100 days of School

In most school systems, the 100th day of school occurs during January. This can be a reason to celebrate for teachers and children alike. It’s fairly common to think of January being the beginning of the end of the school year. Some children and teachers even begin counting how many days left. So, when you make snowflakes for an art activity, why not add 100th activities, as well. Kids can use cheerios to glue on papers, make funny looking faces out of the number 100 by adding hair, glasses, nose, mouth. Have each child bring in a picture of their favorite thing and see if they can make them add up to 100. Counting beads is a good activity and making necklaces with 100 Cheerios, Fruit Loops, pieces of pasta helps develop fine motor skills. You may have many, many more ways to celebrate the 100th day of the school year. Just remember to have fun! Children learn by playing!!

Pat

Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

I had the opportunity to read the book, The Help, recently. January is when the country celebrates the birth of Dr Martin Luther King, JR, so it seems fitting to talk about where we were, where we are, where we still need to go. Needless to say, this book brought back terrible memories of a much darker era in the history of our country. It is thanks to Dr King that we have made significant progress in how we treat others. I vividly recall going to Sears at 8th and Broadway with my parents and seeing two water fountains and two bathrooms, one marked colored, the other white.  It’s difficult to believe now that it was a reality then. A Parish bingo hall where I worked sent all of the minorities up a long flight of stairs and kept the “whites” downstairs. (Wonder if they patted themselves on the back for being integrated)? Yes, every bit of it is in my conscious memory, and it bothers me that it happened. Thanks to Dr King’s “I Have a Dream Speech”, the countless marches attended by people of many races, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, things are better now. Our children and grandchildren may not have any sense of the injustices suffered by minorities and that is a good thing. Discuss it. Talk about how it feels to not be included. How many times have our children told us they feel like outsiders, especially when it comes to sports or birthday parties they aren’t invited to?   Talk about Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and how one man’s resolve, refusal to quit, can change the world for the better.

Pat

Ice Explorations

Ice explorations are wonderful science experiments for children. Watching something change through freezing and thawing, adding salt to alter the way it melts, and dripping colored water on it to see the path the drips take, all provide engaging ways for children to play with science. Try freezing small objects in ice cubes and give children tools to free them (be sure to use goggles!). Try freezing water in large containers such as an orange juice carton or water balloon so children can see the air bubbles trapped in the middle, or try freezing water in unusual shapes by using a rubber glove or other plastic molds. By adding droppers for children to transfer colored water, you are also providing an activity that strengthens fine motor skills.

Building with Gum Drops

Want to try an unconventional building material for play? Gum drops, marshmallows, thin pretzel sticks, spaghetti and straws are all great building materials that challenge children to try making structures in a new way.  The softness of the gum drops and marshmallows make them easy to work with as connectors, and the ability to break or cut the pretzels, spaghetti and straws means that children can easily adjust how long they want the pieces to be.

Besides being fun, working with unconventional materials helps children to add more experimentation to their building play. Sometimes a small marshmallow is better than a large one, and although spaghetti is lighter, it also breaks easier than straws or pretzels. This encourages problems solving skills and achieving success through trial and error. In addition to being great for learning, their structures are also delicious!

Wrapping Paper Tubes Make Great Ramps!

With the holiday season upon us, it is the perfect time to collect empty gift wrapping tubes to use at home or in the classroom. Have you ever put your ear up to one? The tubes are great for exploring sound and can also be fun to explore looking through, but perhaps my favorite use for cardboard tubes is making ramps!

Simply cut the tube in half down its length, and voila, you’ve created an instant ramp ready for cars, balls or anything else you want to try. Use a little masking tape to secure it to something tall like a chair or shelves and watch how far the ball rolls. Try changing the height and see if you can get the ball to roll farther. Try taping more tubes together to make an even longer ramp. Slide it through a shorter tube to make a tunnel. The possibilities for experimentation are endless!

Wonderful Worms

Earthworms don’t have eyes, ears or noses, and instead of lungs, they breathe through their skin. But more than just learning some fascinating facts, bringing live earthworms into the classroom gives children an up close encounter with a gentle, harmless animal.

I recently brought earthworms to Yvonne Fisher’s classroom at Dawson Orman Education Center. After reading a story and practicing moving like earthworms during circle time, we spread out some newspaper and let them crawl across the table. The children squealed with delight as they watched the earthworms stretch and squeeze their bodies. Almost every child was willing to pet an earthworm, and most also picked one up and laughed as it tickled their hands.

Earthworms are everywhere and are very beneficial to plants. In one yard of earth, there can be thousands of earthworms!  Go for a walk and hunt for them. Try digging in the dirt or lifting up rocks and leaf litter. Look on the sidewalk after a heavy rain and model good stewardship by returning them to some dirt where they can dig back underground. Most of all, let children know that they don’t have to be afraid of something just because it moves!

 A word about earthworm care:

Remember that they breathe through their skin and need a damp environment; so keep a spray bottle handy, but avoid letting them “swim” in water. They can drown too! They eat dirt and decaying leaves, so if you plan on keeping them a few days, be sure to provide them with food.

 Literature connections:

• Wonderful Worms by Linda Glaser
• Garden Wigglers by Nancy Loewen
• An Earthworm’s Life by John Himmelman
• Earthworms by Claire Llewellyn and Barrie Watts

Karo Syrup Color Mixing

At a recent training with teachers involved in the PNC Grow Up Great with Science grant, we explored the properties of liquids and some unconventional ways to experiment with color mixing. Karo syrup provides a unique experience, because the colors don’t mix immediately but instead slide over one another creating a variety of shades and patterns and sometimes allowing the primary colors to re-emerge. If you are looking for an activity that is mesmerizing, try this one out. Just look how transfixed these teachers are!

