growing demand to begin science education as early as possible and develop actions targeting preschool children (Impedovo et al. 2017 ; Weng and Li 2020 ; Wu and Huang 2023 ). However, many countries still lack science education in formal preschool curricula (Léna 2009 ; Impedovo et al. 2017 ; Wu et al. 2024 ) and limited activities are available for teachers.

The science outreach activity “Once upon a time… a beach sand grain” project was established in May 2022 and has worked since as a proof of concept. The goal was to develop an activity and test it in the real-world using-small scale actions with very young children. According to the hierarchical model of STEM literacy for kindergarten children developed by Wu et al. ( 2024 ), this activity might be considered as incorporated in the category of STEM knowledge, sub-category Science knowledge - Geosciences, as the activity intends to introduce some simple, yet fundamental, sediment concepts (see Sect. 2.1 ).

3.1 School activities

The Sandy story was first developed with the primary goal of providing simple scientific concepts about sediments to toddlers and preschool children. Until now, the activity was repeated five times in Portugal, reaching 110 children (Table  1 ).

The initial session was designed for toddlers aged 2 to 3 years and was hosted at a private kindergarten. Due to the success in engaging such young children and encouraged by the teachers, we planned to expand the age range to primary school kids. The second and third sessions took place in homes, where two different families with preschool and primary school children incorporated the Sandy story into their bedtime routine. These sessions were opportunistic, as fellow colleagues wanted to tell the story to their own children. The fourth session targeted both preschool and primary school students from a public school, ranging in age from 4 to 10 years old. The last (5th) activity was again conducted at a private kindergarten and targeted children from 4 to 5 years old. In the activities that took place at schools, all students present in the classroom participated. Teachers were present during the activities, primarily to assist in managing the students through the various stages of the activity. Their role was limited to providing support and guidance as needed, allowing the children to actively engage with the materials and explore the learning experience. There was no presentation of the activity to the teachers prior to the sessions and no guidelines were provided of how children should behave.

Overall, the activity seemed to provide good results both with pre-school and primary school students, as they were engaged in the story and enjoyed handling the sand samples, seeing the magnified grains and asking questions during the story and observation/manipulation of the sand grains. Regarding the observation and handling of sand samples, the older children (4 to 10 years old) particularly enjoyed a sample of river sand, with a large compositional percentage of platy mica particles (mainly muscovite). Mica particles, being flat, have a remarkable ability to reflect sunlight, creating a sparkling effect, similar to glitter. This glitter-like sparkle can make science visually appealing to young children, potentially triggering early interest in STEM subjects. By engaging all children in creative and interactive ways, we can contribute to closing the gender gap in STEM fields and encourage more diverse participation in the future.

In terms of the scientific content, children were able to connect with the concept of erosion through the idea that a sand grain evolves in the opposite direction to that of a human. People are born smaller and grow larger over time, while sand grains are born larger and become smaller with erosion. This comparison resonates well with children, as they are familiar with the idea of growing up and can easily relate to the concept of changes in size over time.

Regarding the follow up of the information conveyed in the activity by asking children about Sandy, the youngest children could remember the story and relate it to nature up to 6 months. After that, the youngest children forgot the story. This is expected because to effectively build science understanding, young children need opportunities for sustained engagement with materials and conversations that focus on the same set of ideas over weeks, months, and years (Matias et al. 2020 ). Primary schoolers remembered the information and the story longer and more precisely.

Additional activities are currently being prepared to reach more schools in Portugal and at other European countries. The authors are particularly focused on maintaining the target audience of young children (aged 2 to 6) for the activity. Increasing the engagement of other scientists and educators have also been identified as key to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of the project. In Portugal, several science outreach and educational activities are already available for various K-12 levels at universities, science centres, and museums (e.g. https://lousal.cienciaviva.pt/en/schools/ , https://www.ccvestremoz.com/en/escola-ciencia-viva-ano1 ). However, most geoscience activities target grades 6–12, with only a few STEM activities available for pre-K levels.

3.2 Engaging the scientific community and the public

3.2.1 translation of sandy story.

The story was created in Portuguese, as the activity was primarily implemented in Portugal. However, due to the growing interest from the scientific community (see Sect. 3.2.2 ), the story has been translated into English, German and Dutch. These translations aim to enhance the project's visibility and facilitate broader dissemination among scientists interested in implementing the activity themselves. Additionally, it aims to contribute to the development of related activities. Furthermore, since the activity targets young children, translating the story into other native languages is crucial for reaching this audience. Another important goal of the project is to not only increase the project’s globalization but also to accommodate students’ diverse cultural and linguistic ranges (e.g., multilingual classrooms) (Wawire et al. 2023 ; Ganesan and Morales 2024 ). The project team is actively working on these translations to enable broader engagement from both scientists and the general public.

