Group items tagged

Employ the flags of the world to introduce mathematical concepts like shapes, colors, lines, and the idea of following sequential directions. In this activity, kids create an African flag notebook, but to do so, they need to use math...and drawing skills! This engrossing activity provides an opportunity to discuss and research the different countries of Africa, plus kids have a cool souvenir when they're done.

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.

3.DP.4: Select a solution to the need or problem. I would use only part of this activity (The Problem) and give students a list of pollutions they could choose to do their project on. Sticky Note: This would be a great end of unit project as an assessment to see whether students have understood different parts of pollution. Could be useful to make groups inclusive including ELL) and give job titles to ensure that all students would learn and feel comfortable in their groups.

This is a great way for students to visualize what components are actually in our blood. It is hard for most kids to understand what they cannot see. If they cannot see the ed blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma, it can be confusing for them. This activity can imulate blood and the studetns can see all of the different componenets.

This is a great way for students to visualize what components are actually in our blood. It is hard for most kids to understand what they cannot see. If they cannot see the ed blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma, it can be confusing for them. This activity can imulate blood and the studetns can see all of the different componenets.

Students work on designing different bridges out of popsicle sticks.

Students explore the differences and similarities between rocks and minerals by investigating samples of these earth materials, performing a series of tests similar to geologists' field tests, and reading about rocks and minerals and how they are used.

Students can grow narcissus bulbs in the classroom, or at home! The students can then make observations or draw pictures about how the flower looks each day. Draw conclusions once the flowers are fully bloomed about how they grew!

In this activity, students will make a mini biome in the bottom of a one liter bottle.  Students will be able to plant a seed and give it certain nutrients to watch it grow, adapt, and change to its environment. 

state standard: 1.3.2 Great way to keep kids interested over a long period of time. The kids are excited to see what their biome is doing/ how things are frowing. You can explain that everything the plant needs to grow is in the biome. A enrichment idea off this activity would be to try and simulate the different conditions in each biome to an enviornment that is in our world (desert vs rainforest) and see how that affects each biome.

This activity is an awesome life science experiment that students can use for the rest of their lives- making compost! Compost is a great way to deal with waste that often ends up in landfills.  In this activity students will watch different kinds of vegetation decompose and turn into rich, useful soil! This could even be used for a class or school garden!

Great idea for true life applications! (Literally...life science!)

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.

Helps students understand the difference in nerves and what they feel or sense. Can be used any grade level depending on what standards you look at.

From the DNR / State of Indiana, this website provides many links to educational programs offered by DNR and our State Forestries.  In particular, I like the free tree seedlings for Indiana third graders.  I could see this one "gift" developing into a unit on conservation of resources.  Specifically, standard 3.2.6:  Describe how the properties of earth materials make them useful to humans in different ways.  Describe ways that humans have altered these resources to meet their needs for survival.  We could discuss the lumber industry, and how it benefits human-kind.  Moving on from there, we can discuss how to replenish the supply.  

state standard: 2.1.6 This game is another way to make connections with something that they have done and probably enjoy doing. An extension of this activity would be fro the kids to graph their times on a big class graph you could use different sizes of string to see what affect that might have on the swing times.

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.  

6 different activités in one!

review basic shape terms that will be especially useful in math later on, when kids move to studying three dimensional shapes and early geometry. Great for Kinesthetic learners

Children use this Twister game as a way to learn their shapes. The children design the game board by drawing several different shapes. A spinner is made, and directions are given to the children playing. Each child puts their hand or foot on the space designated to them by the directions.