It's here, it's there, science is everywhere

During this semester I joined pinterest and it is an awesome sight to find ideas for everything.  I especially find ideas for my future classroom.  I have listed a few science websites or blogs I find as valuable resources.  Not all of the websites or blogs focus on science completely, but they provide awesome ideas.

1. Zunal WebQuest Maker {http://www.zunal.com/} This site I was introduced to through my science professor this semester.  The site provides great science lessons for anything and provides insight for new ways to teach science to children.  Also the site has hand on activities for children to complete, not just worksheets. 

2. Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas {http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2012/01/blow-it-up-exploring-gas-with-balloons.html} On this blog I found a great activity called Blow It Up! Exploring Gas with Balloon, Baking Soda and Vinegar.  The creator of the blog provides detail pictures and explanations of how to conduct science activities.  All the activities provide are kid friendly.  This blog is valuable because it shows creative ways to explore things, for example balloons.  

3.  Science Bob {http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/toothpaste.php}This is a great website to help assist teaching science.  On the website is a list of resources for any area of science.  There are also amazing and fun activities for children to complete. For example, the Fantastic Foamy Toothpaste Experiment.  I will be using this website in my future classroom to provide my students with new and exciting ways to view science. 

4. In Lieu of Preschool { http://inlieuofpreschool.blogspot.com/2012/03/tornado-in-bottle-easiest-science.html} This a blog a mother has created since becoming a stay at home mom.  She share activities she does at home with her children.  For example, the Tornado in a Bottle activity.  She has listed step by step how to complete the activity.  This blog is a great way to share science activities and others as well.  Also the activities listed are for all children not just for a specific age group. 

5. OMSI {http://www.omsi.edu/for-kids}This site is great for kids and educators.  It provides fun science activities to do at home, such as making flubber.  There is also a section just for educators. The site focuses on all areas of science and I consider this a valuable resource.  

6. Teach Preschool {http://www.teachpreschool.org/2011/08/bright-and-colorful-sensory-bags-for-preschool/} This is a great website to find science activities for young children.  Weather it be sensory bags made of hair gel or disappearing clouds.  It provides many science activities and is a resource I will continue to use in my future classroom.  

7. Candy Experiments { http://www.candyexperiments.com/} If you want to do experiments with candy this is the site to find them.  This site provides all different kinds of experiments with candy, which kids will love.  As a future teacher, this provides me with opportunities to think outside the box.  Kids love candy, why wouldn't they love an experiment with candy.  I find this to be an interesting resource and beneficial for the future. 

8.  Play At Home Mom LLC { http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/search/label/Science} Wow! The moms who created this blog have some cool science activities.  The science activities focus on making things glow, which kids love.  I find it is a nice resource and will use it in the future.  I hope until I am teaching there will be more science activities available to access. 

9. Science for Kids {http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/} This site is great for all ages, adults and kids.  There are games and so many experiments.  The site also focuses on all areas of science, which I love.  This site I would most definitely use in my future classroom.  I find it very beneficial to help students learn about science. 

10. National Geographic Kids {http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/activities/funscience/} This website is a great way for kids to learn about science. It provides experiments, videos, game, and pictures for kids to learn about science.  This will always be a great resource.

Books, Books, and More Books!

Books are a great way to begin a lesson to gain students attention.  Children can also make connections to books. Most of the  books I have listed  relate to one of the lessons I have posted. Enjoy. 

 

1. Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats is a great book to go along with the lesson Noise Makers.  The story describes how when Willie whistle his dog comes to him.  But the story explains how Willie feels while he is trying to learn how to whistle.  The story relates to science because Willie is trying to make a noise with his lips and air. 

 

2. Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee explains how some people enjoy roller coasters and others do not. The story also explains how big and noisy roller coasters are to people.  This book is great way to introduce the lesson Roller Coasters.  For some children to have never been on a roller coaster may not know how they appear or sound.  This book provides those details for children. 

 

3.  The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle is one of my favorite books.  The story goes through the day of a spider making her web and the animals ask her if she wants to do things with them.  The spider never replies but just keeps spinning her web.  This book provides details pictures of the process a spider takes while building their web.  It would be a great book to introduce the lesson Making a Giant Spiderweb.  Children can makes connections from the book to help them build their giant spiderweb and see the end result.

 

4. Crawdad Creek by Scott Russell Sanders shares how the animals are digging for fossils in the water through the seasons.  The pictures provide a view for the reader to see the animals feet and hands in the water.  Children would be able to see and connect with how things appear differently when looking through water.  Therefore, this book would connect with the lesson Looking Through Water. 

