Group items tagged

Core Standard: Provide evidence that heat and electricity are forms of energy. (4.1.1, 4.1.2) Core Standard: Design and assemble electric circuits that provide a means of transferring energy from one form or place to another. (4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.1.5)

This activity addresses the third grade Physical Science standards 3.1.1, 3.1.2, and 3.1.3.  It meets the core standard of Observe and describe how sound is produced by vibrations. I like this activity because it allows students to choose where their journey will take them.  Internet access is a requirement.  I do not think this activity would be as dynamic if it were adapted to be just a listening activity.   ELL's could use the internet to "travel" and investigate sound in their native language.  High ability learners could create an atlas to go with their journals.

Using a chocolate bar or chocolate chips students will experiment with melting the chocolate in a microwave or over a stove.  Students will make predictions and will make observations about the solid turning into a liquid.  After they have made these observations they will put the chocolate back into the freezer and make predictions and observations about what happens next.

In this activity, students will shake heavy cream in a jar to watch a liquid turn into a solid-butter!  This is a very simple, yet exciting project that can then be eaten later!

I remember doing this as a child in school. We spread it on saltine crackers because the teacher said that it needed a little salt to make it taste better.

2.1.1. Observe, describe and measure ways in which the properties of a sample of water (including volume) change or stay the same as the water is heated and cooled and then transformed into different states. Sticky Note: This would be a great beginning activity to describe the 3 states of matter. Also could be manipulated to be turned into a math activity where students = different fraction lengths (12 kids =1 whole...what would 6 kids equal, etc.)

1.3.4 Describe how animals' habitats, including plants, meet their needs for food, water, shelter and an environment in which they can live. 1.3.5 Observe and describe ways in which animals and plants depend on one another for survival. 1.3.2 Observe organisms closely over a period of time in different habitats such as terrariums, aquariums, lawns and trees. Draw and write about observations. 1.4.3 Construct a simple shelter for an animal with natural and human-made materials.

Using paper, string, and salt, students will create a cone out of the paper that will act as their pendulum.  They will swing the pendulum so it just touches the pile of salt and watch the designs it makes.  Students can change the pendulum's direction to see if that changes the design.

Make Meringue Science! Use simple experiment to turn egg whites into a delicacy: fancy meringues. Supplies: 5 eggs, 1-1/2 cups of sugar, 8 tsp cream of tartar, 2 small bowls, 1 large bowl, hand cranked egg beater, and cookie sheet.

In this activity students must use their senses to decide what they are tasting.  They must plug their nose and see how their senses are connected.

This is a classic, although I have also seen an onion used where you hold a piece of onion under a blindfolded person's nose and have him/her eat a potato or an apple, and the person thinks he/she is actually eating an onion.

2.1.1. Observe, describe and measure ways in which the properties of a sample of water (including volume) change or stay the same as the water is heated and cooled and then transformed into different states. Sticky Note: This would be a great addition to a math lesson on measurement as a good follow-up to a lesson involving the gallon guy because it requires many types of measurement.

Adaptions: You can adapt this lesson for ELL or special needs students by pairing them in groups and assiging each person in the group a task...the ELL and Special Needs students could draw the pictures or record information while they learning about matter by other group members without pressure/anxiety. Extensions: You can extend this activity to younger greades by using something other than candles. For example, you can use an ice cube, watch it melt, and over time chart the level of water and have the students explain what happenes to the water and the state of matter it has turned into. 6.1.2 Explain the properties of solids, liquids and gases using drawings and models that represent matter as particles in motion whose state can be represented by the relative positions and movement of the particles. 6.1.3 Using a model in which matter is composed of particles in motion, investigate that when substances undergo a change in state, mass is conserved.

In this activity, students will create a telephone using paper cups and string.  Students will use their telephones to observe how sound and vibrations travel through air.

In this activity, students will make predictions about how heat moves in a hot drink.  Students will make predictions about how cool a drink will get over time and what some factors are in changing the heat.  Then hot and cold water and milk, students will test these predictions.

K.1.1. Use all senses as appropriate to observe, sort and describe objects according to their composition and physical properties, such as size, color and shape. Explain these choices to others and generate questions about the objects. Sticky Note: I choose a kindergarten standard for this because it could be easily manipulated to fit this standard. They could be grouping these based on how high they bounce. It could also be used with higher grade levels with math and doing measuring, graphs and data (range, mean, median, mode, etc).

state standard: 1.1.2 Very simple and hands on activity for the first graders. The good thing about this activity is that you can use pictures with all the words. Not all first graders are able to read all the words, having pictures can be helpful for the low ability students as well as the ESL students.

Students work in pairs for this game. Each pair has a printed 100 chart. The students designate one color marker for the prime numbers, and another color marker for the composite numbers. Students take turns crossing out a composite number (1 point), circling a prime number (3 points), or passing. The player with the most points when all of the numbers are found, wins!

K.OA.1 Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings2, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations. Sticky Note: This would be a great game to manipulate to be a shape finding game. Instead of doing addition problems, have a list of attributes and have students create the shape with their playdough.

Indoor Gardening with Kitchen Waste Introduce experiment by talking about the six basic parts of plants: roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds.  Grow a garden by using plant scraps that usually get thrown away. Supplies: 2-3 carrot tops, cut about 1 inch from the top, shallow bowl, pebbles (optional), sand, water, 1 fresh pineapple, pot of damp soil.

Multi-grade project that can you can differentiate according to skill and prior knowledge (experience). Older grade levels can research other possible materials to recycle from the kitchen in other ways.

4.4.1:  Investigate transportation systems and devices that operate on or in land, water, air, and space and recognize the forces (lift, drag, thrust, and gravity) that affect their motion.  Students will study the monorail to determine how it operates, what generates the power, and what are the effects to our environment.

Students will be able to witness what a solid and liquid are all the while being intrigued and engaged because of the use of ice cream. Great activity for grades K-1. They will be able to witness the science behind what makes a liquid and a solid. Represents the nature of science as well.