Grade: PreK-4
The shaving cream represents clouds and the food coloring
represents precipitation. In the water cycle, the water droplets within a cloud
continue to grow until they become heavy and fall through the clouds to the
Earth. The same thing is happening in
the experiment. The food coloring becomes
heavy as it saturates the shaving cream.
The molecules in the cold water are moving slowly, so it takes longer
for the food coloring to spread throughout the water. The food coloring may appear as streams.
Aquatic Wildlife and Pollution
Grades: 1 – 3
Students will be put into groups of two or three and their
mission will be to locate items that would be dangerous to aquatic wildlife,
concentrating closely on plastics. After five minutes the students will move
indoors and dump out their garbage. By sorting through the piles, we can
measure the information in a chart showing how much of each item was found and
compare that to their predictions.
Grow
a Green Flower
Grades: PreK-4
Take white carnations and place them in water with green
food coloring added. Each day have the kids draw a picture of what they see or
write about what they see. For older kids, you can explain the science behind
this. Over a couple of days the children will see how the carnation turns
green. Great St. Patrick’s Day idea!
Tree
Rings
Grades: K-4
This is a good way to introduce the students to three parts
of a tree and how they function. Extensions can be easily added such as studying
the tree rings for evidence of disease, fire, and other detrimental effects on
a tree. The students get real hands on experience by going outdoors and
evaluating a cut down tree.
Mixing soap with water and pepper
Grades: K-4
Students will think it’s magic. By filling the bowl with water and sprinkling
pepper above the water, students will dip the tip of the toothpick in liquid
soap and then place it in water. What happens next is MAGIC!
All the fish in the sea
Grades: K-2
This activity requires space for movement. Make sure to set
up boundaries, including a start and a finish spot .As a group, discuss
different animals in the ocean and how they travel all over it as well as
create three equal size groups. When an animal group is called, they cross the
ocean. But the children must listen for how that animal is to cross the
ocean. (Example: All of my octopus can
hop across the ocean.) If you call out “All the fish in the sea”, everyone
needs to cross at the same time. Lastly, explain how there are other living
things in the ocean such as plants. You (the teacher) have become _________.
(Examples: seaweed, amoebas, coral, etc.) When they cross the ocean, they have
to be careful not to get caught by / get stuck in your plant. If a student does
get caught then they turn into a plant as well and help to catch other animals.
When playing the part of the plant, it is important to remember that plants do
not move. They can turn around and wave their arms, but they stay in one spot.
Grades: 2- 3
The student will learn the different changes in the water
cycle, by interacting with hand movements, combined with singing. You will
explain to the children how the water cycle works, what benefits come from it
and they will write down the rhyme song on the board. Incorporating hand
movements and introducing the first two lines until the children want to
proceed on writing more. Interact by dividing half of the class to shake the
eggs when rain is falling and the other half of the class will play the mini
drums when it is cloudy and when there’s thunders.
Monarch Butterflies
Grades: 1-2
After reading the story and looking at the cards, I will
work with small groups of children to see if they can correctly sequence the
life cycle of the Monarch caterpillar to the butterfly. They can do this by
putting the cards in order, drawing sequential pictures, or telling me the
steps orally. When we are done, we will get back together as a class, and check
ourselves by looking at the book or the life cycle cards. We will also check
the book to see if all types of caterpillars go through the same stages as the
Monarch.
Children can learn about Neil Armstrong and how he was the first person to land on the moon! There is a great book out titled One Giant Leap. Children can trace their footsteps on a piece of paper and each student can write one good thing that they want for the world. The feet can be placed around the school. Doing one good thing can help the community and people around us.
How do you think snow melts? What happens when it melts? Explain that when snow melts, the density (how much space it fills) changes. The students will see how this is done by dissolving powdered sugar. Direct a student to fill a measuring cup with powered sugar, making sure that the sugar is not packed into the cup. Level the top with the handle of the spoon. Is the cup full of sugar? Direct a student to pour 1 teaspoon of milk into the center of the cup of sugar. What is happening to the powdered sugar? The children will be able to experience with this snow melting fun!
Comments
Post a Comment