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Walking on Water

Activity

The Secrets of Water Striders

Watch water striders on the surface of a lake, pond or river. How do they walk on water? What property does water have that makes this possible? Build a water strider model out of natural materials. How can you create something with legs that can stay on top of the water?

Science Seed

Science Seed: Water molecules are made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. The hydrogen atoms are slightly positively charged, while the oxygen atom is slightly negative. Water molecules stick together due to these weak charges. This creates a phenomenon called surface tension. Small insects, and even a well-placed paper clip, can walk or lay on this layer of water molecules that are stuck to each other at the surface of the water.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore the Memorial Park Conservancy

The mission of Memorial Park Conservancy is to preserve, restore, and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by