One Goal Conference Presentation July 22, 2015 Beth R. Davis, Ed.S, NBCT handsonmindsoneducation.com bethdavis@kidsforkidsacademy.com
Infusing Science & Math Throughout Daily Routine Each day children have the opportunity to visit and play/learn in their science and discovery centers, where there are numerous activities and materials to observe and explore. Discovery areas contain: microscopes, hand lenses, rock and shell samples, sensory tables, magnets, insects (both real and plastic), x-rays, and additional items that are rotated in and out of the center. There are science related books in class libraries, discovery areas, and in the school library based on various science themes. The garden is visited often each week. Each class has their own crop to plant, water, observe, and harvest. Cooking Activities are scheduled weekly. Science Experiments are aligned with themes that are taught in a lab setting.
Science goals are accomplished by practicing what scientists do: Observing objects, events, and people Asking questions Finding words to describe observations and to communicate ideas Exploring and investigating to try to answer questions Using science tools to observe and measure Recording observations using simple drawings and basic charts
Science Lab Video
Activity 1: Tools Scientist Use-The Pipette or Dropper The Discussion: A Dropper: Droppers are used to measure and pick up small amounts of liquids. When you need to take a little bit of medicine, you can use a dropper to get just the right amount. Using A Dropper: Step 1: Squeeze the bulb (end of the dropper). This pushes the air out of the dropper. Step 2: With the bulb squeezed, place the other end of the dropper in the water. Step 3: With the end in the water, let go of the bulb so that it is no longer squeezed. Step 4: Air pressure from the room will push the water into the dropper. Step 5: Remove the dropper from the water, squeeze the bulb to let the water
Activity 2: Surface Tension Water is made up of tiny molecules. Each one is like a little magnet. At the edges of each drop of water, the molecules line up like little mini magnets, attaching to each other. They form a kind of skin on the top of the drop of the water holding the rest of the water in. The skin is called surface tension. When there is too much water on the skin, the surface tension breaks and the water will overflow. Problem Statement: How many drops of water will the head of a penny hold? Hypothesis: How many drops do you predict the penny will hold?
Procedure: Step 1: Place a penny head side up on a paper towel. Step 2: Fill a dropper with water. Step 3: Drop the water one drop at time on the penny. Step 4: Count how many drops the penny holds. Step 5: When the surface tension breaks, record how many drops the penny held on the data table. Graph your results. Step 6: Repeat the experiment for the other coins. Coin Number of drops Number of drops rounded to the nearest 10 Penny Nickel Dime Quarter
Activity 3: Mixing Colors In this activity you will mix primary colors to create secondary colors. Step 1: Each person should fill their dropper with red and place it in an empty space in your flower tray (you can also use egg cartons). Step 2: Next add a dropper of yellow to the red. Notice what new color is created. Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 using red and blue Step 4: Repeat steps 1 and 2 using blue and yellow.
Color extensions: Using a paper towel and magic markers, write the color combinations and use a dropper to drop the corresponding colors in the holes. Watch the colors combine.
Color extension: Absorbsion Place the ends of a paper towel in to difference containers of water and when they absorb, a new color will be formed.
Color extensions: Art Cut shapes out of paper towels and use the dropper to decorate the shapes with the colored water.
Color Extensions: Sensory For a sensory experience, place a spoon of two different color tempera paint in zip lock bags. Seal the bag and have the children squish and squeeze the color in the bag until they change. Hang the bags in the window.
Temperature These children have snow made in their hands and have a chance to explore how it feels. Mix calcium chloride (Damp Rid) with water and let children feel how hot it gets. Seal in a container with a metal lid. Then compare it to something cold.
