Science Discovery
What is science discovery? It is providing opportunities where children can explore and investigate to answer questions. They observe, experiment, measure, solve problems, take things apart, handle materials and study living things. It is our job to encourage them to predict what will happen as a result of their actions.
Spring Science Discovery
Water Absorption Experiment
This is an investigation using coffee filters, paper towels, water, and a spray bottle of water. Draw lines or designs on your coffee filter and paper towel. Predict: What do you think will happen if we spray water on the coffee filter? The paper towel? Test it out by spraying the water. Observe what happens. Ask your child what they see happening. Find and test out other paper items around your house to investigate.
Fun with Sand
There are lots of fun activities that you can do at home with sand! If you don’t have sand, you can use potting soil or even crinkle cut shredded paper that is often used to fill baskets and gift bags. You can use anything that allows you to fill and empty a container. Gather some different sized cups and measure how many small cups of sand will fill a large cup. You can even hide small toys in the sand to play a matching game. You can also use magnetic letters or cut out letters from magazines to hide in the sand as well. Have fun playing in the sand!
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly
Here is a video showing the different stages of the life cycle of a butterfly using a plastic model. You will learn there there are four stages in its life cycle.1st - egg; 2nd - caterpillar; 3rd - chrysalis; 4th - butterfly.
ECLC Wacky Weather:
Rain Edition
Join the ECLC Weather Team in learning about rain. What is rain? Where does it come from? What should you wear when it is raining outside? What do you like about the rain?
Summer Science Discovery
Hermit Crab Study
Did you know that all of our classrooms have something living for children to take care of? Ms. Sandy is a teacher at the ECLC. She took a short video of her Jumbo Hermit Crabs. Watch her hermit crab video with your child. Observe where the crabs live and what they are doing. Read through some of the questions below after watching the video. Use your scientific observation skills to find out what you missed.
What did you notice?
Did the crab move?
Where was the antennae?
Where were their legs?
Where was their claw?
Why do they need a shell? (protection)
How many crabs did you see?
Did you see any empty shells in the tank?
Why do they need empty shells? (options for future homes)
Sink or Float Investigation
This is a sink or float investigation using a prediction graph. Can you predict what will sink and what will float? Test out your predictions to see if you were right. What else could you find around your house to test out? Will your items sink or float?
Cornstarch Goo
Prediction - What will happen when we add cornstarch and water together?
Cause and Effect -- What happens if we add ocean animals to our Cornstarch Goo?
Did you know that scientists use their senses to explore messy sensory activities? What does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it smell like? Have fun being a scientist at home!
Fall Science Discovery
Skittle Investigation
This is a fun experiment using skittles and hot water. Have your child sort their skittles by color. Line them up in a circle on a white/light colored plate. Predict what you think will happen. Slowly add the hot water. Observe what happens. Have your child tell you what they see happening.
Questions you can ask:
Was your prediction correct?
What other colored candy could you try instead of skittles?
Can you predict what will happen? Test out your idea
Why Do Leaves Fall Off Trees?
In the fall, the cooler temperatures and shorter daytime hours cause leaves to stop their food-making process. The green color in the leaves changes to yellow, red and orange. Then the leaves “fall” to the ground. Go on a nature walk in your yard to examine the leaves. What do your leaves look like?
Winter Science Discovery
Snow
Snow is precipitation in the form of ice crystals. The next time it snows can you measure the snow? Can you make a snow angel/snowman?
Snow Volcano
Kids can explore a favorite chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar with an easy to build volcano made out of snow. Plus, you can leave the mess outside! Grab a container such as a pint jar, or a plastic cup, a box of baking soda, a bottle of vinegar and some food coloring. It works out best if you add your food coloring to your bottle of vinegar before you start this experiment. Once you have your ingredients ready, place your container in some fresh snow and build a snow volcano around it. You want to pack the snow right up to the cup. Then pour some baking soda into the container. You can now pour the vinegar in the top of the volcano and watch it erupt (the more vinegar the bigger the eruption). Go ahead and repeat as desired with more vinegar and baking soda.
ECLC Wacky Weather:
Snow Edition
Join the ECLC Weather Team in learning about snow. Do you like playing in the snow? What can you build out of snow? Did you know that you can make a snowman inside? Be sure to watch the Creative Corner segment to learn how.
Snow & Water Investigation
This is a video about being a scientist. We are going to explore snow. And, we are going to explore water. Did you know on a cold, cold day - you can bring snow from outside into your house? Did you ever wonder what would happen if you added colored water to our snow? What will happen to the snow? Join us in this Science Investigation where we practice using our: prediction skills, cause and effect changes, and observation skills. Now you try exploring and learning about snow and water at your house! Have fun being a scientist at home!
Ramps
This is an engineering investigation. Can you find things in your house to make a ramp? In the video, we used pillows and a plastic lid. We had a big ball and a little ball. We added a tape measure to include an opportunity to practice data collection. Which of the balls rolled the further? The big one or the little one? Why do you think that happened? What else can you find at your house to roll down a ramp?
Rock Collection Sorting
The rock collection allows students to use their critical thinking skills as they observe and organize objects found in nature and make sets based on their observations.