Adapting Human Gear

Students think about the adaptations of animals and create a product for humans. Example: a glove that allows you to climb up walls. Children become industrial designers. They think of a problem and come up with a solution for a new product.

Next Generation Science Standard (First Grade): Structure, Function, and Information Processing

Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.

Examples from NGSS:

turtle or acorn shell bicycle helmet, knee pads, backpack

animal tails and plant roots to stabilize a structure

plant thorns or porcupine quills to keep out intruders

exceptional eye sight or hearing to detect intruders

animal scales to protect from predators

Other Examples:

rattle to warn predators

beak to crack nuts

blubber to keep warm

gills to breath under water

change color to hide or communicate

etc

click here for templates: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LEHa0p38D0OZI7QQiDMqA_xfvPiSjDm0/view?usp=sharing

Color Communicators

Animal Adaptations: Students color a chameleon and pin it up somewhere in the classroom. Can you find their camouflaged chameleons?! - inspired by the Children's Museum of Houston Butterfly Hunt.

Why chameleons change color, not for camouflage, but to communicate - NatGeo

Visit Education.com for a chameleon color changing experiment!

Literacy Connection: The Mixed Up Chameleon by Eric Carle

Writing: What is your chameleon trying to communicate? For example, if he changed to blend in with the map, does he want to travel?

You could also do this activity with octopi or cuttlefish templates.

chameleon template

Note: You could also trace the shape of the chameleon on wax paper. Have students place the template over things to make the chameleon change. Check out Pieces by Polly

Thaumatropes

Integrate art, math, science, as well as history by constructing a thaumatrope! Kids use their measuring skills and imagination to create a paper animation! "Thaumatropes are optical illusions that operate by switching between two images so rapidly that the images appear as one." - Molecular Expressions. Video by EllieBTECMedia

How to incorporate in your classroom:

Geometry - Have kids figure out the area of their circle or rectangle, as well as circumference and perimeter. You could also have them try making different shapes for their thaumatrope besides the basic circle, rectangle, or square.

Science - Create thaumatropes that go along with your unit (ex: weather: lightning and dark skies on one side and clear skies with puffy white clouds on the other). Also, states of matter: ice cube melting. They could also do a volcano erupting or a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. Kids can get super creative with the project!

History - Check it out here!

Four different ways to construct a thaumatrope! All you need is cardstock, a hole puncher, glue/tape and one of the materials below. You can draw, use photos, or write messages to create your optical illusion!

Rubber Band (you need 2)

Wooden Skewer

Straw

String

Spiky Crystals

Grow crystals in your fridge with epsom salt and hot water!
Chemistry crystals (featured above) - Instructables
Cup of Quick Crystal Needles - About.com

You can also explore evaporation by growing crystals outdoors! Check out Exploratorium's Spiky Sun Crystals!

To incorporate this into a fossil unit, grow crystals on a sponge to investigate permineralization, visit Layers of Learning!

Fraction Color Spinner

Integrate math, art, and science by creating a colorful spinning toy! Kids trace a circle (at least 6 inch diameter) on poster board (or cardstock) and divide it into six equal parts. Then, they color it in, using any colors they'd like! Once it's colored, an adult punches two holes in the center of the circle. Kids measure out a 3 foot piece of string or yarn and lace it through their circle. Move the circle towards the center of the yarn (keep the one side of the string in a loop - don't pull the string all the way through). Next, tie a knot on the other side so it has a loop. Then, twist the string up by flipping the circle round and round. Pull the string outward and let it unravel. Watch it spin and the colors mix!

Egg DROP!

Humpty Dumpty Project: Can you keep an egg from cracking? Kids use any materials they want to protect their egg from a giant free fall! They drop their protected eggs from a super high spot. Then, they examine their egg and see if it's still intact!

Featured above:
straws with paper propellers - Sun Pack
coffee filter, paper bowl, pie pan parachute - News Miner
balloon parachute - Virginia Tech Outreach Program
tp tubes/ bubble wrap and balloon exterior - My Science 8 

Design a Rock

This experiment is from National Geographic Kids' book Jump Into Science: Rocks and Minerals by Steve Tomecek! Kids create their very own sedimentary rock!

materials:
plastic cup (book says 7oz)
glue
1/2 cup sand
1/2 cup small pebbles

1. cover bottom of cup with sand
2. pour glue on top (so all sand is covered)
3. drop pebbles in a layer on top of glue
4. add glue (cover pebbles)
5. pour second layer of sand
6. another layer of glue
("cup should be half full")
7. let dry for a week or until glue is hard
8. peel cup away (cut with scissors)
("if some glue is still wet, wipe with damp paper towel")

Trilobites!

Construct your very own paper trilobite: 3 different versions!