Activity 4: Temperature and Snow YOU WILL NEED: small container with water and Calcium Chloride, 1 spoon of Insta Snow, water, catch basin 1. Pass around container with water and Calcium Chloride and feel the temperature. 2. Cup two hands together tightly over the catch basin 3. Have your partner pour one serving of Insta Snow in your hand. 4. Have your partner pour water into your hands. 5. When snow forms dump into the catch basin
Density and Matter Mass, volume, and density are all properties of matter. In this experiment, students pour red corn syrup, blue water, and yellow vegetable oil and are amazed when they sit at different levels. Corn syrup (most dense) sinks to the bottom. Oil (least dense) floats on top.
Density and Matter The Concepts: Students will learn that different liquids are denser (heavier) than others. Each child will be given a portion cup with blue water, yellow vegetable oil, and corn syrup colored red. Each child will pour their water in a large glass container. Next, they will pour the oil and watch as the oil floats on top of the water because the water is denser. Finally, they will pour in the red corn syrup and watch as the oil and water float on top of the corn syrup. Students will reexamine the words sinking and floating as well as heavier and lighter. Elementary kids learn that mass, volume, and density are all properties of matter. In easy terms, mass is how much something weighs, volume is how much space it takes up, and density is how much of matter is packed into a given space. A liquid that is very dense will seem to be heavier and sink to the bottom where something that is less dense will float to the top. You can use different liquids to demonstrate the concept of density. In this activity, children will predict, pour, analyze, follow directions, use positional words top, middle, and bottom, and discuss colors.
The Set Up: For this activity you will need water colored with blue food coloring or liquid watercolor (Put a few drops into a water bottle and shake. It also makes it easier to pour from water bottles.), vegetable oil, corn syrup (Turn red with food coloring. Since it is very dense, you will need to turn the bottle back and forth many times.). Set up the following items on a tray for each child: Three 2 oz. Dixie cups (or portion cups), one with blue water, one with yellow vegetable oil, and one with red corn syrup. (For easy cleanup, put a paper towel on the tray). Each tray will also need an empty, clear 8 oz. plastic cup. You will also need a cup with water and some things to drop in to demonstrate sinking and floating.
The Discussion: Review the principles of sinking and floating and demonstrate how items sink or float by dropping items in your demonstration cup of water. Then discuss that everything is made of matter. Go around the room and name things: blocks, paper, crayons, toys, even the children are matter. All matter has weight and takes up space. You can demonstrate this by picking up a block. Discuss that it takes up space, and if you drop it, the weight is has will cause it to fall. Liquids are also matter. Show your demonstration cup and discuss that the water takes up space in the cup. Pass around an empty cup and then the one with the water so the children can feel the difference in weight. Show the cups with the 3 different color liquids and ask the children to tell you the colors of each. Discuss that the liquids each have a different amount of matter packed inside them and that one of them will be very dense and sink to the bottom when poured together, while one will be less dense and float to the top.
The Exploration: Tell each child to place their empty cup on the tray in front of them. Instruct them to pick up the yellow liquid (the oil) first and pour it into their clear empty cup. Next, have them pour the blue water into the cup with the oil. Like magic, the oil is on top of the blue water. Remind students of the concepts of sinking and floating and ask them if the water is floating on the top or did it sink to the bottom? Students should respond that it sank to the bottom. The water sank because it is more dense than the oil. The oil is lighter (or less dense), therefore, it floats on top of the water. Next instruct students to pour the red corn syrup into the cup with the oil and the water. The children will be amazed to see that the red corn syrup will sink below the water. Discuss what happened using the words sink and float. Discuss that the corn syrup is more dense (or heavier ) so it sunk to the bottom. Have the children look at their clear cups and ask them which liquid is on top, on the bottom, and in the middle. You can pour all of the student cups into one two liter bottle or large water bottle. Once the lid is on tight, you can turn the bottle and watch as the liquids will combine, but always separate. Try this again using other liquids and discuss the results.
Activity 5: Density YOU WILL NEED FOR EACH CHILD: an empty clear plastic cup or container (you can also use a test tube), a small cup of vegetable oil, a small cup of water colored blue, a small cup of corn syrup colored red. 1. Pour the yellow vegetable oil into the plastic container. 2. Pour the blue water into the container on top of the vegetable oil and observe what happens.