 

5. What is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases by Kathleen Zoehfeld is a great book.  It teaches children about the qualities that solids, liquids, and gases have. The book also provides examples of solids, liquids, and gases that children are around every day.  This book will help children learn to distinguish each one throughout their day. It would be a great introduction for a lesson dealing with solids, liquids, and gases.

 

6. How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan is a great book to connect with a lesson focusing on seeds.  This books takes the reader through the stages of how a seed grows.  Beginning in the ground to a full grown plant, fruit, or any kind of food.  The book also lists the different foods that come from seeds. In my opinion, this book would be great to read to students in the spring when farmers begin to plant their crops.

  

7. Magnets: Pulling Together, Pushing Apart by Natalie Rosinsky is a great easy to read book for children to understand magnets.  This book explains to children in a simple way how magnets work.  This book would be great for any lesson dealing with magnets, such as the What's Magnetic lesson I have listed under Science Lessons.

 

8. Light: Shadows, Mirrors,and Rainbows by Natalie Rosinsky is a great book to teach children where light comes from.  The book explains the difference between natural light and man made light. It also provides fun facts for the reader about light. The story would be great for a lesson focusing on shadows and light.  

  

9. Little Cloud by Eric Carle is a wonderful book to teach children about precipitation.  The story is a great way for children to make the connection of why  clouds are important and ways we see clouds.  It is also a great way for children to use their imagination when looking at clouds after hearing the story. 

 

10. I just love this book.  The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is an adorable book to teach children about the snow.  This book provides great detail about what happens while walking in the snow and playing in it.  Children love snow and this is a great book to start off a lesson on snow. 

Science Lesson Plans

I would like to give credit to the Head Start on Science: Encouraging a Sense of Wonder for these amazing lessons.  During this semester I witnessed the hands on experience they offer children. In each description I have included questions and comments for each lesson.   Now let me share with you my favorite lessons from the book.

1. Roller Coasters

  This lesson is a great way to teach students about gravity.  During this semester I taught this lesson to my peers and they loved it.  You simply find pipe insulators, masking tape, and various size marbles.  First explain to the students they will be creating roller coaster using these materials.  Make sure to have a roller coaster made for the students to view.  They can make loops, curves, and ramps.  Divide the students into groups of 3 or 4.  Allow a large amount of time for this lesson.  As students are creating their roller coasters facilitate throughout the classroom stopping at each group to ask questions.  A few questions you may ask, "What do you think will happen if we change this loop, curve, or ramp?" "Can you make the marble go faster or farther?" What will happen if we add another curve at the bottom or the top?" After the lesson is complete allow the roller coaster to sit around the room and allow the students to test each roller coaster.

2. Seed in Our Food 

This lesson focuses on children exploring seeds in fruit by observing, comparing, classifying, and communicating. You will need avocados, melons, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, tomatoes, apples, and hand lenses. To begin the lesson you will have all the fruit on a table and pass the fruit around allowing students to touch and smell each one.  Next, ask the children to name the fruits on the table then allow them to choose one fruit to work with.  When the children get their fruit they will cut it open with a plastic knife and begin to observe the inside of the fruit with their hand lens.  Questions and comments to ask include: "What does this look like on the inside?" "What are these things?" "All these fruits have seeds!" "How are they different?" To close the lesson you will have children talk about what they found out and what seeds do. 

3. Marble Painting

 Children observe and compare how marbles roll down incline planes through this lesson.  They will absolutely love this activity.  You have box lids lined with paper and bowls of paint.  Drop a marble into a bowl of paint, then into the box lid. Ask children, "What do you think will happen if I move this box lid around."  Wait for children to respond and then begin to move the box lid, while listening to the comments. When children complete his or her marble painting allow them to use more than one marble and paint with different colors.  Questions and comments to ask include: "How can you make your marble move?" "How did you make that line?" To close the lesson allow the children to hang they marble paintings where they want.

4. Making Oobleck

Your students may find this awesome or disgusting.  This lesson is a great way for children to get a "little messy", but have a hands on experience. Divide students into pairs giving each pair a bowl.  Have children measure equal amounts of cornstarch and water into their bowls.  Next, provide spoons for the children to stir the mixture.  Give them time to explore the oobleck before asking questions.  Questions and comments include: "How does it feel?" "How long can you hold some in your hand?" "What happens when you stir it?" After children have made oobleck keep one or two bowls to use during another time.  Clean up is easy. When the mixture is dry it will come right up.

