Angle Investigation: Polaroid Snapshots

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RGB0rZrna2n7hnx8CyTAaa-AzyvTjAri/view?usp=sharing 

Cryptozoology: Learning with Cryptids

Kids turn into cryptozoologists and study 3 cryptids closely: Sasquatch, Loch Ness Monster and Chupacabra. Then they create a field report on any cryptid they would like to investigate!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SXe6idap5PZ6PnJmvprjRjpay7mcfLy_/view?usp=sharing

Includes:
List of 50 Cryptids
Top 10 Cryptids That Turned Out to be Real
Task Sheets for the 3 Cryptids: math / art projects with measuring, fictional sighting report writing, adaptation activity and survey / data collection
Adapation Recording Sheets for the 3 Cryptids
Bar Graph Sheets for the 3 Cryptids
Field Report Assignment to Research Any Cryptid

Entomology: Cross-Curricular Learning

Kids have fun investigating insects in their natural habitat!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VSK6HrKelgtudsf66-B3jeZ8On5L4Ywh/view?usp=sharing

Includes:
1. Letters and photos from Entomologist Greg prompting kids to do different experimentations.
2. 3 Insect Investigation Worksheets: identifying, describing, comparing and contrasting
3. Insect Trading Card Project: measurement and data collection
4. 4 Insect Posters: insect characteristics, non-insect characteristics, mouth parts and compound eyes
5. Insect Fraction and Graphing: oversized images of insects are hung up around the classroom and kids have to circle whether the specimens are insects or not. Then they make a graph of their findings and record fractions.
6. Ant Restaurant Experiment and Recording Sheet: kids have a menu and add their own items to a paper plate for experimentation. Then they graph the results of the experiment (as a class).
7. Label Ant Worksheet
8. Metamorphosis Monarch Sequencing Cards and Worksheet
9. Create Your Own Ladybug Sequencing Cards and Ladybug Lifecycle Worksheet
10. Lifecycle Comic Strip Tech Project
11. Incomplete Metamorphosis Worksheet: Grasshopper and Dragonfly
12. Butterfly Feeder Instructions: kids make daily recordings of the feeder
13. Letter from Greg prompting kids to research an insect from a different biome

5 Olympic Activities

Check out my post at We Are Teachers: 5 Olympic Activities that Integrate Core Subjects!

Bubble Gum Exploration

Cross-curricular learning with bubble gum:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MNYQ30GsdJD1oSyImNqL73bFqz-HYGfS/view?usp=sharing

Math:
Graphing - Who can blow a bubble?
3D Solids - Comparing gum shapes
Measuring - Pre-chewed vs. chewed (stretched) vs. blowed bubble on wax paper
Mean, Median, Mode and Range (optional) - Using data for measuring
Area/Perimeter - Gum wrapper design (and real gum wrappers - optional)

Science:
States of Matter - Investigating the process of bubble blowing / physical changes of gum chewed and placed in ice water

English Language Arts:
Writing - How-to blow a bubble / Recipe for new flavor / Math word problem

Social Studies:
Economics - Cost of their gum
History - Inventor Research

Design:
Logo & Packaging - Design for their new flavor of gum

Lunch Math

Students organize, represent, and interpret lunch data! Before throwing their lunch away, students sort it into categories (paper, plastic, aluminum, glass, compost, trash). They tally how many they have of each item. Then, as a class, create a graph of all of the materials that were found in their lunch. 

Which material was most commonly found in their lunches? Was this material recyclable? If not, could they generate a solution to minimize the trash in their lunch? Is their a place to throw recyclables and compost in their cafeteria? What can they do about it? 

To celebrate Earth Day have a Trash-Less, Waste-Free Lunch Party! Challenge students to bring in a lunch that does not have any item that needs to be thrown away or even tossed in a recycle bin! Can they do it?

Reinforcement: Recycle-Roundup Game

Raisin Math

This activity comes from Learn NC!

Give each student a small box of raisins.
First, kids estimate the number of raisins in their box.
Then, they count up their raisins and write down the number.
They graph their answer on a line plot.
You can create a line plot with post-it notes or have kids use round stickers to plot their number. Check out Teaching to Inspire to see kids in action!
Once all the numbers are on the line plot, find the mean, median, mode, and range!
How many raisins are more likely to be in a mini box?!
Then, observe your raisins! Do some boxes have plumper raisins? Why do some boxes have less?

Compare Raisins

Divide students up into teams of 2. One member gets one brand, the other gets a different brand.

First, kids estimate the number of raisins in their box.

Then, they count up their raisins and write down the number.

How did the brands compare? 

They graph their answer on a line plot (use 2 different colored stickers or post-its to keep track of each brand).