3. Pour the red colored corn syrup into the container and observe what happens.
Which liquid floated to the top? Which liquid sank to the bottom? 4. Use words like sink and float to describe the results.
Our Senses: Sound Sound: Using A Tuning Fork Sound travels in the form of vibrations or waves. A vibration is a repeated back and forth motion. Vibrating objects make the air around it vibrate. These sound vibrations pass through the air to our ears, strike our eardrum and cause them to vibrate. Bones in the middle ear transfer the vibrations of the eardrum to the fluid filled inner ear. The movement of the fluid in the inner ear causes hairlike nerve receptors in the inner ear to move. These receptor carry the message to the brain and the brain perceives these signals as sound. Although sound can travel through all different types of material, it travels better through some than others.
Activity 6: Sound YOU WILL NEED FOR EACH PAIR OF STUDENTS: 1 tuning fork, a piece of paper, and a container of water Step 1: Strike the tuning fork and place it close to your ear to hear the vibration Step 2: Strike the tuning fork and touch the ends to feel the vibration
Step 3: Strike the tuning fork and gently touch the end to a piece of paper to hear and see the vibration Step 4: Strike the tuning fork and touch the very tip gently to the water in the container and see the water jump from the vibration.
Parts Of A Seed Seeds are alike in many ways. They develop in the ovary of a plant and contain a little plant called an embryo. Seeds are covered by a thin outer coating called a seed coat. The seed coat protects the seed. The tiny seed has its own food until it is able to make its own food in its leaves. The food storage of a seed is called the cotyledon. Seeds are different sizes and shapes. A corn seed is a monocotyledon and has a tiny embryo inside, but since it has only one cotyledon, it cannot be split in half. A bean seed is a dicotyledon meaning it has two cotyledons and can be split in half. The embryo is between the two cotyledons.
A popcorn kernel is a monocotyledon: It has one cotyledon Seed coat endosperm stem leaf embryo cotyledon (food source) root system
A lima bean is a dicotyledon: It has two cotyledons leaf stem root embryo cotyledon (food source) seed coat endosperm
In this activity, you will have a chance to compare a dry and soaked bean seed. One lima bean has been soaked overnight. The other one is a dry seed that has not been soaked. Materials (per person): one soaked seed, one dry seed, a hand lens, a ruler or tape measure Procedure: 1. Lay out the soaked seed and the dry seed next to each other. Write down or discuss five observations of each seed. 2. Carefully remove the seed coat. 3. Split the seed in two parts. 4. Look for the embryo in the middle. It may break off or fall out. 5. Draw the two cotyledons and the embryo. Write about it: Pretend you found a bag of magic beans. Explain what happened after you planted the beans.
Seeds are planted Roots sprout Seeds are dispersed Leaves form Flowers form
Activity 7: Parts of a seed In this activity, you will have a chance to compare a dry and soaked bean seed. One lima bean has been soaked overnight. The other one is a dry seed that has not been soaked. Materials (per person): one soaked seed, one dry seed, a hand lens, a ruler or tape measure Procedure: Step 1: Lay out the soaked seed and the dry seed next to each other. Write down or discuss five observations of each seed. Step 2: Carefully remove the seed coat. Step 3: Split the seed in two parts. Step 4: Use your hand lens to look for the embryo in the middle. It may break off or fall out. If you don t see the new baby leaf, split open another one. Step 5: (extension for students) Draw the two cotyledons and the embryo.
Garden Studies Count the number of yellow flowers on your tomato plant. Those yellow flowers will fall off and tomatoes will appear. Count the number of green tomatoes on your plant. Count the number of red tomatoes on your plant. Use Popsicle sticks to measure the height of your plant. Count the number of green peppers in the garden. Count the number of red peppers in the garden. Count how many heads of cabbage are in the bed. Use paper clips to measure across the cabbage. Count the number of broccoli in each bed. Count the number of cauliflower in each bed. Measure the length of a bean pod. Measure the distance around the purple eggplant. Draw the vegetables in the garden. Use snapping cubes to measure the height of the cabbage plant.