5. Looking Through Water

Students may find this interesting and funny.  Students will look through empty clear cups and water-filled cups to see how things look. Give the each student one empty plastic cup and one water-filled cup.  Ask children to look through their cups at each other and objects around the room.  Encourage students to look at objects through both cups. Then give each students two straws, one for each cup.  Ask the students to place their straws in each cup and compare the straws.  Questions and comments may include: "What do you see when you look through the water?" "How does your friend look?" "Does she or he look the same as when you look through the empty cup?" To close the lesson have children draw and write about something "strange" they saw.

6. Making a Giant Spiderweb

Children will become engaged during this lesson.  During this lesson students with make a giant spiderweb out of yarn.  You and the children will work together to build a giant spiderweb that is attached to the corner of the room.  As you and the students are building the web discuss what to do next. When finished with the web, attach a different color of yarn to the center of the web to represent the spider "alarm" line.  Then pull the alarm line across the surface of the web to the outer edge of the web.  You will have children hold the end of the yarn and close his or her eyes. Have another child throw a wad of sticky tape into the center of the web.  As the tape hits the web, the child holding the alarm line with feel a slight tug.  This is what a spider feels when something hits the web.  Allow for each student to hold the alarm line and to take turns throwing the tape.  Questions and comments include: "What do spiderwebs look like?" "What is holding up the web?" "How does the spider know it has caught something?"

7. What's Magnetic?

This is a great lesson for children to explore magnetic objects.  Each child will receive one magnet. Allow time for the children to explore the magnets.  Then ask, "What can you tell me about them?" Next Place the "Science Wonder Box" in the center of the table.  The "Science Wonder Box" holds items being tested.  Attach a magnet to a string and allow one students at a time to lower the magnet into the "Science Wonder Box".  When the child pulls out a magnetic ask what happened.  After all the children have lower the magnet into the box.  Take all of the items out of the box and allow children to explore which items are magnetic.  Questions and comments may include: "What do you know about magnets?" "Why doesn't it pick up leaves?" "What can magnets pick up?" When closing the lesson, have children share the object they found to be magnetic.  Ask what the objects that attached to the magnet had in common.  Then have children try to pick up an aluminum can with their magnets. 

 

8. Parachutes

Children will love this outdoor physical activity.  During this lesson children will play with a parachute to make discoveries about air.  Before beginning the activity allow time for the children to just play with the parachute.  When you are ready begin introducing different activities.  Different activities include: letting go of the parachute to see what happens, capture the air in the middle, bouncing a ball on the parachute, and one child at a time running under the parachute from one side to the other.  Questions and comments: "What happen when you let go?" and  "I wonder what is holding the parachute up in the air?" To close the activity have children talk about their parachute experience and draw or write about it.   

  

 9. Noise Makers 

Warning: You may experience a headache from this lesson. Although this lesson may be noisy it is a great way for children to use recycled materials to make sounds.  You will need to save recycled cups, damp paper towels, and string.  Children will each bring a used cup and damp paper towel to a table.  You will need to fasten the paper clip to the bottom of the cup and tie a string about 2 feet long to the paper clip. Children will then take the damp paper towel and rub along the string. TA DA a realistic duck sound.  Questions and comments you may want to include: "What do you think is making that sound?" "Can you make the sound last longer?" "Is there another way you can make the sound?" What does that noise sound like?" To close the activity, talk about how much we use and throw away each day.  Ask the children what they were able to save today in order to use in another way. 

 

10. Soaking Seeds

Children during this lesson will be observing seeds absorb water, change size, and become soft. Begin by giving each child a Lima bean and hand lens.  Ask children to observe the seed and tell you what they see. Then ask children to try and open their seed. After a few minutes ask the children if there is anyway to soften the seed.  Hopefully, children remember food becomes softer when soaked in water.  Ask children what they think will happen if the seed is soaked in water overnight. Wait for the children to respond.  Ask the children if the bean will change in some way. Questions included: "Will it become smaller, stay the same, or become bigger?" To close the activity, have children look at their seeds several times during the day to see what is happening.

Science Prop Box

For my elementary science course I created a doctor's prop box.  Students are to role play being a doctor, nurse, or patient. The doctor can weigh, measure the patients height, and hear his or her heart beat.  The doctor has a clip board and file folder to record information regarding the patient.  There are many instruments placed in a container to keep the instruments organized.  Also on the clipboard is a envelop containing cue cards. On one side of the card is a picture and a state on the other.  The students must match the correct instrument to the description and picture provided.  Lastly, the box includes fours box regarding doctors, sick patients, and ways to stay healthy.