Layla’s Fizzing Volcano
Layla builds a volcano for the science fair, and the experiment goes bubbly wrong!
The school science fair was tomorrow, and Layla had a plan: a volcano that really erupted. With Leo the owl, Layla made a mountain from clay and painted it brown.
Inside the crater went baking soda, a squirt of soap and some green paint. Then Layla poured in a little vinegar. FIZZ! Bubbles climbed out of the volcano, lava-red and frothy.
‘More!’ cried Leo. Layla poured more vinegar. And more. FIZZ-FIZZ-WHOOSH! A huge wave of green foam spilled over the table and onto the floor. It reached Leo’s shoes!
They looked at each other, and burst out laughing. ‘Too much vinegar!’ said Layla. They mopped up, and Layla wrote in a notebook: ‘Use only a little. Measure carefully.’
At the fair, Layla did the experiment again, perfectly. The foam rose slowly and spilled gently. Kira the turtle clapped. ‘Excellent,’ said Kira. ‘And I love your notes on what went wrong.’
The little lesson
Mistakes are part of discovering how things work.
Let’s talk about it
- What makes a volcano fizz?
- What would you do differently?
Finish stories to collect Layla as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
More Little Scientists stories
The Volcano Experiment with Rocco
Rocco builds a volcano for the science fair, and the experiment goes bubbly wrong!
Felix, Bug Scientist
Felix discovers a strange beetle and follows the clues to find out what it is.
Toby Makes a Rainbow
Toby wonders where rainbows come from, and discovers how to make one at home.
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