Bean seeds are transplanted to the garden after sprouting. Beans are planted in a cup. Once grown, the bean length is measured.
Students observe and draw broccoli plants that have gone to seed. Hands On Broccoli
Tomatoes picked are counted. Planting tomato seedlings in the bed. Red tomatoes are counted and data is recorded on a post it note & transferred to field study book. Tomatoes are tasted and taken home. Students use blocks as a nonstandard measure to balance the scale and weigh their tomatoes.
Popsicle sticks are used as a nonstandard measure to measure plant heights. Paperclips are used as a non-standard measure to measure across the cabbage heads. Paperclips are used as a non-standard measure to measure the length of the peppers.
Students draw the plants they see in the garden. Touching Tomatoes Counting cabbage leaves
Watering plants during daily observations. Red and green peppers are identified and counted separately.
We found that children who grow vegetables, learn to eat more vegetables. Children here are packing produce donated by Farmshare, a local food recovery program.
Adaptations for Older Children Use words like diameter when measuring across vegetables. Use words like mass when discussing how much something weighs. Use the word average when figuring out the average size of vegetables.
The Use of Graphing and Data Interpretation Pre K Grade 4
How To Use Graphing Cards Go to http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/browse/search:beth+davis. Download and print graphic cards in color on cardstock. Purchase trading card plastic sheet protectors and put them in a binder. Cut apart cards and store each topic in one square of trading card sheet protector. Give each child a square with either their name or their photo (photos work best, type or write their name under the photo). Choose one topic and remove those cards from the sheet protector. Place the cards in a graphing pocket chart. Discuss the choices and have each child vote for their choice by placing their photo or name card in the column that corresponds with their choice. Count how many responses each choice received. Discuss how many more one choice got when compared to others. GRAPH OFTEN! This will increase math and reading skills!
Let s Graph Activity 8
Humans Life Cycles The concept is easy to present with small children. They begin life in their mommy s belly and are born to a baby unable to walk. As they grow, they learn to walk and talk and eventually will grow to be an adult.
Butterfly lays an egg Caterpillar hatches After two weeks a butterfly emerges Caterpillar grows by eating leaves Caterpillar attaches to a plant, forms an outer shell, pupa
Female frog lays hundreds of eggs A tadpole hatches, like a fish it breathes through gills The tadpole s tail disappears, it s a frog. Tadpole begins to grow hind legs Tadpole grows front legs. The gills disappear and it breathes with its lungs
Life Cycles After teaching children about the stages of development for frogs, students have a chance to get a closer look. Tadpoles in a test tube for observation. Two students trying to catch tadpoles for observation. Student using a hand lens to view a tadpole. Student cupping her hand to pick up a tadpole.
After learning about life cycles, children pick up tadpoles and get a closer look at their attributes.
Exploring Tadpoles You will need a container of tadpoles, a hand lens, and a clear cup. Step 1: Sanitize your hands Step 2: Use your cupped hands or a cup to scoop up some tadpoles. Step 3: Use a hand lens to get a closer look. Return the tadpole to the water and get another one. Observe the legs, tail, and other body parts. Step 4: Sanitize your hands.
After learning about the life cycle of beetles, students explore mealworms. Student using tweezers to gently pick up mealworms out of a container of oatmeal.
Exploring Mealworms Students using magnified bug viewers and hand lenses to look at mealworms.
Life Cycle of a Mealworm
Activity 9: Exploring Mealworms You will need a container mealworms in oatmeal and a hand lens. Step 1: Sanitize your hands Step 2: Use the hand lens to get a closer look at the mealworm. Count the legs. Step 3: Hold the mealworm and observe how it moves. Step 4: Sanitize your hands.