3.2.2 Presentation of the project results in science forums

The preliminary results of the activity were showcased at the 13th International SedNet Conference during a special session on Sediment Literacy ( https://sednet.org/events/sednet-conference-2023/ ). The presentation received a positive reception from the expert audience in sediment studies. In fact, several researchers volunteered to translate the story into their home country languages such as Italian and Dutch, indicating the broad interest and potential impact of the project. Others suggested the story could be part of a series, where other sediment-related topics could be introduced to children (e.g., clay particles, contaminated sediments). Building on the valuable discussion during this scientific session, the project team is presently working closely with the SedNet network ( https://sednet.org/ ) to expand the Sandy story into a series of stories. Different characters are being developed to introduce other sedimentary types of particles (e.g., silt, clay) together with benefits and challenges related with sediments (e.g., dredging, mineral resources, soil erosion, contamination).

3.2.3 Adapting Sandy Story activity for other age groups

Science activities targeting young children often take the form of one-time events that, although popular, are realistically limited in achieving long-lasting effects (Archer et al. 2021 ). As identified by Archer et al. ( 2021 ), the next logical step would be to deliver a series of activities following the Sandy Story intervention. One possible way to further engage children with the sedimentary world would be to provide them with a series of storybooks, based on the Sandy character. This idea is already taking shape (see Sect. 3.2.2 , for more details).

To engage older audiences (middle and high schoolers), more detailed scientific explanations and context about sediment and geology have to be incorporated, together with an upgraded version of Sandy story (e.g., a graphic novel version). To further involve older children, data analysis exercises, aligned with school curricula, or interactive games and mobile apps where students can engage with Sandy's world, could also be a possibility to build-up on the primary activity.

In sum, by diversifying how Sandy's story is presented through more complex and interactive content, one might maintain the interest and deepen the understanding of further sedimentary preconcepts with older children. The project team is enthusiastically also considering different ideas on how to adapt the original activity to older audiences, including university students, and a collaboration between the project and the SedNet working group on Education-Science-Policy Interfacing & Sediment Management Concepts is already in place to co-create solutions.

4 Discussion and final remarks

A science outreach activity aimed at preschool children was developed with the primary goal of enhancing sediment literacy. The activity employed an innovative approach by integrating storytelling with traditional science activities.

The first segment of the activity – the story of Sandy - is the main activity and was designed specifically for preschool children. The story is short (12 pages) with simple sentences and large drawings. Although simple, several key messages about sediments are conveyed, so the story can also be used with primary school children.

Segments 2 and 3 should be adapted for each child's age group. For toddlers (2 to 3 years old), segment 2 (presentation of the information cards) should be skipped and segment 3 should be mainly about presenting the difference between sand and other sedimentary particles (pebbles for instance), allowing for the children to experience both materials and understand the differences. For preschool children (3 to 5 years old) the information cards can be used, but the information should be simplified. For primary school children (6 to 10 years old) both segments can be used to convey more information about the topic, e.g., why sands are so different in colour and texture. Using the three school activities already completed as a guide, the viewing and handling of the sand grains proved to be the most appreciated activity by the children in the older age group (primary school), as they asked more questions, took more time discerning the differences among sand grains and sand samples. The last segment (segment 4) is the colouring of the Sandy character, which can be used regardless of children’s age, as all would easily engage in the activity without much adaptation.

The authors would like to reinforce that this is not a study about teaching strategies or is targeting a teachers-oriented audience. The main goal is to present a new science communication activity about sediment concepts that can be used with young children. As such, the authors consider that the objective has been achieved, as a successful proof-of-concept. However, there is a need to undertake a formal evaluation of the science communication activity.

One notable shortcoming was the lack of a formal science communication evaluation to measure its impact on cognitive and emotional levels, which would have enabled validation and comparison of the activity's impact. There is a recognized need for tailored inquiries to follow up on the activity's outcomes (Ziegler et al. 2021 ). The second shortcoming is that the improvement in sediment literacy could not be quantitatively measured. Nonetheless, the authors are confident that the students were actively engaged, enjoyed the activity, and posed questions indicating the integration of knowledge.

Surveying children can be challenging, as different survey techniques must be emplaced to ensure all children participate regardless of their age. Also, the engagement of both the schoolteachers and the children’s parents is essential to allow for a true sampling of the activity impact. The outreach activities here described were opportunistic and not tailored to assess how the provided learning concepts were received, perceived or cemented by the children.

