Seasonal experiment # 1

Here is the first of a series of seasonal experiments.  As you are cleaning up your turkey, save one of the smaller bones for your scientist. Have your scientist  put the bone in a bowl of vinegar and then leave it alone for several days.
     What you will see is a layer of foam on the top of the vinegar after a few days.  What this foam is, is the results of the reaction between the vinegar and the calcium from the bones.  When you lift the bone up, you will find it soft and bendable.  This has happened because the acid in the vinegar has dissolved the calcium in the bones.  If you are careful you can actually tie the bone in a knot.
Extension:
   Have your scientist look around the kitchen for other things that have calcium in it.  Try putting them into the vinegar it see what will have.   After having completed the experiment you can discuss how our bones also have calcium in them and therefore, we need to be sure to eat lots of calcium rich foods so that our bones, and teeth stay strong.