Moon Sand

Moon Sand is sand that feels like regular sand, molds like dough, yet never dries out. Use it again and again. The sand can be squished, carved, molded, or sculpted into any shape. Once a sculpture is created, just bake the sand and it will keep its shape forever. When you tire of the masterpiece, warm it and it can be crumbled back to sand. The sand never hardens and never dries out. Have your students design their own experiments. Is Moon Sand hydrophilic, or hydrophobic? Sold by the pound.

Download the pdf of this lesson!

Originally designed as a product that acts like wet beach sand without the mess, Moon Sand™ has many unique properties. You can squish it, shape it, and mold it in shallow containers. It never dries out so it can be used over and over.

Classroom Ideas

1. Provide students with a small sample (same color) of each of the following:
   Moon Sand™ - MON-200 (red) or MON-210 (blue)
   Magic Sand™ - MS-2RED or MS-2BLU
   Red or Blue Dyed Sand (available from a tropical fish store)

   Ask students to write descriptions that would allow another person to identify each of the three samples.

2. There are many recipes that suggest you can make your own moon sand. Try the following recipe and see how your homemade 'moon sand' compares to the commercial Moon Sand™.
   1. To 1 cup of cornstarch add ½ cup of cold water.
   2. Mix thoroughly together for several minutes until it is of a smooth consistency.
   3. Use your fingers to gradually mix in 2 cups of sand, a small amount at a time.
   4. Compare your 'moon sand' with the commercial Moon Sand™.
   5. When done, keep it in a sealed container.
   6. Optional coloring: food coloring or powdered KoolAid

3. Many Internet sites suggest that commercial Moon Sand™ contains cornstarch. This can be tested with tincture of iodine (available from CVS). In one test tube shake a small amount of cornstarch with water and in another test tube shake a small amount of Moon Sand™ with water. Add a drop of tincture of iodine to each test tube. What do you observe? Tincture of iodine is a good test for the presence of starch. Try testing crackers, flour, paper, and other items that you think might contain starch.

   Explanation
   Invented in Sweden, Moon Sand™ became one of the most popular arts and crafts products in 2007, winning many awards. By choosing to not patent the process for making Moon Sand™, the manufacturers have avoided revealing its composition. The ingredients remain proprietary. However, they state that it conforms to European and American safety standards EN71 and ASTM D4236. It does NOT contain: wheat, gluten, milk, egg, casein, or peanut ingredients.

Product Rating:     Date Posted: 2012-05-16 07:26:03

Exactly as expected

Posted By: Larisa

Location: St Paul, MN United States

Comments: Good quality, fun color, exactly as described

Product Rating:     Date Posted: 2012-05-21 16:16:53

GREAT STUFF

Posted By: Laura Koselak

Location: Colorado Springs, CO United States

Comments: See the lesson plan ideas to help you use this in your classroom! We gave this away at our nano workshop, very popular!