TABLE GROUPS Activity 10. Activity 11. Activity 12. Activity 13. Activity 14. Activity 15. Paleontologist Funnels and Water Exploration Magnetism Using A Hand Lens Sorting and Classifying Reflection
Table Activity 10: Be A Paleontologists Students learn about the role of a paleontologist. They extract dinosaurs from GAK. Step 1: Extract dinos from GAK Step 2: Flip over your tray and sort, count, and match them to photos of the dinosaurs on discovery trays. Step 3: Flatten GAK and press dinos in. Fold to make a dinosaur burrito.
Table Activity 11: Funnels & Test Tubes Sometimes we want to pour something into a container with a small opening. A funnel makes it easier to pour liquids into small spaces. We can use a funnel to help us do so without spilling the liquids we are pouring. A scientist uses test tubes to study liquids. Test tubes are slender containers that hold liquid. To use a funnel, simply place the small end of the funnel into the test tube or container you wish to fill. Then pour the water into the big opening of the funnel and the water will flow into the container.
The Activity: Give each child a test tube rack and instruct them to place it inside a plastic container to be used as a catch basin. I got these donated from a local grocery store from the produce department. Each child will also need another container filled with water and a small cup. I use colored water to make it more interesting. Demonstrate by putting the funnel into the first test tube in the rack.
Table Activity 11: Funnels & Test Tubes Step 1: Place the test tube rack in the catch basin. Place a funnel in the first test tube. Step 2: Scoop up water in a cup and pour in the first test tube. When full, move the funnel to the next test tube. Repeat until all 4 test tubes are full. Step 3: Empty the test tubes and transfer the water from the catch basin back into the water container.
Table Activity 12: Exploring Magnetism Students test various items to see if they are attracted to a magnet. Items are sorted into bowls to identify them as magnetic or non-magnetic. Older children graph their data.
Set Up: Each child will need a tray with various items that are metals and nonmetals. By using a tray (can be a recycled Styrofoam tray for a grocery store) you create personal space and boundaries for each child. Look around your classroom, find various items that can be tested to see if they are magnetic or not.just about anything will do. Be sure to get items made of different things like wood, plastic, metal, etc. Put all items on the tray. Have one empty unmarked bowl, this will be the I don t know bowl. Mark the other bowls with the words No and Yes. Each child will also need a wand magnet. Magnetic marbles are optional, but a whole lot of fun.
The Discussion: Tell children that a magnet attracts (brings near) things that are made of certain metals. Items that are not magnetic will not stick to the magnet. Point out that they will have one bowl with different items and two empty bowls. Explain that the bowl marked N O spells no. Ask what sound the letter makes. Repeat for the word yes. Tell children that they will test items to see if they will stick to or be attracted to a magnet. If the item is attracted, it will go in the YES bowl. If not, it will be placed in the NO bowl.
The Exploration: Pass out a tray with the three bowls and a magnet to each child. Have the children keep their hands under the table or else the inclination is to touch everything on the tray. Go over the three bowls and review the words YES and NO. Have them pick up the magnet wand in one hand and demonstrate the first item. Pick up something made of rubber (rubber stopper, eraser, rubber band, etc.) and place it in the I don t know bowl. Touch your magnet to the item and ask the children if it stuck to the magnet. Direct students to move the item from the I don t know bowl to the NO bowl. Next choose an item that will be attracted like a metal washer or paperclip. Ask the children to pick up the item and place it in the I don t know bowl and then touch their magnet wand to the item. Ask them if the item stuck to the magnet. When they say Yes have them pick up the item and put it in the Yes bowl. Continue to let the children test the items one at a time. Make predictions or guesses before testing the items. Child testing the item Item is, moved from I don t know bowl to yes bowl.
Table Activity 12: Exploring Magnetism Step 1: Pick up an item from the tray and place it in the I don t know bowl. Step 2: Use the magnet to try and pick up the item. If the item sticks to the magnet, remove it from the magnet and place it in the yes bowl. If it does not stick, place it in the no bowl. Step 3: Count how many items were in each bowl. Remove the items from the bowls and place them back on the tray for the next person.
