Group items tagged

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 late elementary school, algebra goes from being an underlying element in math work to a main element in class. But algebra is still all around us, from the data in the news to real life situations such as shopping and sports. Here are three activities you can do at home and around town to bring algebra into your daily lives:

Probably my favorite of all my activities I put on here...This is discussed in the use of your home but can be use in the classroom and works really well for a fun spin on homework that shows students at a difficult age why math is important and how we use it in everyday life. Also can incorporate many different standards.

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.

The rocks that compose the Earth's crust are subjected to a variety of forces. Depending on the environmental factors at work, the rocks can be altered in size or in composition. Factors such as wind, water, plants, and animals cause weathering, physical changes in rocks that affect their size. However, physical changes do not affect the composition of rock. In this activity you will see the effect of physical weathering on rocks.

First graders love to create stories. Their especially imaginative brains are always coming up with plots and characters for even the simplest of things. This knack for creative story building is something that can help your child in any subject. In first grade, part of your child's science unit will be learning about the characteristics of different habitats. He'll discuss geography, learn about different kinds of environments, and talk about what kinds of animals live where. By creating a shoebox habitat with your child, you will expand on what he is learning in school and allow him to put those budding creative instincts to good use!

Standards 1.3.4:  Describe how animals' habitats, including plants, meet their needs for food, water, shelter, and an environment in which they can live. This activity sets up with a display of tundra themed books which begin our Arctic adventure.  Students will record questions and discoveries in an arctic food journal.  Students will discuss the habitat, why it is the RIGHT place for Polar Bears to live, and how certain animals have adapted to ensure their survival in their home habitat.

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.

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.

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. Sticky Note: This would also be a great activity to attach to fractions because you have to be able to understand fractions to put the ingredients in the correct places. It could also be used in younger grades where groups are making one together or the class creates one together and discusses our responsibilities to keep the earth clean.

Help students to understand what goes on in a tornado by creating one of your own!  This is a common severe weather phenomena that happens in Indiana and should be combined with safety procedures on the topic.

Children make a game board displaying different shapes they should know (polygon, quadrilateral, parallelogram, etc.). Each child roles the die and moves that number of spaces. If that player can correctly identify the shape in their space, they roll again. The first one to the end and back wins!

This game is played by the teacher calling out a number to go in a place value and students holding cards create the number. Could be played in teams. 2.NBT.1 Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones; e.g., 706 equals 7 hundreds, 0 tens, and 6 ones. Sticky Note: This could be used at higher levels by changing how you as the teacher call out the numbers to go in the place values...using fact questions to get the answer.

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.

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.

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 can participate in this long-term activity by observing and recording the weather each week of the school term, or the school year. The students can do various activities within this long-term activity, such as measuring the amount of rain or snow, recording weather conditions, making observations in a notebook, etc. This is a great way to observe and learn the seasons!

In the book Dirt Boy, Fister Farnello loved dirt so much that he ate it, played in it and refused get rid of it. He finally takes a bath. Children will design, build a water filter and use it to clean muddy water.

Students will discuss and understand how to apply potential or kinetic energy to power a simple device (in this case, a yoyo.)   Standard 6.4.1 Working in groups, allow students to experiment with yoyos, a marble rollercoaster, etc.  Follow activity guidelines. Gifted students could design an amusement park (to be used in school.)   ELL's pair with a gifted student who can assist them with this project.