2007 Teen Summer Reading Program
YNK – You Never Know Your Library
Jar of Dirt
    

Materials Needed:

Sand – Fine and light color
Food Coloring – liquid
Water
Aluminum Pie Pan for each color
Plastic Utensil to stir sand
Clear Glass or Plastic Jar or Bottle with lid
Rocks small enough to fit in glass jar
Decorations for inside jar – Marbles, Glitter, Buttons, Jewelry, ect
Thin stick long enough to reach the bottom of the jar

Instructions:

Pour enough sand into a pie pan to fill it half full. Cover the sand with water and put in enough food coloring to make the water the color of the sand that you want. Using a plastic utensil stir until the food coloring was completely covered the sand. Let the sand dry completely and stir it ever so often to keep the color blended in. The sand will be a lighter color after it is dry than one it was first wet. Repeat this step for every color of sand needed.
Make sure that the glass jar and lid are clean and completely dry. Add the rocks to the bottom of the jar so that it will take less sand. The rocks are optional if you do not want to turn the jar after it is completed and there is enough sand. Also plain colored sand can be placed in the bottom to stretch the colored sand. Add the colored sand in the design of choice along with the other decorations. If the jar is turned after the colored sand is in there is a chance that the colors will combine and make a purplish black color. If the jar is going to be turned to see the different patterns make sure to have decorations that will not break up against the rocks. Make patterns with the plastic stick and put the cap on the jar.