Masks On!

Introduction:

• We wear masks to protect us and to protect others (like our friends, classmates, teachers, and neighbors).

• We are protecting others from the gunk that we spray out of our noses and mouths.

• This gunk is usually sprayed out of our noses and mouths when we cough, sneeze, laugh, talk, and even while we just breathe! Yuck!

• This gunk and mouth spray might have harmful germs in it, which can travel up to six feet in little drops of water.

• We wear masks to stop us from spreading germs from our mouths and noses.

• Without masks, our germs can spread more and go farther.

Let’s do an experiment to see how masks stop the spread of droplets or sprays!

You will need (materials):

1. A mask that you would wear to the grocery store, park, or school

2. A spray bottle, squirt gun, hose with adjustable nozzle

3. Water

4. Chalk

5. A sidewalk, driveway, or a place you can draw with chalk

6. A camera/phone to record pictures and/or video

7. A pencil and piece of paper to record your results

8. A measuring tape

This experiment should be performed outdoors and with an adult’s supervision.

What to do (methods):

Step 1) Draw 2 big drawings with chalk somewhere you’re allowed to draw with chalk. Make each of the drawings 6 feet long and one foot wide. Mark where each foot is. Color in the drawing as completely as you can (with no gaps for the sidewalk to show through). Take a picture of your drawings to share later!

Step 2) Prepare your spray bottle (fill it up), squirt gun (fill it up), or hose (turn it on).

Step 3) Stand at the beginning of your first chalk drawing while you spray 3 times with your bottle or squirt gun, or with the hose for 3 seconds (one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi and then STOP).

Step 4) Turn off your hose or set down your spray bottle. Count how many splashes of water you see on your first drawing, counting the number of drops in each foot. If that is too hard, you can just count all the drops you see on the whole drawing. Take a picture to compare and share! Write down your numbers in the table below.

Step 5) Get your family member to hold your mask at the beginning of your second chalk drawing while you spray three times with your bottle or water gun, or spray the hose for 3 seconds (one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi and then STOP). Try to do it the same way as you did the first time.

Step 6) Turn off your hose or set down your spray bottle. Count how many splashes of water you see on your second drawing, counting the number of drops in each foot. If that is too hard, you can just count all the drops you see on the whole drawing. Take a picture to compare and share! Write down your numbers in the table below.

Step 7) Write down your results in the table below.

Results

Discuss:

• How far did you see water drops go without a mask?

• How far did you see water drops go with a mask?

• How different did your drawings look after spraying them with and without a mask?

• Does a mask prevent sprays and drops from spreading?

• How is this experiment different from your own mouth/nose sprays?

• Could you design an experiment to more closely match your own mouth/nose sprays?

  • Try out your ideas!

• Do you think masks help prevent the spread of your own germs? Why or why not?

• How can you let other people know about your findings?

Share!

• Send pictures of your drawings, before and after spraying, to us (email) and we will feature them online (with written permission from a parent or guardian).

• If you recorded a video of your experiment, send it to us (email) and we will share it online (with written permission from a parent or guardian).

• Draw what you did and send us a picture either through email or USPS (with a stamp)!

  • Let us know if you did anything special to make the experiment better!

• Using your chalk, write a message telling others in your neighborhood what your experiment showed you.

• Tell your family and friends about what you learned using science and art!

Please share your learning with SDUSD here. With your permission, we will post your pictures and videos here for all to see.