If you’ve got a child who is curious about ocean life, this week’s STEAM Saturday activity is perfect for you! Today, we’re exploring the “S” and the “A” in STEAM with a colorful craft project that also doubles as a science lesson! Your future marine biologist will learn about bioluminescence while making Glowing Jellyfish!
There are many different types of jellyfish swimming in the Earth’s oceans. Some are clear, some are colorful, and still others glow in the dark. The scientific term for an organism’s ability to glow is called “bioluminescence.” Bioluminescence is the creation of light through a chemical reaction within a living being. If you have ever used a glow stick, it is a similar process. When you snap the glow stick, it creates a chemical reaction that makes it light up.
Jellyfish use their bioluminescence for many reasons. Sometimes it is used to distract predators. If touched, a bioluminescent jellyfish will start to glow, which will hopefully scare predators away. Sometimes, it is used to attract prey. There are other bioluminescent creatures in the sea, including sharks, fish, and bacteria!
Now that we’ve learned about how and why some jellyfish can glow, let’s make a fun craft to illustrate the lesson! To make your Glowing Jellyfish, you’ll need:
- Paper bowls
- Neon colored yarn (think pink, yellow, green, and orange)
- Glow-in-the-dark neon paint
- Scissors
- Paintbrush
Before getting started, make sure to protect the surface you’ll be working on. Now, let’s get to work!
Place your paper bowls upside down and paint each one a different neon color. Allow them to dry. Once they have dried, poke a hole in the center of each bowl and cut 4 slits coming out from the hole.
Next, cut five 18” pieces in each color of your yarn. Lay out each piece so they line up with one another. Then, gather the yarn from the center to fold it in half. Tie a knot at the fold so that all the yarn is held together at the center. Pull the ends of the yarn through the hole in the center of the bowl, allowing the knot to hold the yarn in place and the ends of the yarn to dangle downward.
Paint the dangling pieces of yarn with neon paint and let them dry. Now you can turn the lights off and see your jellyfish glow!
Click here to find the full activity, more information about jellyfish and bioluminescence, and more ocean-related activities from Little Bins For Little Hands! As always, get as creative as you want, and above all, have lots of fun learning together!
We’ll see you right back here next Saturday for another STEAM Saturday activity! Scroll through the rest of our website to learn how Critchlow Adkins is Building Brighter Futures for the children and families we serve!