Materials: Karo Syrup, Food Coloring, Large Waxed Paper Plate

Instructions:

• Put a large drop of Karo Syrup in the middle of a paper plate.
• Add one drop of yellow, one of red, and one of blue food coloring on opposite edges of the syrup. 
• As the child holds the plate vertically and lets the syrup run, the colors begin to mix and make other colors. 
• Keep turning the plate so that the syrup does not drip off. 
• What colors do you see? Can you make any new colors?
• Turn it again. Do you see any of the colors you started with?

Shoe Box Shadow Theater

Children are fascinated by shadows. From playing in the sunlight chasing their shadows to quiet moments waving their hands over the tops of flashlights, shadows spark curiosity in children and can seem almost magical as the shadows change shape, grow in size or “disappear” when you walk under a bigger shadow. There are numerous ways to encourage light and shadow play. Hang a sheet in front of a window and make shadows with your whole body.  Cut figures out of thick paper and make a shadow puppet play. Turn off all the lights and use flashlights to go on a scavenger hunt. Play shadow tag on the playground. Trace shadows on the sidewalk at different times of the day and see how your shadow changes. Put your shadow with a friend’s and make a three legged, two headed shadow monster! Below you will find directions for one of my favorite shadow activities, a Shoe Box Shadow Theater.

 What you need:

• Shoe Box
• Tape
• Parchment Paper or Plain White Paper
• Small Objects
• Block
• Flashlight  (Clip lights in photo purchased at the Dollar Tree)

What you do:

1. Cut the bottom out of a shoe box leaving a small edge.
2. Place paper over the opening and tape it down around the perimeter.
3. Place a small block in the middle to be the stage and aim a flashlight at the top of the block.
4. Play a guessing game with a friend. Chose a small object to put on the block and have a friend try to guess what the object is by looking at its shadow on the other side.
5. Try small plastic animals, letters, numbers, or shapes. Use your theater to tell a story or a nursery rhyme. Cut your own shapes and characters out of thick paper. Experiment with the placement of the object. How does the shadow change? Can you make it bigger? Can you make it smaller? What else can you make the shadow do?

Online Sources for Summer Science Fun

Looking for adventure this summer and opportunities to explore with your child right in your own back yard? There are tons of ideas and suggestions on the internet. Here are just a few of my favorite sites.

TryScience (www.tryscience.org) is a collaboration between science and technology centers. Try out suggested experiments at home, play online games, or view live feeds from webcams in science centers all over the world. Under the “Parents” section, download free family guides to science and nature destinations in your own city and state!

Peep and the Big Wide World™ (www.peepandthebigwideworld.com) is a preschool science cartoon based on a curious little bird named Peep. The website contains a different cartoon episode each day, games, recommended books, a free downloadable “Explorer’s Guide” and loads of fun, easy “Anywhere Science and Math Activities” that give you ideas based on themes or location.

Kids Gardening (www.kidsgardening.org), created by the National Gardening Association, offers everything you need to know to start gardening with your child. Here you can find what kind of gardening activities you can expect your child to accomplish at various ages, how to design and build a garden, tips on gardening safety, and recommendations on which plants are easy for children to grow.

Nature Rocks (www.naturerocks.org) provides local destinations for exploring nature as well as activity suggestions based on your location, age of child and how much time you have available.

Science Blog: Oobleck – This cornstarch concoction changes from a liquid to a solid and back again right in your hand!

Looking for an activity that is both fascinating and easy to make with the ingredients in your kitchen? Then Oobleck is the goo for you! It is basically just cornstarch and water, but at just the right mixture, it is a liquid while sitting still but turns into a solid the moment you squeeze it. Don’t believe me? Try it yourself! Also, Oobleck is easy to clean up. It rinses away from hands and clothes with water, or if you let it dry, it turns into a powder and can be brushed off. Just don’t pour a glob of it down your drain!

Recipe

• 1 cup of water
• 1 ½ – 2 cups of cornstarch
• food coloring

 Add food coloring to your water and slowly start adding the cornstarch. Start out with a cup and a half of cornstarch and continue to add more until the goo looks like a liquid, but the moment you try to stir, it cracks around the spoon and gets stiff. If it gets too stiff and turns completely into a solid, just add a little more water. Refrigerate Oobleck in a baggie if you are going to play with it more than one day.

 Now the real fun begins. Try poking it hard with your finger. What happened? Now try easing your finger into it. Did it react the same way? Put your hand in and try to pick some up. Can you roll it into a ball? What happens when you stop rolling it? Try pouring some from a cup, or put some in a tray and tilt. What do you notice? Try using a funnel. As the stream comes out the bottom, can you break it in two as if it were solid? Make another color of Oobleck and let the children mix the two. What other tools can you try with Oobleck? How do you think the Oobleck will react?

 The science behind it:

Cornstarch doesn’t dissolve in water like sugar or salt does. Instead, the tiny particles are suspended in the water, floating next to each other. When Oobleck is sitting still or gentle pressure is applied (such as easing your finger into it), the particles are able to move around each other and make way for things moving through it (like a liquid would act). When greater pressure is applied to Oobleck (such as poking it with your finger or squeezing it in your hand), the particles are forced closer together creating a “traffic jam”. When they don’t have space to move, the particles bunch up and behave like a solid. As soon as the pressure is released, the particles are free to move around again and will flow like a liquid.

Did you know?

Oobleck is used in games show challenges. If you had a swimming pool of Oobleck, you could run across it. Just don’t stand still!

What have you tried?

What are your Oobleck experiences or do you have other concoctions that you make with children? Share your ideas!