Mr. Evaporation

Have kids construct an Evaporation Cup Man or Lady! Check out Miss Klipfel's first grade evaporation project! Kids decorate a cup, add water, cover the top with a material (punch holes or not), and wait till it evaporates! They measure their "friend" and keep track of any changes. Does material affect how fast or slow water will evaporate? If you don't punch holes in your material, will it evaporate?! Have kids make a prediction. As a class, create a graph showing their predictions. See the experiment in action here!

Rubber Band Ball Geometry

This is a beginning to end of the year project! As a class, kids construct a rubber band ball and watch it grow! Kids bring in rubber bands throughout the year to contribute to the ball. As the ball grows, measurements are taken. Kids figure out the diameter, radius, circumference and area of the sphere. They chart the ball's growth, creating a graph. 

Click here for instructions on how to make a rubber band ball!

Cubes and Color

How does color affect how fast an ice cube will melt?! Investigate the heat absorbing capacity of different colors by placing ice cubes on various colors of construction paper (make sure you include black and white). Do certain colors reflect or absorb more light? Lay the paper and cubes in a super sunny spot. Then, make a prediction, create a list of what cubes you think will melt the fastest. Have kids write the color names in a column, starting with the color they think will make the ice cube melt the fastest and ending with the color they think will melt the ice cube the slowest. Create a graph of the kids' predictions. 

Green Planet suggests a twist on the experiment. Kids test colored cubes on white paper. They use food coloring to create different colors. For a white cube they add milk. To create a black cube they add cola. They place one colored cube on each piece of white paper. Which cube will melt the fastest?!

Marshmallow Kebab Math

Fraction Kebab: Create a marshmallow kebab of fractions! Grab a bag of mini colored marshmallows and have kids stab them onto a wooden skewer. Then, they figure out the fraction for each color. Afterwards, make a graph to represent which color was the most popular.

Place Value Kebab: Don't tell your students what each marshmallow color is worth. Have them choose their marshmallow colors and stab them on their skewer. Then, write the value for each color on the board and have them figure out their number. Is their number even or odd? Who had the largest number? Whose number was the smallest? Did anyone have the same number?

For more marshmallow learning games, check out Marshmallows 101!

Note: You could substitute fruit for marshmallows for a healthier kebab

Fruit Snack Math

The wrapper tells you how many fruit snacks are in the bag. Estimate how many of each flavor is in your bag before opening it.

Write a fraction for each flavor. Then, graph your flavors. How did your bag compare to your peers? Do you think that the flavors are evenly distributed?

Lay your fruit snacks out an a straight line. Can you find something that is the same length? (measure)

Find a friend and compare your fruit snacks. Who had more cherry? Did you have the same amount of cherry? Compare each flavor using greater than, less than, or equal to signs.

Create a multiplication array with your fruit snacks. Then, practice division. How can you divide your snacks evenly if you shared your bag with your mom and dad?

Write addition and subtraction number sentences: What is the sum of your strawberry and grape (2+3=5)? If you ate all of your orange and lemon, how many fruit snacks would be left (12-5=7)?

Make different patterns with your colors. Did you have any difficulty because of the colors in your bag?

More fruit snack activities:
Fruit by the Foot Ruler - measure by the foot
Chopsticks! - practice place value with swedish fish
Growing Gummy Bear - grow a gummy in water and measure!
Gummy Worms - How long can a gummy worm be stretched?
Fruit Roll Up - Area/Perimeter

Sneakers

Converse All Star: Sneaker Design (hit create)

Ways to use it:
Have kids name their shoe design and write why someone should buy their shoe. What makes it so cool?
Have kids compare their shoe designs. Are there any similarities? (graphing)
Kids can create word problems. If someone bought three pairs of their sneakers, how much would the total cost be?
Older students can explore color combinations (probability)

Guess Who?! - Teeth

photos via cc: mouth 1 - Dana Beveridge, mouth 2 - Chris Penny, mouth 3 - Izik

This fun idea comes from Fall into First! Take photos (or have students take photos) of students' toothless mouths (showing their teeth). Next, ask kids to estimate the total number of teeth that have been lost in the class (sum of all their teeth lost). Have students go around the room and tally how many teeth each of their peers has lost. Have them count all of their tally marks and figure out the total. Whose prediction was the closet? Then, as a class, create a graph of how many teeth each child is missing. Hang the photos up, as well as the graph. Students try to guess who's mouth is whose based on their knowledge of how many teeth each of their peers has lost, as well as their keen observation skills.

