Science ideas

Wheat Table Put wheat in the sand table. Then put farm animals and the tractors, etc. in with them. It was easier to clean up than sand. You can buy a 40 pound bag at our local grocery store.Put wheat in the sand table. Then put farm animals and the tractors, etc. in with them. It was easier to clean up than sand. You can buy a 40 pound bag at our local grocery store.

GAK n 1/8c (2Tbl) Glue n 1/8 c (2Tbl) –Liquid Starch –a little less than this amount so it is not gooey. n 1 drop food coloring n Combine in a bag and mix until all absorbed.

FLUBBER / Real Silly Putty In a zip lock bag, place 1 tablespoon Elmer's glue, 1 tablespoon water and 2 drops of food coloring Mix well. In a container mix 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon Borax. After the glue, water and food coloring have been mixed, add 1 tablespoon of the borax mixture. Close Ziploc and mix well. The result is a very, very close resemblance to the real silly putty.

Pepper Fun In a saucer of water shakes pepper all over the dish. Then put dish soap on the child’s finger. Have them put their finger in the center of the plate to see what happens. (all the pepper goes to the sides!) Cute and fun!In a saucer of water shakes pepper all over the dish. Then put dish soap on the child’s finger. Have them put their finger in the center of the plate to see what happens. (all the pepper goes to the sides!) Cute and fun!

Cavities Take an apple and use a straw to poke a hole in it. Observe what happens to the apple over time. Discuss why it is important to brush your teeth daily and to visit your dentist regularly.

Germs/bacteria Slice up raw potatoes. Pair children up. One child in pair cleans hands with baby wipe, other child puts hands in dirt. Give each child a potato piece to handle. Then place each child's potato in a plastic baggie with his/her name on it. Each day have children view their bags and record what they see.

Bird Seed Search Put several items in the bottle, being sure to note what you used. We used items like pipe cleaners, crayons, markers, Lego pieces, small toys, funky key chains and more. After putting the items in the bottle, fill the bottle about 3/4 or a little more with bird seed. Seal well. The children turn and shake the bottle to see what they can find in the bird seed.

Sun Painting Take a dark color of construction paper outside with 4-5 distinct objects-blocks, letters, shapes, scissors, etc. Place the paper on the ground in direct sunlight (sidewalk works best), scatter the objects on the paper and let the sun work its wonders. After 2-3 hours of baking, the paper will fade around the objects. Take the objects off the paper and you will see that where the objects are, the paper hasn't faded!Take a dark color of construction paper outside with 4-5 distinct objects-blocks, letters, shapes, scissors, etc. Place the paper on the ground in direct sunlight (sidewalk works best), scatter the objects on the paper and let the sun work its wonders. After 2-3 hours of baking, the paper will fade around the objects. Take the objects off the paper and you will see that where the objects are, the paper hasn't faded!

Shiny Penny Gather a class supply of old, "dirty" pennies, a box of salt, and a bottle of vinegar. Tell the children you need to clean your pennies and sprinkle some salt over 2 or 3. When nothing happens, pour vinegar over a couple more. Next, mix the salt and vinegar in a pie pan, and add the pennies. Let them help stir. Voila! They will appear noticeably shinier.Gather a class supply of old, "dirty" pennies, a box of salt, and a bottle of vinegar. Tell the children you need to clean your pennies and sprinkle some salt over 2 or 3. When nothing happens, pour vinegar over a couple more. Next, mix the salt and vinegar in a pie pan, and add the pennies. Let them help stir. Voila! They will appear noticeably shinier.

Mammal Mommies In a baggie (or camera film cups) place 1 cotton ball with a strong smell-- cinnamon, vinegar, lemon, vanilla etc. Make a matching baggie. Provide enough for each of your students to have a match. Tell them that they are going to be mammal mommies in search of their lost babies. They can only use their sense of smell to find them. No talking just smell.In a baggie (or camera film cups) place 1 cotton ball with a strong smell-- cinnamon, vinegar, lemon, vanilla etc. Make a matching baggie. Provide enough for each of your students to have a match. Tell them that they are going to be mammal mommies in search of their lost babies. They can only use their sense of smell to find them. No talking just smell.

Ooblick The children very slowly added water to the corn starch, with a little food coloring just for fun. When it is mixed correctly (you find the right amount of water through trial and error) the mixture is hard when hit but soft if gently pressed.

Crystals Get a jar full of warm water and some washing soda and put a tablespoon of the washing soda in the jar. Wait for the washing soda to dissolve. Tie a paperclip to a pencil and allow the paper clip to hang in the solution. Allow to cool and leave for a few days while the washing soda crystallizes.Get a jar full of warm water and some washing soda and put a tablespoon of the washing soda in the jar. Wait for the washing soda to dissolve. Tie a paperclip to a pencil and allow the paper clip to hang in the solution. Allow to cool and leave for a few days while the washing soda crystallizes.

Volcanoes Place a small amount of baking soda into a container. Pour vinegar over the solution. Watch what happens!!!

Rising and falling popcorn Fill small glass jar 3/4 full of water. Add 2 scoops of baking soda mixing well. Add a drop or two of food coloring. Next, add 10 to 15 popcorn kernels or raisins. Finally, pour vinegar into mixture. Within a minute or two the popcorn seeds / raisins will rise to the top then the bottom continuously.Fill small glass jar 3/4 full of water. Add 2 scoops of baking soda mixing well. Add a drop or two of food coloring. Next, add 10 to 15 popcorn kernels or raisins. Finally, pour vinegar into mixture. Within a minute or two the popcorn seeds / raisins will rise to the top then the bottom continuously.

