This activity is appropriate for: preschool - 3rd grade / 3 - 8 years Spring is the perfect time of year to engage students in observing the natural world around them. Give students small paper or plastic bags and guide them on a “Science Safari” nature walk around the school grounds. Encourage students to collect two or three specimens along the way, such as blades of grass, leaves, rocks, flowers or even a pinch of dirt. Once you are back in the classroom, divide students into pairs and provide each pair with a magnifier. Tell students that scientists use their senses and pay attention to detail to make observations and new discoveries. Invite students to observe their specimens under the magnifier and describe what they see. Have them categorize the items according to their descriptions (e.g., by color, shape, texture, size, and so on). If possible, try using microscopes instead of magnifiers!
This activity is appropriate for: pre-k - 1st grade / 4 - 6 years Use sidewalk chalk to draw a hopscotch court with 26 spaces. Beginning with the space nearest to the starting point, write one letter of the alphabet—from A to Z—in each space. Have students take turns rolling a small rock or pebble onto the court and hopping to the space on which the rock has landed. Once a student has hopped to the space, encourage her to name three words that begin with the letter that is written in the space. Variation: As a challenge for older students, have them name words that end with the letter written in the space.
This activity is appropriate for: preschool - 3rd grade / 3 - 8 years Students of all ages love this cool activity—making their own ice cream! You will need the following ingredients: 1 tablespoon sugar ½ cup milk or half & half ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 6 tablespoons rock salt (the bigger the granules, the better) Ice cubes Pint-size zip-close food storage bag Gallon-size zip-close bag Combine the sugar, milk and vanilla extract in the pint-size bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible, and then seal it tightly. Next, place the ice and rock salt in the gallon-size bag, and then place the smaller, sealed bag inside as well. Seal the larger bag, again squeezing out as much air as you can. Wrap the bags inside a towel to protect your hands from the cold. Shake the bags until the mixture hardens (about 5 minutes). Feel the small bag to check whether it’s done. When it’s done, remove the smaller bag, and then add in extra treats like crushed cookies, chopped fruit, etc. (Makes about 1 cup.)
