I always love the opportunity to share some of my favorite inexpensive science experiments. One of our favorites at the Spangler Science offices is making your own “lava lamp.” We take this one on the road, and it’s always a hit with teachers looking for unique, budget-friendly projects. Just add take a Baby Soda Bottle test tube, a True Colors tablet and a little oil and water… now you have your own bubbling potion. Just watch the video to find out how it works.
Some of the products you see in the Steve Spangler Science catalog were born because science teachers found it difficult to get the supplies they needed. One such product is the Baby Soda Bottle. If you haven’t seen one, Baby Soda Bottle is actually a test tube. It is unusual. It is not made out of glass and, except for extreme heat, is indestructible. It holds liquid and is reusable.
Baby Soda Bottle is really an item you and I see on the store shelves. Picture a 2 liter Coke, Pepsi or Sprite bottle. Imagine taking that bottle and shrinking it until it gets smaller and smaller until it actually becomes the shape of a test tube. For years the bottling industry used these plastic forms to create this 2-liter bottle and for years these test tube-like structures were sitting there.
It took a group effort to convince the bottling company to release these bottles, but teachers created a great science tool that is now standard in every elementary school in the country. The birth of the Baby Soda Bottle!
Lots of people come up with clever uses for our large, plastic test tubes called Baby Soda Bottles. Todd Blackman at the Franklin County Public Electrical Utility District #1 in Pasco, Washington shared this idea for turning a Baby Soda Bottle into a solar oven.
We use your Giant Test Tubes to make small solar ovens that work really well. Over the years we have seen many designs that ranged from completely ineffective to downright dangerous. We don’t want to hurt kids with an advanced design or turn them off to solar with a design that does not work.
This one is simple, functional, durable and easy to build with simple and safe tools. It will heat water for hot chocolate or soup to temps around 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
We’re not exactly sure about the design other than what we see in the picture. We can confirm that these plastic test tubes are thick enough to easily boil water without melting. So, if you’re looking for a way to heat a few ounces of water, this is an easy and creative option.
Lots of people come up with clever uses for our large, plastic test tubes called 
