We gave the children 4 different sized balls, and a container of water. The children first predicted which ball they thought would make the biggest splash. Next they dropped the balls into the container of water to see which would make the biggest splash.
We put some clear containers full of colored water and some eye droppers in the science area. The children practiced using the eye droppers by moving the water from one container to another. There was also some color mixing going on with this activity.
For this experiment we collected several objects from around the room. We hung a basket from a spring scale, and asked the children to make predictions about what items they thought weighed the most. After making their predictions, the children put the items in the basket and the teacher helped them read the results on the spring scale.
The children planted flower seeds for this activity. They measured out the amount of soil and water to use and then added them to planting cups along with the flower seeds. We'll see how well these flowers grow in our classroom
For this activity we buried an assortment of items in a container of sand. The children used magnetic wands to sift through the sand to find the items that were metallic.
For this science activity we threaded several metal and plastic items onto a string. We tied the string between two chairs and gave the children magnetic wands. The children used the magnetic wands to move the metal items from one end of the string to the other. We put plastic items on the string so that the children could see that the magnets had no effect on them.
We gave the children cardboard tubes and helped them cover one end with colored cellophane. The allowed the children to view their surroundings in various colors.
For this activity we made ramps using the blocks in the block area. We gave the children 4 items that roll (car, tube, ball, egg) and asked them to predict which item would roll the farthest. After the children made their predictions they rolled the items down the ramps and measured how far each item rolled. After all the items were rolled, the children were able to tell if their prediction was correct.
Since Hot Air Balloons are in everyone's thoughts at this time of year, we came up with this activity. We rigged pulleys to the ceiling of our classroom. We then connected ballons, with baskets hanging from them, to the pulleys. The children put little people in the baskets and pretended to give them balloon rides.
This was a very simple science activity. We let the children select 2 primary colors of paint, and we placed drops of the paint on a small piece of paper. Next we gave the children a cotton ball to use for mixing the paint together. The kids made secondary colors from the primary colors.
For this experiment we first poured milk into a shallow tray. Next we placed drops of food coloring in the milk. The food coloring stays in one spot until the next step. The last step is to place one drop of liquid dish washing detergent into the milk. The detergent causes the drops of food coloring to move around the milk. The colors mix to make new colors.
For this activity we used a Cornstarch and water recipe to make this gooey mixture. We added a little food coloring to make it more appealing to the children. The kids had a good time experimenting with the different textures of this mixture.
For this activity we made our own playdough with a salt and flour recipe. After the initial batch of playdough was made, each child got to pick a scent that they wanted to add to their playdough. The children mixed in various flavors of kool-aid to give their playdough a distinct smell.
A few days before this science experiment the teachers put a few hard boiled eggs in a container full of cola. We asked the children to make predictions about what would happen to the eggs after they sat in the cola for a few days. A few days later we opened the container to find out the eggs were stained brown from the cola. We explained to the children that this is similar to the effect cola has on their teeth. We gave them tooth brushes and let them practice washing away the stains from the eggs.
For this activity, we asked the children to transfer water from one container to the next. We gave them sponges and funnels to use. The children figured out that if they used the sponge to soak up the water from the first container they could squeeze the water into the next container. The kids learned about the concept of absorption with this activity.
For this activity the teachers brought in a real fish for the children to explore. The teacher pointed out the various parts of the fish including gills, fins, mouth, and tail. The children were able to touch and explore the fish from up close.