Authors are also aware that different economic backgrounds of the children will impact how children respond to the activity and how they will appropriate knowledge. Regarding the participating schools, the selection was opportunistic; it was not the goal of this activity to represent a variety of children's socio-economic contexts and how they may impact the activity outcome. Nevertheless, the sample is somewhat diverse (private and public schools, different municipalities), but biased towards a moderate to high economic status (Table  1 ).

Acknowledging these shortcomings future work involves designing short questionnaires for teachers and students to collect data on the activities impact and limitations. As such, the activity will comprise a last segment – segment 5 – evaluation of the activity.

Furthermore, recognizing the areas for improvement, the authors suggest that a multidisciplinary collaboration between geoscientists and experts in education and the science communication team could be beneficial. This collaboration could help devise a comprehensive approach to fully assess the impact of such activities in the future, ensuring a more robust understanding of their effectiveness in enhancing sediment literacy among young learners.

Data availability

The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) I.P./MCTES through national funds PIDDAC - UIDB/50019/2020 ( https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/50019/2020 ), UIDP/50019/2020 ( https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/50019/2020 ), LA/P/0068/2020 ( https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0068/2020 ) and Cristina Ponte Lira by DL 57/2016/CP1479/CT0079 ( https://doi.org/10.54499/DL57/2016/CP1479/CT0079 ). A. Matias had the support of the FCT, through the strategic projects UID/MAR/00350/2020 (CIMA) - https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/00350/2020 , and the project LA/P/0069/2020 granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET – https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0069/2020 . Authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the schools involved in the Sandy activity, and extend heartfelt thanks to all colleagues who contributed to its implementation, including those involved in translating the Sandy story into other languages.

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Ponte Lira, C., Valverde, F. & Matias, A. “Once upon a time… a beach sand grain”: a bed-time story and scientific outreach activity for young children to increase sediment literacy. J Soils Sediments (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-024-03903-w

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CRISPR, the gene-editing technology, has been one of the major breakthroughs of biology in the last two decades. And while students learn about the capability to cut, paste, and alter genes, it’s rare that they get the chance to understand the technology by using it themselves.

Enter CRISPRkit. The Stanford-made invention contains all the materials needed to conduct a CRISPR experiment in the classroom at about $2 per kit (or approximately $40 for materials for an entire classroom). The results can be analyzed solely with a smartphone camera and the CRISPRkit website .

While it’s still a distance from being available across the nation, a recent paper in Nature Communications authored by Stanley Qi , associate professor of bioengineering in the schools of Engineering and Medicine, Qi lab members Matthew Lau and Marvin Collins, and others brought attention to the potential of CRISPRkit to bring modern biology advances to the classroom.

“Our goal is to democratize biology,” said Lau. “The demand is there – this could serve as a model to bring these kinds of opportunities to classrooms.”

Starting early

Matthew Lau, who is a co-first author on the paper, began working in the Qi lab while he was still a high schooler, after he attended a summer camp at Stanford. In 2018, Qi took him to a biotech conference in New York, where Lau saw a poster regarding an educational kit, which was expensive. That was the spark for making a DIY kit – something that could engage the community and bring science into the hands of students. The team focused on CRISPR because it was already a major part of Qi’s lab research.

Marvin Collins, who was a sophomore when they began working on this project, said, “We wanted to make it as accessible as possible, so kids from all different socioeconomic backgrounds could get exposure to exciting technologies that are making waves in bioengineering and medicine – and hands-on experiments give them experience in what science is all about.”

The team planned to make a kit that utilized chromoproteins – proteins that are colorful in regular visible light – to form pigments. Then, the experiment would be to see if users could turn off the chromoproteins using CRISPR. Team members were excited to experiment with the visual aspect, which could pique interest, and to potentially make kits where color mixing was a possibility.

But before all of that could become a reality, they had to overcome the barriers stopping CRISPR from being in classrooms already. CRISPR is typically done with specialized equipment and biohazardous chemicals that need specific disposal methods, and it’s expensive – even the pipettes alone can cost $500. Qi said, “We asked ourselves, how can we get rid of these barriers to make something so cheap and so safe that someone could do this experiment in their kitchen?”

Successful experiment readout for the dual color CRISPRkit. (Left to right:) Control samples for red, yellow, and red/yellow pigments. The next three tubes contain red/yellow pigment but CRISPR has targeted and repressed (in order) the red, the yellow, and both red and yellow. The last vial is water, as a control sample. | Marvin Collins

Try, try, try again

For Lau and Collins, the answer was to do a lot of experimentation. The first plan was for the kit to use CRISPR to edit pigment in a test tube: If the experiment was effective, the color would go from red to transparent. The first summer, Lau said, was frustrating at times. “There was about two weeks where we couldn’t get the pigment to turn off, so we were troubleshooting a lot. There was a lot of optimizing. I did maybe 50 separate experiments to make it work.” Collins also worked on the wet lab experimentation and spent much of their time under the hood.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Stanford established remote learning. Lau flew back to Hong Kong but was able to continue computational work remotely; he developed CRISPectra , the website that allows users of the kits to upload photos of their results and receive quantitative data from them. For Collins, though, returning to their family’s place in Alabama meant that they no longer had access to lab equipment.