Table Activity 13: Hand Lens Place several small items on a plate or on a tray. Call out each item one at a time and have the child pick up the items one at a time and look at them using the magnifier. Discuss whether the magnifier makes each item bigger or smaller. After looking at several items (be sure to use some with tiny print like stamps or pennies with older children), give each child items like rocks, shells, tree trunk pieces and other nature items and give them a chance to take a closer look at each item. Also encourage the children to get a closer look that their hand. Have them explain what looks different about their hand when viewing it with the hands lens vs without.
Classification Systems Scientists use classification systems to make it easier to study branches of science. By dividing objects into groups, scientists become experts in their fields. An attribute is a characteristic used to group things.
Scientists classify things into groups so that it is easier for them to observe what they are studying. Zoologists are scientists who know a lot about animals. Botanists know a lot about plants, and marine biologists know a lot about marine life. They are experts in their fields. Things are classified by how they are alike or different. An attribute is a way of describing something. It can be how it looks, the size, shape, color, how it feels, or other characteristics.
Sorting Plastic Lids Child with her tray of green lids. Children sort lids from the large container. Each child collects one color. Children getting ready to line up lids to make their graphs. Children lining up lids to be counted.
Children compare their height to the length of the lids and compare which is taller.
Junk Boxes and other things to classify Buttons Beads Bread tags Lids Keys Hardware Plastic pieces Shapes Stamps Luggage tags Hose & cable fittings Gift cards Barrettes What else can you classify
Table Activity 14: Sorting & Classifying Step 1: Choose an item to sort and place it in the center of your sorting mat. If you need to sort into more than 4 groups, use the back of the sorting mat. Step 2: Sort the item into groups by their characteristics. Step 3: Place the items back in the container. Choose at least 2 other containers to sort.
Table Activity 15: Reflection Begin by placing a shape on the orange dot. As you push the shape toward the square, observe how many shapes are in the mirror
Light and Reflection Shine the light through the shape and see the light reflected. Try holding on shape on top of another. Shine the light in the mirror and see the light reflected onto your clothing.
Changes in Matter Physical Change: Changing the physical properties of matter; size, shape or color. Paper example Crumple, rip, or draw on paper and it is still paper. All that has changed is the physical property. Paper is still paper.
Chemical Changes in Matter When new matter is produced a chemical change takes place. Paper example: When you burn the paper, ashes are product. The ashes are new matter. You can t get the paper back.
Chemical Change When a chemical change takes place, matter is changed from one thing to another. When a chemical change takes place, you can t get the original items back. Example: When ingredients are mixed to make a cake, after it is baked, you can t get the eggs out. By mixing ingredients to bake a cake, after baking, new matter is produced. These children mix flour, water, salt, and oil to make Playdough.
Rocket Video
Activity 16: Alka Selter Rockets Chemical Changes in Matter Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Basic rocket design with recycled lid taped to toilet paper tube Film container half full of water, student ready to drop in ½ Alka Seltzer tablet After lid is snapped on QUICKLY turn over the film canister Place rocket on top of film container with the lid, step back and begin counting.
Changing states of matter: Soap Experiment You will need a container or water, a plastic container, and a bar of Dove soap. Test to see if the soap sinks or floats. This will also get the bar of soap wet Place the wet bar of soap in the microwave and heat for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Have children explore the mass of soap. Give it a minute to cool first Children explore the soap until it becomes dust!
Sinking and Floating Students practice dumping and pouring water then test items to see which sink and float to learn about buoyancy.
The Set Up: Each child should have their own set of materials which include a plastic container filled with blue water (color is added for the extra wow factor; after all, how boring is it to have plain water!), a small and large cup or discovery tube, two empty bowls labeled "sink" and "float", cork, metal items like large washers, marbles, wood blocks, plastic Legos, rubber balls and any other items that will sink or float. Also give each child two small bowls, one labeled sink and one labeled float.
