Group items tagged

Crow Creativity: 5th Grade / Can you solve a problem as creatively as a crow?  Download PDF 1. Build a tricky tube puzzle to find out if your friends can solve a problem like a crow. A clear plastic tube is best, but a paper towel roll, cut down to about 8 inches, will work too. 2. Make a basket out of tin foil. The basket should be big enough to hold a small cookie. 3. Tear some strips off a roll of duct tape. Lay the roll of tape flat on a table and fit the tube inside the center of the duct tape roll. Then use the duct tape strips to tape the tube in place so that the tube stays upright. Tape along the side. Do not cover the openings of the tube in tape. 4. Put a cookie in your basket and drop the basket into the tube so it goes to the bottom of the tube with the handle facing up. 5. Place about 5 twist ties or a piece of long metal wire next to your tube. 6. Find a friend to solve this problem. Tell your friend that there is a cookie at the bottom of the tube. Your friend can have the cookie but has to get the cookie out of the tube first without lifting up the tube. If you are using a paper towel roll, let your friend look inside the tube to see how it's set up.  Supplies: See Downloadable PDF

Upper elementary students to middle school students could create a trick tube or similar experiment that a friend or critter (squirrel) has to solve.

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.  

Adaption: SEE "MOON PHASES ACTIVITY-PHRASES FOR PHASES: A MOON TUNE. Extensions: You can extend this activity for 6th grade my having them creat a model of the moon and it's phases and demonstrating their understanding through a presentations. ( I would group them and have each person write about their part of the demonstration and that it what they present) You can extend it you younger grades by having them draw the phases of the moon and with parents (as homework) go outside at night and dermine which phase the moon is in and drawing a picture of that phase on the claendar. 5.2.4 Use a calendar to record observations of the shape of the moon and the rising and setting times over the course of a month. Based on the observations, describe patterns in the moon cycle. 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.

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.

In this activity students compare the mass and volume of different liguids by pouring the liquids into the same container and seeing which ones are "heavier" and "lighter."

Density - or mass per volume - of a liquid is an important scientific concept that can be viewed with the naked eye. We see it all the time with oil and water. Oil has a different density than water so the two liquids do not mix. In this experiment your child will look at a number of liquids with different densities and compare them all to water. She'll build her science skills and learn one of the most fundamental scientific concepts she'll use for years to come.

This activity has the ability to show students why and how the phases of the moon really work. Not a lot of prep time and materials needed.Great for students to see a model of what is happening during the phases of the moon.

In this version of the classic card game, students gain a solid understanding of basic equivalents, while having so much fun they may not realize it's a math review.

This is an excellent lesson that can be modified a number of ways.  I find that it fits well with Science and Technology Standards 2.4.1 and 2.4.2.   2.4.1:  Identify parts of the human body that can be used as tools. 2.4.2:  Identify technologies developed by humans to meet human needs.  Investigate the limitations of technologies and how they have improved quality of life. Students could identify how teeth can be considered a tool.  They could discuss the toothbrush (and its evolution to items like Sonicare.)  The experiments will help them understand the limitations of the toothbrush, and how their choices affect their teeth.

4.NS.6: Test predictions with multiple trials. I would put the limitations in less words with visuals to show what the different things mean to make it clearer for all participating. I would also take the competition aspect out of it (limitations 5-7)and use it simply as a group activity. Sticky Note: This would be great to use with younger kids by making the distance shorter that the balloon had to travel and making the material list shorter. It would be a great way of graphing as well: graph the length of of each trial for each team.

Students place "juice ice" into baggies and observe the state of the ice at various points in the day. The students then compare the beginning state of the ice with the ending state of the ice. This is a great lesson on solids, liquids, and gasses!

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.

Expressing money in different ways - 2nd Grade (dollar, quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies) Materials: bags of play money that have an equal amount for each student, paper, and pencils for each student book: Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday Objective: after reviewing the names of coins and bills and how much they are worth, grade 2 students will listen to a book read to them by their teacher and express the amount of money stated with their manipulative of play money and show different ways to express that amount of money.  (i.e. 10=10=5=25)

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.

In this activity students have to use their knowledge of the phases of the moon to analyze children's books and their depictions of the moon.  Using the list of  books, students are to review the depiction of the moon and determine if it is accurate or inaccurate.  Then, students are to look at books like "Goodnight Moon" and analyze a story where the moon is depicted accurately.

This activity is unique because it combines science with a practical application that provides a solution to a problem. In this activity, students will be put a small bowl of hot oatmeal into a plastic baggie, test the temperature, and seal it.  Then students will place three sheets of aluminum foil or three sheets of newspaper over the baggie.  After 15 minutes the students will re-test the temperature using a thermometer and discover which material saved heat!

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!

Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has "more of" or "less of" the attribute, and describe the difference. Sticky Note: These could also be used again later in the year when using rulers to discuss how different types of measuring sticks changes the length or width of an object

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.

A pair of students work together for this symmetry activity. The students sit across from one another, with playing cards dealt for each student. A ruler or other dividing line separates one student's side from the other. One player starts as the leader, and places one of their cards down on the table. The player on the other side of the line follows the leader in an attempt to match the first player's moves perfectly on their side of the divider.

4.4.1 Investigate transportation systems and devices that operate on or in land, water, air and space and recognize the forces (lift, drag, friction, thrust and gravity) that affect their motion. Sticky Note: This could also be added to a science lesson where students have been creating vehicles and also have a class vehicle and class ramp that students could test. That way they could compare their own vehicles with the class vehicle and same with the class ramp (kind of like a control subjects). It could also be added to math lessons because of the measuring involved in each part of the activity.