Group items tagged

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.

This site doesn't provide specific activities; however, I would design earth science activities to assist kids in researching this park, and the surround area.  We would discuss how and why the area has these deposits, the history of the area, and how to go about finding diamonds and other cool rocks.   Extension activity:  Order bags of dirt from Crater of Diamonds park and have the kids sift through to find and identify various rocks and minerals.   Standards: 3.2.1:  Examine the physical properties of rock samples and sort them into categories based on size using simple tools such as sieves. 3.2.2:  Observe the detailed characteristics of rocks and minerals.  Identify rocks as being composed of different combinations of minerals. 3.2.3:  Classify and identify minerals by their physical properties of hardness, color, luster, and streak.  

2.3.1:  Observe closely over a period of time and then record in pictures and words the changes in plants and animals throughout their life cycles - including details of their body plan, structure and timing of growth, reproduction, and death. Modification to activity:  Students will create a journal to log all data from start to finish.  Building the terrarium will occur at the beginning of the project, and notes will be kept as the plants grow.   ELL:  Easily explained through modeling and pictures Higher Ability:  Students could be class photographers and be responsible for uploading photos and printing them for the journals.

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.

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.

This is a terrific activity that can help students with observations and predictions.  It is perfect for cooperative learning.

Watching the winter snow pile up on a grassy yard is nice, but investigating it is even better! Boost your child's science and observation skills by guiding her through this winter weather-filled project. She'll chart the amount of snow or hours of rain that have fallen at your house this winter using a ruler, measuring tape, or even her hands! This ongoing seasonal graphing activity will even enlist her math skills and organization ability.

5.2.1 Recognize that our earth is part of the solar system in which the sun, an average star, is the central and largest body. Observe that our solar system includes the sun, moon, seven other planets and their moons, and many other smaller objects like asteroids and comets. Sticky Note: This activity could be differentiated so that each group was working with a different planet in the solar system so that when the exhibits were displayed the class would see the whole solar system.

5.3.1 Observe and classify common Indiana organisms as producers, consumers, decomposers, predator and prey based on their relationships and interactions with other organisms in their ecosystem. I would use parts A and C as descriptions of the project and disregard part B. Sticky Note: Grades 2-5 all have portions of Life Sciences devoted to ecosystems and this project could be easily manipulated to focus on different aspects of an ecosystem. I would give specific guidelines in some cases, especially for younger grades, but it would be great to allow older students to have time to brainstorm the kind of ecosystem they wanted to complete and allow them to go through the research process to create a good replica of that ecosystem.

Keep a Horizon Calendar - Earth Science Many cultures used the rising and setting sun to create calendars. Observe the setting sun once a week for as long as you can to come up with your own calendar. Supplies: 11 X 17 inch piece of white paper, pencil, compass, watch, and clear view of the western horizon (where the sun sets)

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.)

2.2.1 Construct and use tools to observe and measure weather phenomena like precipitation, changes in temperature, wind speed and direction. Sticky Note: This would also be a great activity to have after calendar in the morning of a younger class who has just discussed the weather to give kids a hands-on activity about weather.

I really like this variation of the demonstration I shared in class because it also includes the precipitation stage of the water cycle.

This activity is a fun experiment involving the sense of taste. Students can practice their observation skills by noting the differences in tastes.

K.3.3 Describe and compare living plants in terms of growth, parts, shape, size, color and texture. K.3.1 Observe and draw physical features of common plants and animals.

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).

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.

Students can try their hands at observing, recording, and predicting the weather.

Students watch a candle burn underwater, due to the quality of absorbing heat energy in this fun activity! Be sure to very closely supervise students.

Fun activity for student to explore magnets, also provides a Spanish translated lab book as well for your ELL students.