Kindergarten

How does the weather make a difference in what I can do?

Let's investigate...

Grab the following items:

• Your science journal

• A Calendar

• A piece of paper

• Markers/crayons

Let's explore...

• • Check the weather every day—is it sunny? Rainy? Warm? Cold? Windy? How does the weather make a difference in what you wear or what you do? What are some things that you only do in the summer? In the winter?

  • Can you keep track of the weather? Using a calendar, draw a symbol for the weather on each day. If it is sunny, you could draw a sun. If it is cloudy, draw some clouds. You can also keep track of the temperature. What would you draw if it is hot? Cold?

  • When the month is over, you can make a chart that shows the different types of weather during the month. Draw the chart in your science journal. See the chart as an example.

Essential Knowledge and Practice (connection to the science curriculum)

• chart and graph daily weather conditions throughout the year to determine seasonal patterns (K.9 a)

How do shadows change?

Let's investigate...

Grab the following items:

• Your science journal

• Light source (lamp, flashlight, sun)

• Chalk

• Toy or object

Let's explore...

• • Go outside on a sunny day. Look at the ground. What do you see? If you can, take a piece of chalk and have someone draw the outline of your shadow and where you are standing. Go outside again later in the day, and stand in the same spot. What has happened to your shadow? Look at the chalk on the ground and describe how it is different. If you have a flashlight and a toy, try making different shadows. Put the toy on a flat surface, and then pretend that the flashlight is the sun and hold it above the toy and move it. How does the shadow change? Can you make the shadow disappear? Where is the light when the shadow is gone?

  • Leave a toy in the sun for a while, and then touch it. How does it feel? If you have two toys that are the same, put one in the sun and one in a shadow, after a while, touch the toys. Does one feel warmer than the other? Which one is warmer?

  • Draw pictures or write about what you discovered in your science journal.

Essential Knowledge and Practice (connection to the science curriculum)

• make observations and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface (K.8 a)

• demonstrate how shadows change as the direction of the light source changes (K.8 b)

• compare the relative temperature of an object in sunlight vs. the same object in a shadow (K.8 c).

How can you reuse or recycle items in your house?

Let's investigate...

Grab the following items:

• Your science journal

• Aluminum can

• Paper

• Card board

• Plastic bottle

Let's Explore...

• • Think of all the ways that you use metal, plastic, paper, or cardboard. Can you think of ways that you can use these items again? Can you recycle them?

  • Draw pictures or write about how you will reuse or recycle in your science journal.

Essential Knowledge and Practice (connection to the science curriculum)

• identify materials that can be reused (K.11 a)

• give examples of objects that can be recycled (K.11 b)

How do living things change over time?

Let's investigate...

Grab the following items:

• Your science journal

• Plant (indoor or outdoor)

• Young pet, or something that children can observe change

Let's explore...

• • Look at a picture of you as a baby. How have you changed since you were a baby? Do you have a plant or a pet that is changing? What are all the different ways that the plant or pet has changed? Interview someone who knew you as a baby and now. Talk to them about all the ways that you have changed since you were a baby.

  • Draw pictures or write what you learned in your science journal.

Essential Knowledge and Practice (connection to the science curriculum)

• use observations to describe the change of an object or living thing over time (K.10 c)