From Mauna Loa in Hawaii to Taal in the Philippines, volcanoes are massive forces of nature that are not to be taken lightly. The bursting of a volcano will cover the sky in ash while lava flows to the area beneath. While volcanoes are dangerous up close, there is a "wow factor" associated with their eruptions. You can re-create volcanic activity by building a model volcano. These miniature volcanoes work using baking soda and vinegar to simulate an eruption. Creating your own volcano model is done using papier-mache to re-create a famous mountain or to design your very own.
Instructions
1. Clean your 20 oz. plastic bottle and remove any labeling. Use your scissors or a knife to cut the top of the bottle off so the top and bottom of the container are roughly the same width.
2. Glue the bottle onto the center of a piece of cardboard. The wider the cardboard, the wider your volcano can be. Allow the glue to fully dry.
3. Ball up several sheets of newspaper into loose wads. Arrange the wads of paper around the bottle so that they form the structure of your volcano. Use masking tape to hold the paper in place. The top of your volcano should have the smallest width and then expand as it moves down to the base.
4. Cut several sheets of newspaper into long strips. These strips will be used to papier-mache the outside of the volcano. Each strip should be long enough to reach from the base of your volcano to the peak.
5. Mix together your water and flour in a mixing bowl to create the paste for your papier-mache. The mixture should be one part flour for every two parts of water. Start with one cup of water and half of a cup of flour.
6. Dip one strip of newspaper into the paste so that it is fully submerged. Remove the strip and use your fingers to wipe down any excess paste back into the bowl.
7. Place one end of the paper strip at the top of your volcano, then extend the rest of the strip down and onto the cardboard. Don't worry about the paper extending past the base of your volcano.
8. Cover the entire volcano with the strips of newspaper, leaving none of the crumpled newspaper balls uncovered. Set the volcano aside to dry for at least 12 hours.
9. Paint the dried volcano model using craft paint. You can choose the colors you wish, such as brown or gray for the volcano and greens or blues for the surrounding area. Add streaks of black or white onto the volcano to simulate the crags and crevices. Allow the paint to dry.
10. Mix one fourth of a cup of vinegar with two drops of red food coloring and pour it into the center of the volcano. Add one teaspoon of baking soda to the mixture to create an eruption that will run down the sides of your model.
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