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This activity has a natural connection to a science lesson about how our senses and nerves work to create reactions.  The teacher can require different forms of data analysis based on the students' skill level.  Simple min/max to averages and standard deviation are available.

Great for ESL.  Can easily be adapted for higher ability students as well.  Can also be adapted if no camera or computer is available 

Nature of Science Standards: Plan and carry out investigations-often over a period of several lessons-as a class, in small groups or independently; use measurement skills and apply appropriate units when collecting data; keep accurate records in a notebook during investigations and communicate findings to others using graphs, charts, maps and models through oral and written reports. This activity can be adjusted for ELL students by giving them a picture chart on which to record their data. Rather than using all words on the chart, pictures of a cup, plate, cake pan, etc. can be place on the chart, and the students can fill in the results of the distance for each picture. This activity can also be used with younger age groups by having them use other objects, such as a small ping pong ball, to throw. A bigger object may be easier for younger children to throw.

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).

3.3.1 Identify the common structures of a plant including its roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Describe their functions.3.3.2 Investigate plant growth over time, take measurements in SI units, record the data and display the data in graphs. Examine factors that might influence plant growth. Differentiation: Have gifted and special needs students come up with a creative way to display their plant's structures.  This can be oral, artistic, acted out, etc...

Modification to project required to meet standard.  *** Can be modified to include discussion of recycling***

1.MD.4 "Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another." This activity can be modified for ELL students by drawing pictures, rather than writing words, in each category. For older age levels, this activity could include more difficult or complex categories.

Sticky Note: This would be great to add to a fourth grade social studies unit to make a topo map of the state of Indiana which includes information pertinent to the Indiana social studies unit.

Make sure to emphasize the need to keep careful records as that is what makes this activity appropriate for teaching the Nature of Science.  This activity is excellent for showing children the value of records as it utilizes information from 50 years ago.  Discovering patterns and trends is also very appropriate in this area of study.  Creating a presentation of the information would offer a chance to incorporate different multiple intelligences.

For use with the Science Process standard, Prediction.  This hands on activity would be useful with ESL, and the cooperative learning style would also help with ESL,and also be easy to differentiate g/t kids by allowing them to make a video or podcast of the daily weather and thew news.  If grants can be written, this would be a good one to take a field trip to a local television station 

MA.K.5 2000 - MeasurementStudents understand the concept of time and units to measure it. They understand that objects have length, capacity, weight, and temperature, and that they can compare objects using these qualities.

The math in this activity is not too challenging but it requires the students to be precise in their data collection to see good results.  It meets the goals of the CCSS for 6th grade math that students "Attend to precision" and "look for and make use of structure".  Gifted students might be interested in the information about the Buffon Needle Problem, link found in the "Tips" section.  To extend the lesson students could consider what changes could be made to the lesson to improve the accuracy of its approximation of pi.

Students could each have a different "job" to differentiate skills.  Teacher could group the students of different abilities together.  Students could wear lab glasses as they measure.

Differentiated curriculum:  Assign teams, and allow each "team" to design a different biome at the zoo.  Students would be grouped by the teacher into teams with different abilities.

Allow students to work independently or in small groups.  Provide legos and base plates for student use.  Differentiation may include the chance to design the entire room, or just the toy box.  Students would have an opportunity to visually present, or just set up the model.