When I plan science units for each grade level, I use a multi-disciplinary approach. Science is integrated with the other subject areas, includng art, music, social studies, reading, writing, technology, and math. Kindergarten and Pre-First classes have been studying Antarctica. After reading Tacky the penguin stories, the children had a Tacky Day and dressed like characters from the story. Tacky is a penguin that doesn’t follow the crowd!
Engineers use science and math to design solutions to problems. First grade engineers were given 30 toothpicks and marshmallows and then I asked them to design the tallest tower possible that could stand on its own. We looked at photos of real towers for inspiration. Before we started, the children also reviewed solid shapes. I asked them to determine which shapes were the strongest as they worked. This was a challenging task with great opportunities for problem solving.
The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is reopening after a major renovation.
Click here to visit the Museum’s site.
Third grade finished their Earth Unit with a lab about soil. After a discussion about the parts of soil, we used food to learn more about soil layers. The square of chocolate in the bottom of our cup was bedrock and the Fruit Loops above it represented weathered rock. Then we added a crushed Graham Cracker for subsoil. Chocolate pudding became topsoil and a crushed Oreo was humus. We topped the cup off with leaf litter (green sprinkles).
Engineers are presented with a problem and then they design a solution using science and math. Our investigation of sink and float continued and kindergarten, Pre-First, and first grade students were asked to design a boat that could hold pennies. I asked them what ideas they had before we started. Comments included the following: “We need to make the bottom the strongest.” “My boat needs sides, so the pennies don’t fall off and the water doesn’t come in.” “I am going to spread the pennies out, so my boat doesn’t sink in the middle.” ” I am going to check for holes in my boat.” “You need to make sure the corners are tight.” After we tested our boats, we discussed what we learned and ways we might modify our designs.
I encouraged my engineers to use other materials with their foil (such as pencils, straws, sponges, or Popsicle sticks) to create a boat at home in the bath tub. Look at the boat that Luke created at his house.
