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  • Color Designs

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is for dipping paper towels and other materials in colored water to make designs and test absorption properties. Give children paper towels and encourage them to fold any way they want, and then to dip…

  • Water Drops as Art

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is for dropping water on a semi-absorbent surface to see what happens. Children can work in pairs with one dropping colored water from an eyedropper into a box, and the other one tilting the box to see…

  • Making Oobleck

    Book Chapter |

    This activity involves mixing water with cornstarch and exploring the result. Have children measure two cups of cornstarch and one cup of water into their bowls. Then have them compare oobleck, water, and cornstarch and…

  • Snappy

    Book Chapter |

    This activity involves observing properties of a new material. Away from children, make a batch of snappy with recipe provided and put on table for them to use. Children will work with the snappy for a long time—…

  • Seeds in Our Food

    Book Chapter |

    This activity involves looking for seeds in fruit. Put out fruit for children to see and give them an opportunity to touch and smell each of them. Then cut the fruit and give each one. When one of them uses the word…

  • Where Do Seeds Come From?

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is for observing seeds in fruits and vegetables. Show the children a small assortment of seeds and ask them what they think the seeds are and where they come from and then discuss their ideas. As a follow-…

  • Sorting Seeds

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is for observing and sorting seeds. Distribute an assortment of seeds to each child. Ask them to put together all the seeds that seem to be the same and encourage them to sort their seeds according to…

  • How Are Seeds Alike?

    Book Chapter |

    This activity involves sorting seeds by one attribute. Have sorting boxes ready for each child and distribute one set of seeds to each. Provide children with magnifiers and let them explore their seeds. After their…

  • Soaking Seeds

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is about observing seeds while they absorb water, change size, and become soft. Give a lima bean seed and magnifier to each child and suggest putting it into water. Invite the children to look at their…

  • Seeds to Plants

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is about observing the inside of soaked lima bean seeds. Give each child two presoaked lima beans. Have them loosely wrap the seeds in a moist paper towel and place them on a plastic plate. Allow the…

  • Terrariums

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is about planting a terrarium. Have each child choose a container and a plant and then follow the planting procedure. Place the terrarium where it will get plenty of light and have the children observe…

  • An Ear of Corn

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is about exploring an ear of corn. Encourage children to describe how the cornhusks feel, smell, and look. After a few minutes encourage children to find out what is inside the cornhusks. Then cook the…

  • Popping Up Some Change

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is for investigating how heat changes things. Hand out some unpopped popcorn kernels to the children for observation. Then make some popcorn! This is a science investigation that they can eat so allow…

  • Seeds as Food

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is for comparing and grinding fresh and dried corn. Let children handle the dried and fresh corncobs and talk about what they see and feel. Give children time to explore and then put all the dried kernels…

  • Seed Wreath

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is for using a variety of seeds to make a collage or wreath. Have the children help you begin saving seeds from fruits and vegetables and also from the plants around the schoolyard. Observe which seeds…

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