Make-A-Mole
Student Activity Kit
Materials Included In Kit
Eyes, 15 mm, 60 Felt, black, 9" x 12", 2 pieces Felt, brown, 9" x 12", 2 pieces Fiberfill stuffing, 24 oz bag (enough for 30 moles)
Mole pattern master Pom poms, ½", black, 32 (for noses) Yarn, 8 yards (for tails)
Additional Materials Required
Fabric or felt (for body and feet), various colors and textures as desired Glue (fabric or Elmer’s school) Needle and thread (or sewing machine)
Pins Scissors
Prelab Preparation
- Copy enough mole patterns from the master so each student has a copy.
- Cut the yarn into 6-inch pieces to be used for the tails.
- Distribute to each student—two eyes, one pom pom nose, one 6-inch black yarn tail, one mole pattern and enough fiberfill stuffing to fill a mole (~20 g).
Teacher Tips
Any fabric can be used, but the best fabrics for stuffed animals are soft, stretchy fabrics, such as sweatshirt fleece, velour, felt or cotton knits. Obtain fabric to personalize your mole, if desired.
Mole Pattern Tips
- Enough eyes, noses, tails and stuffing are provided in this kit for 30 students working individually to each make his/her own mole. Students provide their own fabric or felt in a variety of colors and textures.
- Enough felt is provided in the kit for the teacher to make a demonstration (sample) mole. The kit contains two pieces each of black and brown felt—this can be used for the demonstration mole and/or for claws for student moles. Students can use any fabrics, but the best fabrics for stuffed animals are soft, stretchy fabrics such as sweatshirt fleece, velour, felt, or cotton knits. Have students bring in their own fabric or felt from home. Encourage creativity as students personalize their moles. Some ideas for mole designs are provided.
- A half yard of fabric is enough for 10 moles, so 1½ yards will make 30 moles. You may wish to supply fabric, needles and thread, and pins, and make this an in-class activity. Or you may distribute eyes, noses, tails, patterns and stuffing and have students make their moles at home.
- The mole pattern supplied makes a mole of about 20 centimeters in length. Moles can be scaled down or scaled up. To make a “Mini Mole,” reduce the size of the pattern on the copy machine. To make a “Mega Mole,” cut out the pieces from the mole pattern. Center each piece separately on a copier and enlarge (up to 200%). Mega Moles may need larger eyes—large buttons work well.
- The Weird Science Group makes a detachable (2-piece) mole so that they can make and explain 0.5 molar solutions (see below). To make a 2-piece mole, make the mole as described in the student procedure, except when sewing the mole, sew the three big pieces completely together (right side in), without leaving a section (A to B) not sewed. Use scissors to cut the mole in half, so there is a front “head” piece and a back “tail” piece. Cut two petal-shaped pieces of fabric to fit the open cavities (see Figure A). Sew a petal-shaped piece of fabric into the body cavity on each side, leaving a gap through which you can invert the mole to get the seams inside. Stuff and hand-stitch each side of the mole, and use Velcro® to attach the two detachable parts.
{11976_Tips_Figure_A_Optional detachable mole piece}
Teaching Tips (as shared by DeWayne Lieneman)
- When the mole concept and mole calculations are first introduced, large and small moles can serve as “mascots” for the chemistry class. The large mole can rest on top of the safety goggle cabinet to oversee the class. Students have been known to request the right to punch the mole after a frustrating exam on moles, or to kidnap moles and hold them for ransom.
- Give extra credit for students who make a mole—out of class time.
- Have a mole contest and give out mole certificates for the winners. Vote on various categories—most original mole, best sewn mole, funniest-looking mole, best-named mole, etc. Come up with your own categories!
- The small whole moles and splitable moles are useful when teaching molarity. A 1-liter beaker is used and a small whole mole is added to the beaker. The “solution” is now 1 molar and unsaturated. Add a second small whole mole and the solution becomes 2 molar and close to saturation. As a splitable mole is split and the front half is added to the beaker, the solution becomes a 2.5-molar solution and now saturated. Groans are normally heard throughout the room as it is noted that “mole-asses” are left. Have fun with your moles!
Suggestions for Mole Designs
- Following are some creative ideas for mole designs (as shared by teachers and their students). Feel free to share these ideas with your students. Or have your students come up with their own original ideas!
Avogadro Mole, Baby Mole, Beach Mole, Bears Mole (or favorite football team), Bride Mole, Cheerleader Mole, Chemist Mole, Christmas Mole, Cubs Mole (or favorite baseball team), Dancer Mole, Eski Mole, Holy Mole-y, Kitty Mole, Madonna Mole, Mega Mole, Michael Jordan Mole, Mickey Mole, Minnie Mole, Mole-a Lisa, Mole-y Cow, North Mole/South Mole, Pillsbury Mole Boy, Roadkill Mole, Santa Claws Mole, Snoopy Mole, Spider Mole, Super Mole, Teacher Mole
References
Special thanks to DeWayne Lieneman of the Weird Science Group, retired chemistry teacher, Glenbard South High School, Glen Ellyn, IL, for sharing the mole idea with Flinn.
Mattson, B.; Kubovy, M. A.; Hepburn, J.; Lannan, J. Chemistry Demonstration Aids That You Can Build; Flinn Scientific: Batavia, IL, 1997; pp 17, 87–88.
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