Our fifth grade class recently created these stunning plaster mold of their own hands as part of a chemistry lesson with Mr. Joseph. Check out his description below:
"Alginate is a wonderful substance made from brown algae, and you’ve probably encountered some form of it at the dentist’s office (it’s the goop used to take impressions of your teeth). Getting to play around with different materials is one of the most enjoyable aspects of 5th-grade chemistry, and alginate is always a favorite. Students are able to explore its unique physical properties by making negatives of their hands—essentially 3-D photographs, capturing every crease and friction ridge in perfect detail. Once the alginate is fully set, we pour a casting material into the mold to produce a plaster positive. These make wonderful souvenirs, and can even be used as avant-garde coat hooks."