The Discussion: Begin by asking the children if they know some things that water is used for. Some answers may include drinking, swimming, taking a bath, rain is water. Some may say there is water in the ocean. If these things are not discussed, find a way to bring them into the conversation. Discuss the importance of knowing that they should never go into a pool or body of water alone. Continue the discussion by asking them if they know how to float on top of the water. Explain that the word float means to stay on top of the water. Something that floats stays on top of the water. Ask if any of the children have ever floated in the pool. Next discuss that sinking is the opposite of floating. Something that sinks, fall to the bottom of a container of water.
The Activity: Instruct the children to put their hands in the water and ask them how it feels (wet, cold). Give them an opportunity to explore the water with their hands. Then demonstrate how to scoop up water in the small cup and then pour into the larger cup or discovery tube. Give them a few minutes to scoop up water and dump it into the larger cup or discovery tube. Encourage them to fill the larger cup or tube and let the water overflow. Older children can count how many cups it will take before the larger container overflows. After exploring the water, have them empty both cups and place a cork in the bottom of the larger cup or discovery tube. Next, demonstrate how to fill the cup or discovery tube again, this time watching as the cork floats on top of the water until the cup or tube overflows and the cork falls into the basin.
To continue the activity, pick up the metal washer from your tray and say the following. "I am holding a metal washer. Can you tell me what shape it is? (round). What do you think will happen if I drop it in the water? Allow children time to make predictions. Count the number of children who predict it will sink and those who predict it will float. Have the children watch what happens when the washer is dropped in the container of water. Ask if it sank to the bottom of the water or floated on top of it? Continue to review that something that sinks will fall to the bottom and something that floats will stay on the top.
Sinking and Floating Step 1: Place all items on the tray. Step 2: Pick up one item at a time and place it in the water. Step 3: If the item sank, place it in the bowl marked sink. If it floated, place it in the bowl marked float. Count up how many items were in each bowl. Step 4: Remove all items from the water and place back on the tray for the next person.
ENCOURAGE RECYCLING! Parents donated their Christmas trees and they were cut into tree blocks. In all, 140 trees were recycled and every class got a container of tree blocks. Students freely explore tree blocks.
Tree Trunk Exploration Students use a hand lens to see the rings. They also smell the pine scent. Blocks are lined up in size order and are counted. Students use a tape measure to find the diameter in centimeters. On their own, they measured the height of their tree towers!
Free Exploration at learning centers gives children a chance to think critically Cable fittings placed in a box are ideal for building. Miscellaneous nuts and bolts provide opportunities for construction.
Magnetic pattern shapes Sorting colored caps by color and shape Large plastic discovery tubes with gel balls and other liquids Small discovery tubes out of test tubes
Insect specimens encased in plastic Miscellaneous hose pieces screwed together Children reposition PVC tubes with Velcro attached to a carpeted wall and drop balls down the tubes. Plastic animals for sorting and pretend play
Free Exploration with tree blocks Feeding Lab Animals Buckets of water and measuring cups provide opportunities to practice dumping and pouring. Gears can be attached to walls or used on the floor in various configurations. Free exploration with shells
Kids are amazed with animal tracks. You can purchase these molds and make castings with plaster or Paris and paint or use Playdough. Molds can be left at an exploration station and animal tracks can be made over and over using Playdough. If you leave them out, they will get hard.
Handsonmindsoneducation.com
Click on topics to view experiment information
Click on videos to watch kids performing experiments
Purchase and download activities with scripted instructions
FREE WEBINAR with 1 HOUR CEU staff can view demos of all activities from todays presentation
See webinar and video deomstrations
Available Products: 90 Days of Graphing Topics on cardstock CONFERENCE SPECIAL $20
$15.00 $10
Additional products available at: Handsonmindsoneducation.com