Shattering Bubbles Keep a container of bubble blowing solution in the fridge. The next time it is very cold out side try blowing the cold bubble solution. You will see the bubbles shatter instead of just burstingKeep a container of bubble blowing solution in the fridge. The next time it is very cold out side try blowing the cold bubble solution. You will see the bubbles shatter instead of just bursting

Colored Carnations stem Carnations in water with food coloring is to split the stem of a white carnation into three sections so that one is in plain water, one in red and one in blue. Ask the children to predict what will happen and wait to see. You will get a multicolored carnation!

Sensory Bottles Use clean clear bottle, hot glue tops when finished. Aloe Vera-fill the bottle about 3/4 full then add liquid water colors or food coloring also can add glitter, marbles. Fill bottle about 3/4 with Corn syrup and fill the rest with water add dark colored marbles, Glitter, hair gel with marker caps I have filled bottles with items with out liquids, children love them too. popcorn - beans - rice - bells, aquarium rocks - marker caps - feathers salt - sand - potting soil...

Lima Bean Sprout Take a paper towel and fold it so that there are 4 equal sections. Moisten the paper towel and place it into a small ziplock baggie. Have the children put in two lima beans per baggie (note: soak lima beans over night before doing the activity). Tape the baggies to the window so that they are exposed to sunlight. Spray water into the bag daily to keep the paper towel moist and watch your beans sprout

Magic String Suspend an ice cube in a glass of water. Have the children take a piece of string, lay it across the ice and try to pick up the ice with the string. They won't be able to do this. Tell them to lay the piece of string on the ice again and have them sprinkle a pinch of salt over the string. Count to 10 and lift the string. Magic...it sticks ! Have fun watching their expressions. Be prepared to do it over and over again

Dinosaur Egg I put a boiled egg into vinegar for several weeks, we can take it out each day and feel it. After a few weeks it loses the calcium that makes it hard and brittle, it becomes soft and leathery like a real dinosaur egg might have felt.

Weighing and Sorting n Set out a large container of unshelled nuts for children. n Use a balancing scale to figure out more than, less than, etc. n Add a muffin tin for sorting n Use mallet to open the nuts when finished.

For the Birds n Explain how birds build their nests. n Have materials for children to build their nests with. –Paper, yarn, sticks, etc.

Sink or Float n Have children sit in a circle around the object that you have water in. Talk to them about what floating and sinking means. n Hold up one item at a time and ask the students if they think that item will sink or swim. After they predict, put it in the water and see what happens.

Mix a Rainbow n Give children small amount of red, yellow and blue paint. n Let children mix the colors to create the secondary colors. n Have students use their paints to paint a rainbow picture.

Color Wheel Draw onto a coffee filter with water based markers. Add a few drops of water to each color Observe the way the spots expand and colors separate

Balloon Blow up n At a table, give each child a small cup containing baking soda and one containing vinegar. Have the children pour the vinegar into the baking soda. n Now, pour one inch of vinegar into a bottle with a small mouth. Put 1 tablespoon of baking soda into a balloon using a funnel. Place the balloon opening over the mouth of the bottle, being careful not to get the baking soda into the bottle. Gently lift the balloon so that the baking soda drops into the bottle.

Spider Webs n Cut pieces of cardboard into 8 inch squares. Cut ½ inch slits every 1 to 2 inches around the outside of the cardboard. Pull the end of the yarn through one slit and tape it to the back of the cardboard. Let the children weave the yarn through the slits until the project looks like a spider web. n Marble paint with white paint onto black paper.

Paper Snake n Fold construction paper strips into a circle and glue or staple. Thread the circles onto a piece of yarn, making the snake. Glue wiggle eyes on the snake’s head.

Tin Can Phone n Turn two cans upside down and hammer a nail through the bottom of each can to make a hole in the center. Remove the nail. n Cut a long length of string. Poke one end through the bottom of one can, knotting on the inside. Repeat wit the other end of string in the other can. n Have two children take the can and move apart until the string is taut.

Rose Colored Glasses n Trace glasses or magnifying glass. Cut the pattern out including the lens area. n Cut a piece of cellophane to fit over the magnifying glass and tape to the inside of the lens. n Encourage children to explore their environment using their colored magnifying glass.

Colored Musical Chairs n Tape different colored squares on the seats of the chairs, using a different color for each chair. n Play music as the children walk around the chairs. When the music stops, the children have to say what color paper is on their chair.

Tortoise and the Hare n Mark a starting line with masking tape and mark the finish line ten feet away. n Lay the circles of the tortoise and the hare on the starting line. n Give the children a newspaper to fan the air behind their animal to make it move. n Have them experiment with the shape of the newspaper.

Whose Baby? n Cut out pictures of young and mature animals. Glue them onto cards. n The children sit in a circle on the floor; give each child a card. n The teacher holds a card and asks “Who has my baby?”

Other Ideas n Bubbles n Using the telephone n Rainforest animals n Blubber glove n Colored carnations n Digging in the dirt n Texture book or painting n Tasting n Playdough sensory n Mirror and Reflections n Listening games n Cooking n Weather/Changes in seasons n Caterpillars and Butterflies n Shadows n Raisin Rising n Bone dig n Volcano n Invisible ink with lemon juice n Textures n Hatching an egg n Class garden n Watching and feeding birds n Community helpers n Life Cycles n Gears, clamps and vices n Weighing objects n Sound vibrations n Paper airplanes