Featured above:
1. CSIRO - 2 different colors and an edible version!
2. Tau Rho Alpha's Paper Models (also check out the volcano model!)
3. Black / white version (kids color) that tucks in a ball (not pictured) - ESCONI

Marshmallows 101

Chemistry - Have fun munching and constucting a marshmallow atom!
Featured above:
3D model - Angelfire
Paper Plate "Electron Shells" - The Daniel Academy
2D model - Lights, Camera, Learn

More atom activities:
Over-sized outdoor atom on the blacktop - 5th Grade Rocks, 5th Grade Rules - kids play the role of the protons, neutrons, and electrons! Plus, many more hands on projects!
Scholastic - Chemistry for 3rd graders - lots of activities that kids can snack on!

photo via adventures of first grade

Geometry - If you don't eat all of your marshmallows, save them for a the classic toothpick and mini marshmallow geometry lesson! Kids construct outlines of 3D solids, as well as polygons. This is a great activity to help kids count the vertices of shapes! (Note: You will want to use dried spaghetti for the rectangular prism to get the correct number of vertices) Visit Adventures of First Grade for details! There is even a scavenger hunt to go along with this activity!

photo credit Tufts Now

Engineering - You can also just have fun free stylin'! Kids can become mini engineers and build skyscrapers and bridges! Who can make the tallest structure without it collapsing?! - link for tall structures here!

Artful Science

Fun art projects aren't just for preschoolers! The activities featured below all relate to the common core. Plus, kids can take their science experiment home to hang on the fridge!

1. Explore force, energy, and motion with artful physics!

Featured Above:

Inclined Plane Painting (Ramps) - BIA SFClubhouse

Marbles in Motion (Gravity, Energy, Inclined Plane) - Harris County Public Library 

Snap Art (Force, Potential vs. Kinetic Energy) - Capital B

2. Learn about solids, liquids, and gases with artful matter! 

Featured Above (From left to right):

Liquids to Solids 
1. Color Changing Glue Art - School at St. George Place
2. Plastic Milk - Science Bob
3. Colored Glue Drawings - Art with Mrs. Smith

Solids to Liquids

1. Paint with watercolor and watch a solid transform into a liquid!

2. Ice Cube Painting - CertaPro

Air, It's There!

1. Straw Blowing Art - Robert Burridge and Kaplan (pictured)

2. Bubble Prints - Family Fun

Liquids and Solids

1. Magic Salt Painting - Spoonful

Liquid Bliss

Paper Towel Fusion (not pictured) - Sprout 'n' Wings

More Artful Science
Play with precipitation: Water Cycle Rain Art - Terra Savvy
Explore Magnetism with Magnetic Art - BIA SFClubhouse

Nail Polish Science / Art

art via sci-toys

Experiment with light and optics by creating a permanent rainbow using clear nail polish! Visit Simon Quellen Field's site Sci-Toys for instructions!

Balloon Car

Have kids design a balloon car, bring it to class, and see who's can travel the fastest and farthest. They could uses legos, soda caps, tops of fast food cups, or even cds for wheels. Tell kids to get creative with the car's body. They can make long thin cars or big fat boxed cars. Design elements are completely up to the kids. Their goal is to make a car that is not only fast, but can travel super far. In the classroom, have kids use their measuring skills to figure out the distance their vehicles traveled. Who's car has the most stamina?

See written instructions for Steve Spangler's balloon car (featured above) as well as more racing toy experiments here. 

Aso check out Design Squad's 2 wheel (made with life savers candy) and 4 wheel balloon car!

image credit: Design Squad Nation (2 wheel balloon car)

Balancing Butterfly

photos via greenwala and ideas 4 kids

Find the center of gravity by creating a playful butterfly that balances on your fingertip, shoulder, head, or any place you'd like to land it! isit Ideas 4 Kids to download a butterfly template! Then, flutter over to Green Wala to see how to make a mobile with your balancing butterflies! Click here to see balancing butterflies in action!


Other Gravity Experiments:
Try balancing a soda can at a 45 degree angle
Balance an egg with salt
Hands on activities that play around with gravity
Defy gravity with water with this simple anti-gravity experiment! 

Scientific Egg Dye

Kids transform into mini scientists, mixing up fruit, veggie, and spice concoctions to make vibrant dye! Then, become mini naturalists, hunting for items in nature that will create beautiful prints.

Check out these awesome egg creations by 4 us to Be! Visit the site for a list of color recipes! Then, learn how to create nature prints at Family Fun!

Crystallized Rainbow

Sweet and Simple Things made a pipe cleaner rainbow and crystallized it in borax solution! Click here to see how they did it!

You can crystallize any shape or color in borax solution! You just need pipe cleaners. Borax does the rest, creating polymer crystals! Click here to see original post.

Tree of Life Timeline

photo via Playful Learning

Over at Playful Learning, they created personal timelines resembling a cross section of a tree trunk. Click the link to read about what the kids included in each ring.

Marker Chromatography

How many colors are in one crayola marker?! - Kindergarten, Kindergarten

Is Black Really Black? Sharpie Experiment -  Steve Spangler 

Experiment with sharpie markers, create a tie dye tee! - Spangler

Chalk Chromatography - Is green just green? Conduct an experiment with markers and chalk to find out what colors make up a single colored marker. After your experiment, draw with your colored chalk!

Pendulum Painting

via design verb

Mix science with art and create a pendulum painting! Make a pvc table frame or suspend from a tree outside. Then, link a plastic cup (with a hole punched in the bottom) to your frame to swing. 

Science: "A gravity pendulum is a weight on the end of a rigid or flexible line or rod, which, when given some initial lift from the vertical position, will swing back and forth under the influence of gravity over its central (lowest) point. The movement of an ideal pendulum can be described mathematically as simple harmonic motion." via Encyclopedia Kids

Magic Crystal Tree

Visit Steve Spangler for the explanation!

Grow a Crystal Star

You can also create other shapes in different colors! Click here to make a rainbow!