Ten Science Activities/Lessons

All of these experiments/lessons can be adapted for many different ages.  Depending on the age, you could go into more depth with explaining the science behind the experiments.  For younger children, I would explain the basic concept; but for older children, I would discuss more of the science or chemistry behind the activity. 

1. Cloud Experiment: This activity helps children understand the concept of weather and rain.  You simply fill a cup with water and put shaving cream on top. Then explain that when clouds get heavy with water (blue food coloring), it rains.  http://pinterest.com/pin/182958803581783619/

2. Cartesian Diver: Children can make an object sink or float by a squeeze of the hand.  The air in the straw in the bottle reacts when the bottle is squeezed and results in it sinking.  This experiment symbolizes how fish are able to sink or float by squeezing their muscles around a small air sac.  This is a great lesson to use to discuss why things float or sink. http://momfilter.com/kid-diy/cartesian-diver

3. "Dinosaur" Excavation: This is a great activity to do as a review after you have been studying archeology.  To build background knowledge, you could read books on archeological digs and paleontologists such as Digging Up Dinosaurs by Aliki.  Students can then practice being paleontologist by searching through this container of sand for dinosaur bones.http://www.motherhoodonadime.com/kids/dinosaur-excavation-for-kids/

4. Balloon Reaction: Can you really blow up a balloon with just a chemical reaction? Prove to children that you can by doing this experiment.  Place a small amount of baking soda in the ballon and fill up bottle with vinegar.  Then lift the balloon so the baking soda combines with the vinegar.  The chemical reaction will blow up the balloon.  This lesson is great to teach children about chemistry and chemical reactions.  http://notjustcute.com/2011/07/22/reactions-fun-science-activities-that-fizz-foam-and-pop/

5. Viscosity Race: Conduct a race to see which fluid will make it to the finish line first!  For this experiment you could use ketchup, chocolate syrup, cooking oil, orange juice, and milk.  Next, students can time the fluids to see how long each one takes to get to the end of the table/poster.  Children can then make a table displaying all of the data they have found.  This experiment can be used to introduce the topic of viscosity.  http://www.science-sparks.com/2012/04/23/viscosity-races-investigating-the-flow-of-liquids/

 6. Flower Science: This is a great lesson to do with children who are learning about plants.  This experiment shows children that flowers absorb nutrients like water through their stems.  In this experiment, you will need white carnations, water, and food coloring.  Put the carnations in the colored water and watch the flowers change color.  The students can then look at the stems with magnifying glasses to demonstrate that flowers absorb water.
http://www.education.com/activity/article/teach_science_second/

7.Homemade Lava Lamps: In this experiment, you will need oil, water, food coloring, a water bottle and Alka Seltzer tablets.  Simply fill up a recycled water bottle two thirds full of oil then fill the rest of the bottle with water.  Next, add food coloring and half of the Alka Seltzer tablet and watch the reaction! This is another great activity to do with children to demonstrate a chemical reaction.
http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2011/07/make-your-own-lava-lamp.html

8. The Leak-Proof Bag: Can you spear a plastic bag full of water without it leaking?  The answer is surprisingly yes!  For this experiment, fill a Ziploc plastic bag with water.  Then take sharpened pencils and pierce the bag with the pencils (making sure not to push the pencil the entire way through the bag).  Children will be amazed that the water doesn't leak out of the bag.  Then discuss the science behind why it doesn't leak.  Because the plastic bag is made of long chains of molecules called polymers, the polymers can seal back up around the pencil preventing leaks.
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/leak-proof-bag

9. Making Colorful Crystals with Coal:  For this experiment you will need to combine liquid blueing, laundry detergent, salt, and ammonia together.  Next place the pieces of charcoal in a pie pan and put a few drops of food coloring on the charcoal.  Then add the mixture previously described to the piece of charcoal and watch the crystals form.
http://www.education.com/activity/article/Colorful_Crystals_Coal/

10. Mystery Markers:  For this experiment, you will need different colored markers, water, and paper towels.  Then draw a wavy line an inch above the end of the paper towel and submerge the towel in the water.  Make sure you submerge just the end of the paper towel and not the line of ink.  Then watch as the paper towel absorbs the water.  As the water reaches the ink, the ink will spread revealing all the colors used to make that ink.
http://www.parents.com/kids/education/math-and-science/everyday-science-experiments/?sssdmh=dm17.545672&esrc=nwpmmdailytip083011&email=1833431252

Ten Books Worth Reading

1. The Scoop on Poop by Wayne Lynch: This funny yet factual book about the science of how animals use poop.  For example, an elephant poops so much in one day that it can fill the trunk of a family size car.  This book is full of interesting facts about different types of animal poop and how the animals use their poop.  This is a fascinating book to read with children and discuss the idea of scat (poop).

 2. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? By Jane Yolen and Mark Teague: This book discusses what happens at bedtime for many different dinosaurs at home. Some of the dinosaurs stomp and slam their tails because they aren't ready for bed, but most of them eventually give their parents a kiss goodnight and go to bed.  One great feature about this book is that in the beginning and end of the book, there are pictures of dinosaurs with their proper names such as Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus Rex.  

3. Parts by Tedd Arnold: In this book, this boy believes that the glue that holds his body together is coming undone.  He is losing his hair, teeth, and something gray and wet fell out of his nose.  Could it be his brain? This book goes on to explain the different parts of the body that he thinks might be coming unglued.

4. Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today? by Tish Rabe:  The Cat in the Hat is back again, but this time to study the weather.  They go to the top of Mount Karakakoo where they study the weather with meteorologists.  They learn about different types of weather and where various crops grow based on the weather in that area.  At the end of the book, there is a glossary with weather terms such as anemometer, condensation, cumulus, and evaporation.  These would be great terms to discuss with children about weather.

 5. The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn M. Branley:  This book discusses the various stages of the moon.  On the first night, there is a full moon.  Then the text goes on the describe the other stages of the moon such as a quarter moon or crescent moon.  The book also discusses why the moon is called a quarter moon or crescent moon and why it is that the moon seems to change.

 6. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss: The book is all about saving our planet.  In the book, all of the trees are being cut down and eventually there aren't any more trees left aside from one tiny seed.  This book is great for a discussion about pollution, over clearing of forests, and caring for our environment.

 7. A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston: This book is a great introduction to seeds and plants for children.  The author uses simple sentences, but also includes a small paragraph on each page containing the science behind the sentence.  Also, the illustrations are exquisite with great detail depicting the information from the book.

8. An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston: This book discusses the process of an egg hatching into an animal.  The text also provides examples of different types of eggs including pictures of the eggs.  Additionally, the book describes the differences between the relationship of the eggs and the animals.  For example, it describes that a penguins father sits on the egg compared to a turtle who leaves the eggs in the sand.  This is a great book to discuss with children the concept of eggs hatching and the difference between eggs and animals.

9. I Wonder Why The Sea is Salty by Anita Ganeri: This book is all about the Sea.  It discusses various aspects about the sea such as the biggest ocean, the red sea, what makes a sea salty, and the deepest ocean.  This is a great book to use for young children who are curious about learning everything there is to know about the ocean.  A teacher could read one page from this book each day to introduce a lesson about the ocean.

 10. I Wonder Why Stars Twinkle By Carole Stott: This book has tons of facts about the universe and stars.  The book has information about the Milky Way, the sun, stars, and planets.  This would be a great book to have children explore if they wanted to learn more about the solar system and objects from outer space.

Ten Great Blogs/Websites

1.     This is a web-quest that I created as a science activity for students.  This web-quest was intended for fourth graders to explore and find information about the planets in our solar system.  In this web-quest, the students hold a contest to find the most exciting/interesting planet in the solar system.  The students will pick a planet then research interesting facts about that particular planet and present the findings to the class.  This is a fun way to explore and research the planets in the solar system.  http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=139735

2.     Take a virtual journey of the solar system through this interactive website.  It is setup through a cockpit point of view and the children then click on which planet they want to explore.  When you click on the planet, the website gives great information about the planet such as facts about the surface, interior, satellites and more.  This would be a great website to have children use to research information about the planets.

http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/elmer/infocentral/space/main/cockpit.html

3.      NASA’s website for kids is fantastic!  This site includes informational facts about space, pictures of objects in space, and games about the solar system.  Children can learn while they explore this website and play the interactive games.  For example, children can play the Cassini Commander game where they guide the spacecraft around moons, rings, and asteroids to reach the planet.  http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/solar-system/

4.     This interactive website is all about collecting solar system cards.  Students receive pictures of solar system objects and are then asked to answer questions about each picture.  If they guess correctly, they collect that card.  If they guess incorrectly, the site provides them with more information about the planets and clues to help answer the questions.  Then the children go on to try to collect all the solar system cards.  This would be a great website to have children use as a review after covering information on the planets.  http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/trading/

5.     We finally get to control the weather!  This website is designed so that children can determine the weather based on temperature and relative humidity.  There is a house with a tree and yard and depending on the temperature and relative humidity, children can make it snow or rain on the house.  This is a great website to demonstrate weather and precipitation.  http://www.scholastic.com/kids/weather/

6.     On this website, children can explore the greatest engineering achievements of the 20^th century such as the automobile, airplane, Internet, and spacecrafts.  For each of the achievements, there is a timeline for the development of the achievement.  The website also provides information about how the product was made. http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3871

7.     This website provides science news for children.  There are different categories of science to read about such as atoms and forces, Earth and sky, humans and health, and technology and math.  The site provides recent articles for students to read about the various topics of science. http://familyinternet.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=familyinternet&cdn=parenting&tm=89&f=20&su=p284.13.342.ip_&tt=3&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.sciencenewsforkids.org/

8.     The Magic School Bus website is a great, interactive website for students to explore.  The site has great science games such as Space Chase.  In this game, the students have to find the Magic School Bus as it travels to different planets.  For example, the game will give the student a clue then he must determine which planet the bus is located. http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/space/index.htm

9.     Steve Spangle’s blog has phenomenal scientific posts and information on it.  Not only does he provide science experiments and activity, he also has articles about current events.  For example, there was one post about a teacher making snow for kids in Haiti.  http://www.stevespangler.com/

10. Bill Nye the Science Guy site as a section for kids and teachers to do home demos of the experiments he has done.  There are numerous activities for children, teacher, or parents to complete.  Each activity or lesson provides a list of material, a procedure for the lesson, and the science behind the lesson and reason for why it works.  http://www.billnye.com/for-kids-teachers/home-demos/