“That situation of not having access to a lab and living in Alabama made me have the same use case we were designing the kits around,” said Collins. “So, I used that as an opportunity to leverage the low-tech environment.” Collins was able to obtain materials by mail, which let them continue to experiment and helped highlight potential problems and workarounds.

Testing with teachers

Once the team returned to campus in 2021, they were ready to try out the kit in the classroom. By working with teachers and students at Los Altos High School and Menlo High School, they continued to optimize the kit. For example, they switched the pipettes to inoculation loops – instruments tipped with a small loop for sampling – after a failed run of the tests. Qi, Lau, and Collins all recall how exciting it was to be in the classrooms and to see students actually using their project, being passionate and curious about the research.

“I was nervous about getting the kit in the classroom and wondering, ‘Is this actually going to work in students’ hands?’” said Qi. “Out of the 17 groups, 15 got it to work, which made me so happy. One high schooler even went beyond to do a pressure test, repeating the experiment many times to see the consistency of results. I was genuinely moved by that student’s dedication in helping us.”

Our goal is to democratize biology. The demand is there – this could serve as a model to bring these kinds of opportunities to classrooms.” Matthew Lau

“There was a direct impact of our research on the kids, where you could see their enjoyment and investment,” said Collins. “It kind of reminded me that I wouldn’t have ended up as a scientist myself if I hadn’t had teachers and mentors who were enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and inspiring me – and now it’s cool that I get to be on the other side of that.”

Buoyed by that excitement, the team redoubled their efforts to make the kit truly accessible – which meant thinking about the cost. Qi said that this continues to be a challenge, as some of the key reagents for the experiment make up about 80% of the cost of the kit. Happily, Qi was able to collaborate with Michael Jewett , a Stanford professor of bioengineering whose lab works with one of the key reagents. Jewett’s lab produces their own reagents through bacteria, so Collins and Brenda Wang, a member of the Jewett lab, were able to make it in-house and reduce the cost. As the team brainstorms other potential uses and variations of the kit, they keep affordability in mind.

The future of CRISPRkit

Though Collins has since graduated Stanford, they continue to be involved in the project. They’re currently applying to PhD programs and intend to focus on accessibility research, which has been important to them from the start as a Black nonbinary scientist who has been historically underrepresented. Collins said, “Bioengineering is really exciting from an accessibility perspective and if we do it properly and bring different perspectives to it, it has the potential to tackle problems that are important to different communities all around the world.”

Qi transitioned from studying physics to synthetic biology because he saw the immense positive impact that this field could have on people’s lives. “These technologies usually stay in papers that experts read. And even with something like gene editing, it can take upward of five years for the public to hear about it – up to ten years for students to learn about it,” said Qi. “As researchers, we can bury our heads in the sand, but outreach is hugely important. It’s a training process for future scientists, policymakers, and leaders.”

Qi also highlighted how important it was to have undergraduate researchers like Lau and Collins involved. “For a project like this, a grad student might think it would be hard to publish a top-tier paper, so they might be reluctant to commit their time. But the undergraduates were like mavericks – they dared to try something new and were willing to devote their efforts because of their passion. Our goal is to make the CRISPRkit accessible to students across the nation.”

Lau is entering his final year as an undergraduate at Stanford. He and Qi have presented at conferences and workshops, showing that projects like these, especially in the field of biology, have huge demand. Lau especially recognizes the importance for students, even though he’s a few years out from his time as a high schooler. “As a high schooler, there’s a huge gap between what you learn in a textbook and the theoretical work that goes into an experiment. But once you’re in a lab and you get to do something yourself, it’s completely different,” he said.

“This kit that we have perfectly represents the capabilities of CRISPR for the classroom. And this is just the first step,” said Lau. He intends to keep working to democratize biology and hopes that other scientists will also pursue accessible outreach for their research. “This kit is a major opportunity to teach something about biology in a way students can work with and understand – and I hope this serves as a model for what could happen in the future.”

For more information

Qi is also a member of Stanford Bio-X , the Cardiovascular Institute , the Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI) , the Stanford Cancer Institute , and the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute and an institute scholar at Sarafan ChEM-H .

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What is CRISPR? A bioengineer explains

Stanley Qi explains how gene editing works, why CRISPR is such an important tool, and how it could be used in the future – including new developments in altering the chemistry of DNA instead of the DNA sequence itself.