Try it!

Tree roots absorb water, which then moves to the leaves and evaporates through a process called transpiration. You can observe this by sealing leaves in a plastic bag for a few days—water will collect as it transpires. This process cools the plant and releases moisture into the atmosphere. Different plants may transpire at different rates, and in a survival situation, transpired water is safe to drink, though it may taste bitter.

You float more easily in saltwater because it’s denser than freshwater. In this experiment, an egg sinks in plain water but floats in saltwater. Adding salt increases the water’s density, making the egg more buoyant. Try adjusting salt or water levels to see if you can make the egg float in the middle.

Explore density with a fun liquid layering experiment. Carefully pour honey, corn syrup, milk, colored water, and oil into a clear jar in order. Then drop in small objects like paper clips or grapes to see where they float or sink. Each liquid has a different density, so they form layers. Objects float above liquids denser than they are and sink below less dense ones. Try shaking the jar or adding new liquids to see what changes.

May brings blooming flowers, perfect for pressing and preserving. Place flowers between tissue or coffee filters inside a heavy book. Add weight and wait two to six weeks, replacing paper if damp. Use fresh flowers for best results. Try different types and use your pressed flowers in art, framed decor, or a nature journal with notes on species and location.

Make a rain gauge to see how much it rains in April. Cut the top off a 2-liter bottle, add rocks, and fill with water to a marked line 2 inches up. Mark half-inch measurements above that. Place the top back in as a funnel and set it outside when it rains. Record how much rain falls and track it in a notebook. See when it rained most during the month.

A solar eclipse will occur on April 8, and Will County is in its path. The next one visible here won’t be until 2044, so don’t miss it! Never look directly at the sun. Use a DIY eclipse viewer made from a cereal box, paper, foil, and a pencil. Light passes through a small hole in the foil and projects the eclipse onto white paper inside the box. Stand with your back to the sun and look through the open hole to view the projection safely.

Make milk dance with this fun science experiment. Add drops of food coloring to a bowl of whole milk then touch the surface with a cotton swab dipped in dish soap. Watch the colors swirl and move as the soap breaks the surface tension. Try using cookie cutters for fun shapes.

Static electricity happens when atoms rub together and steal electrons, creating a charge. Like magnets, opposite charges attract. When electrons build up, your hair stands up or you get shocked by metal. You can see static in action with a fun experiment: rub wool on an acrylic sheet, then hold it above crispy rice cereal. The cereal “dances” as it’s pulled toward the charged acrylic.