Science experiment - Brush your teeth! - Part 1 and Part 2

Tongue Rolling

photo via alamy

Take part in a Zoom Experiment! Collecting data and comparing with a graph: Who can roll their tongue? Does gender make a difference? See who can roll their tongue, tally the results as a class. For tallying, create a 4 column table (shown left).

Next, use your results to create a class graph, comparing boys and girls. Then, compare your results with kids across the U.S. on Zoom! 

What determines if a person can roll their tongue?! Click here to find out!

Are You a Loop, Arch, or Whorl?

No two fingerprints look the same. However, they do share certain characteristics. Take students' fingerprints (index finger only) and compare! Visit ZOOM to see how to get fingerprints with a pencil and tape. Next, have students compare their results with their peers (make a graph). Then, compare their results with other kids around the country on ZOOM! Which pattern is the most and least common (loop, arch, or whorl)? For older kids, you can explore the complete nine different fingerprint patterns. Check out Hubpages and Ridges and Furrows.

My Name in the Stars!

I love the Loco Teacher's name constellation project, so I was inspired to create my own! Students practice graphing by mapping out the letters in their name to create a constellation (click here for a freebie). Afterwards, if you have a lite-brite, have students light up the room with their name! Then, have them connect their stars, use their imagination, and create a picture. What does their constellation look like?! For another kid-personalized constellation idea, check out Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational's body constellations!

What Can You Do With A Leaf?!

Leaf Surface Area - Practice non-standard measuring with leaves, great way to introduce the concept of area. Visit Kindergarten Lessons for more details and measuring ideas! PBS has a fun activity that integrates science and math. Kids shine a flashlight on a leaf and trace its shadow on grid paper to find the area of a leaf!

Leaf Symmetry - Check out the cool art project Beautiful Ideas did!

Science - Is a Green Leaf Really Green? Click here to find out! Also, check out Exploring Life Community's photosynthesis experiment!
Create a Leaf Skeleton - ehow

Descriptive Writing - "Meet My Leaf, " free printable from Scholastic
Leaf Descriptions - Set up a leaf station in your classroom. Kids work in pairs. One child describes a leaf. The other child has to find the correct leaf. This activity is a great way for kids to learn the importance of detail (adjectives) and comprehension (listening skills).

Leaf Hunt, Tally, Graph, Fractions - Classic activity that's always popular with young students. Go on a leaf hunt outside around the school yard. Have kids tally their leaves. Then, as a class, graph your findings! Afterwards, have kids write the fraction for each color found. Younger kids could also practice their patterning skills with colored leaves.

Leaf Art - Who doesn't like leaf rubbings! If kids color nicely, they could show leaf transformations for a geometry unit. Have them use one leaf and make their rubbings in different colors. Leaf texture via Jimmie Homeschool Mom - flickr commons

Now Showing!

Practice telling time while looking up a movie you'd like to see! Have kids find a movie online or in the newspaper. They choose a time that the movie is playing. Next, they draw the starting and ending time on an analog clock, as well as on a digital clock. They record the duration of the movie (the total number of hours and minutes). Then, they design a poster for the flick! Afterwards, they find two other movies and record the time and duration. The other two movies must be different and none of the movies can share the same time. Have kids compare their movie choices. Did anyone choose the same flick? As a class, make a graph of the movies the kids chose. What movie was the most popular? 

Click here for the free printable: https://drive.google.com/file/d/106RIoF0l5CoFKkcn9uihN8qL8AAswVLg/view?usp=sharing

Twister Place Value and Learning Games

I was inspired by Raki's Rad Resources Number Creation, so I made Twister Place Value for a math station, so kids could play independently. You need at least three players (one person spins the spinner and calls out, while the other two play), the game Twister, and numbers to stick on the mat. Kids follow the spinner (example right hand red). They choose a number on red to place their hand. Just like original twister, if right hand red is called out again, they must choose a different red numeral to place their right hand on. Kids spin the spinner and choose a numeral four times to create their final number in the place value of 1,000. After they have four numbers, they write their numbers down and try to create the largest numeral. For example, if they have 5, 8, 0, 3, they would write down 8,530. After they write down their number, then they must write the number in expanded form (8,000 + 500 + 30 + 0). Then, they compare their number with their opponent's using greater than, less than, or equal to signs. Whoever has the greatest number wins!


More Math - Check out Raki's Number Creation, as well as Twister Addition (Subtraction, Multiplication, Division) and Twister Graphing. Visit Catherine Weiskopf for Twister Fractions.


Literacy - Check out Raki's Twister Spelling, Parts of Speech with Categories, Silly Sentences, and Create a Word. Visit Academic Vocabulary and 2nd Grade with Mrs. Wade to see Twister Vocab.


View traditional Twister Rules