I first became interested in doing easy science experiments when my son was very young and it was my turn to teach lessons at his weekly English playgroup. Without having to buy any special equipment, anyone can teach basic scientific principles in a fun and memorable way.

 This lesson on water surface tension is always fun to do. Students learn that we can make paperclips float in the same way that a water slider bug (アメンボ) can walk across a pond. After putting in a drop of dish soap, we can weaken the water surface tension and make those same paperclips sink.

 

 After discussing how water surface tension is the reason water drops on a table are always dome shaped, we do another science experiment where we can see how many drops of water we can fit on a one yen coin. I think the record number of drops is almost thirty!